Why Did Mcmurphy Kill Himself

Randle Patrick McMurphy is the primary reason Charles Cheswick killed himself. Once McMurphy proved to the patients he was the one most suitable to take Nurse Ratched down, Cheswick followed suit and begins to help McMurphy with his cause. Cheswick, a man of bold words but no action, always believed he could one day take a stand against Nurse Ratched, and finally his moment has come. Cheswick was the first of the patients that stood up with McMurphy but when McMurphy does not support him, Cheswick lost all hope in taking down the Big Nurse, and consequently kills himself. Cheswick was the first of the patients that stood up with McMurphy, while the others stay inconspicuous. “We want something done about it, ain’t that right Mack?” (Kesey, 172) McMurphy was the scapegoat of the ward. His empowering aura boosted Cheswick off his hind horse, and got him to stand up against Nurse Ratched, as he shouted: “I want something done! Hear me? I want something done! Something!” (Kesey, 173) Although Cheswick was finally brave enough to yell at Nurse Ratched and face her head on, during his fit of frustration, Nurse Ratched remains absolutely calm, making him look like another crazy irrational patient who was later sent to the Disturbed ward. Like always, the other patients sit and watch as Cheswick …show more content…
The influence McMurphy had on the men, how he could’ve “saved” these patients from Nurse Ratched’s clutches, all the hope he had about getting something done, were all washed down the drain. “Cheswick could understand it and didn’t hold anything against McMurphy…” (Kesey, 174) With no support from McMurphy, it was the final breaking point that triggers Cheswick to commit suicide. Before Cheswick jumps in the pool, “he said he did wish something mighta been done…” (Kesey, 175) and dives into the pool, gets his fingers stuck in the grate at the bottom and