One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

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Mikaela Ysabel A.

Cana
BSN

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”


Summary
The patients are entirely under Nurse Ratched's supervision at the start of the
book. She poisons the recalcitrant and shames them into submission. Orderlies that
Nurse Ratched hires are just as cruel as she is. Ratched's tacit approval is obtained
when they torture and rape the patients. For those who are uncontrollable without
lobotomies, Nurse Ratched is even willing to make the recommendation. Things
drastically alter as Randle P. McMurphy is admitted to the unit. McMurphy challenges
Nurse Ratched whenever he gets the chance, gradually undermining her authority. By
the end of the book, she is dealing with a full-fledged mutiny as the other soldiers
quickly follow suit.
Inspiring by McMurphy's antics, another patient, Charles Cheswick, too makes an
effort to test the nurse. Cheswick, however, commits suicide in the facility's pool after
McMurphy fails to support him. McMurphy continues to berate Nurse Ratched despite
the fact that Cheswick's passing makes him recognize the consequences of the
influence he has over the other patients. Patient Billy Babbitt enjoys sex with Candy
Starr, a prostitute McMurphy imported for the celebration, when McMurphy throws a
secret party on the ward. But when Nurse Ratched discovers Billy with the prostitute,
she knows exactly how to humiliate him. He is informed by Nurse Ratched that she
must inform his mother, who is a close friend of hers. Billy commits suicide after being
told to wait in an office by himself. Upset and angry about Billy's suicide, McMurphy
assaults Nurse Ratched. In retribution for this and the numerous acts of mutiny he
conducted in her ward, she sends him for a lobotomy. When McMurphy is brought back
to the ward, Chief Bromden, a different patient, notices that the treatment has rendered
him entirely helpless. Bromden uses a pillow to suffocate McMurphy as a mercy. Then,
Bromden flees to freedom by climbing through a window.

Reflection Paper
What I think McMurphy must have done to avoid a tragic death is not to
underestimate Nurse Ratched's power to influence both inside and outside the facility.
Change everything he doesn't like about the institution. Additionally, Chief is said to
have been able to keep his so-called savior, McMurphy alive, even though he was in
severe physical pain.
My own opinion is that the main character has benefited from the counseling or
group sessions held inside the facility since he was able to watch how his convicts
interacted with one another via their use. Although, in my opinion, the group gathering
does not assist those who are mentally ill because Nurse Ratched did not step in to
address the issue of the prisoners who were the focus of the meeting instead, she
allowed them argue with one another and did nothing but look at those people. During
group counseling, the nurse only manipulates the inmates' fears and desires. A so-
called group meeting allows Nurse Ratched to achieve her personal goals: order and
power over the inmates.

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