My art piece depicts my interpretation of the first pool scene when Bromden watches and listens to McMurphy talk to the lifeguard. In this scene, McMurphy is talking to the lifeguard, another patient of the hospital. He explains how the commitment works at the hospital, saying how the patients are here for however long the nurses say they should stay. McMurphy starts to realize he has made a mistake. Instead of being stuck working on the farm for a few months, he could be at the hospital for years. He starts to reflect on what he has done and what his next steps are. First, the colors I used are muted and a bit dreary. This is to show the overall life at the hospital, boring, often monotonous and depressing. Diving deeper, the words outside and inside are used throughout the book in many ways, but one notable usage of the words is to highlight the loneliness and isolation the patients of the ward experience. I decided to put McMurphy as the sole person in the artwork to represent that loneliness and separation that he starts to feel after the excitement of not working on the farm wears off. I added ripples in the water that also show him being completely alone. Another big theme of this book revolves around power struggles. The staff of the hospital, most notably Nurse Ratched, and McMurphy constantly have a back and forth for power over the ward and its patients. In this scene, after the lifeguard tells him about commitment, he realizes how little power he has in the grand scheme of things. I decided to make him relatively small compared to the rest of the picture, especially the pool which appears to go on forever. His size compared to everything that is around him represents that lack of power he feels after realizing that he could be in the ward for the rest of his life if the nurses wanted it to be so. McMurphy is drawn using a pen and many non-uniform squiggly lines. I wanted this to show both the chaos his personality brings to the ward, and, again, the lack of control he feels at this moment. From the bottom of the pool, black swirls and shadows come up towards McMurphy. These represent the regrets that start to form in McMurphy’s mind during this scene. They come up from the bottom of the pool to show how these regrets were once far away but are slowly creeping up to him. McMurphy stares out of the window. The window shows an image of what outside of the hospital might look like, but it also serves as a window into McMurphy’s thinking and headspace. Outside, the countryside is visible as well as a farm with rows of crops. The hills go on forever and represent freedom of the outside world. A farm is also visible, but is very far away. This is to highlight how far away that idea is now, he cannot turn back as he is trapped in the ward. Lastly, Bromden mentions the fog many times throughout the book. It represents the actual brain fog many patients of the ward experience, safety, numbness, as well as the general power that the staff have over the ward. Being in the fog is being obedient and docile. In my art, fog is rolling in from the window. McMurphy watching his freedom behind a glass pane reminds him that if he does what the staff wants he has a higher chance of being able to leave, and thus, the fog rolls in. This itself starts to change his actions as following this scene he starts doing everything the nurses want, showing that he truly does get lost in fog.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that delves into the dynamics of power, control, and rebellion within the confines of a mental institution. The book’s portrayal of the ward as a highly controlled, authoritarian environment, juxtaposed with the character of Randle McMurphy’s efforts to challenge this oppressive system, provides a compelling lens through which to re-examine one’s relationship with authority figures and the mandatory structures in life.

The ward in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest shows a small society wrapped in a totalitarian regime. Nurse Ratched, the head nurse, symbolizes this regime, exerting her authority through strict rules, manipulation, and psychological control over the patients. As Kesey describes, this environment is one where individuality is suppressed, and conformity is enforced. The novel vividly portrays the dehumanizing effects of such a system, where patients are stripped of their autonomy and identity. This is evident in passages like, “She’s like a watchful robot, she sees everything, and she filters all of it through her machinery and beams it out in a revised version.” This quote highlights how Nurse Ratched’s control extends beyond physical constraints to psychological manipulation, shaping the perceptions and realities of the patients.

Contrasting this regime is Randle McMurphy, who embodies resistance and individualism. McMurphy’s arrival at the ward sparks a transformation. He challenges the established norms, questions authority, and encourages the patients to reclaim their sense of self. His rebellious acts, from organizing a fishing trip to standing up to Nurse Ratched’s rules, symbolize a fight for personal freedom and dignity. McMurphy’s actions resonate with me as they remind me of the importance of questioning and challenging the structures and norms that often go unchallenged in our lives.

Reflecting on my own experiences, I realize that there are numerous instances where I have conformed to rules or structures without questioning their purpose or fairness. For example, school policies and traditions are followed with little thought. McMurphy’s character inspires a reevaluation of these norms. It’s not about rebelling for the sake of rebellion but about understanding the reason behind rules and whether they serve a just and meaningful purpose. McMurphy’s stance is not just against the tyranny of Nurse Ratched but is a broader commentary on the importance of challenging unjust systems and standing up for individual rights.

A pivotal moment in the book that impacted me is when McMurphy arranges a vote to watch the World Series. Despite being initially defeated, he challenges the decision, eventually inspiring other patients to stand up for their desires. In this scene, as Kesey writes, “He had won the bet, but what had he won? He saw fourteen faces still watching the blank TV”. This moment illustrates the power of resistance and the potential for change when individuals unite against an oppressive system.

The psychological impact of the ward’s environment in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is profound. Patients who have been long subjected to a disciplined, oppressive routine find in McMurphy a beacon of hope and a symbol of resistance. His actions are not just rebellious for the sake of defiance; they are acts of liberation for those who have been marginalized and silenced. McMurphy teaches them to laugh, to enjoy simple pleasures, and to reclaim their voices. This aspect of the novel underscores the power of self-expression and the importance of maintaining one’s identity in the face of authoritarianism.

In my life, this translates to being more critical and vocal about the rules and structures around me. Whether it’s questioning school policies that seem unfair or challenging societal norms that suppress individuality, McMurphy’s actions inspire a more active and engaged approach to the world. It’s about finding a balance between respect for authority and the courage to speak up against injustice.

In our society, this narrative remains relevant. We often encounter situations where conformity is valued over individuality, where the pressure to adhere to societal norms or institutional expectations can stifle personal expression and growth. The struggle of the patients in the novel mirrors the challenges faced by many today who find themselves in environments - whether educational, professional, or social - that demand conformity at the expense of personal freedom.

Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest goes out of its setting in a mental ward to comment on the humans’ struggle against oppressive structures. It serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining individuality and the need to sometimes question and challenge the status quo. McMurphy’s legacy in the novel is a testament to the enduring power of a single individual to inspire change and empower others, a lesson that continues to resonate in our lives today.

Billy’s Vote

Pages 100 - 126

The ward had been slow all day, nothing to do but continue our Monopoly game. We’d been at it for a few days at this point, I don’t even know how many days it’d been since we first passed Go. Mac was the banker. I think Harding made him banker, said he’s smart with money. He’s smart with money alright, just not any of his own! Lost maybe $20 by then playing poker. No, I didn’t lose it. I got robbed!
Cheswick’s got a funny look on his face, the kind he gets before he throws a fit and stamps his feet at Miss Ratched. 

“Martini, roll the damn dice!” Martini ain’t paying him any mind, he’s got one dice in his left hand and the other in his mouth. I don’t think he even realizes he just chews on stuff. His mouth is like a vacuum, one of those big fields in space NASA says is sucking up light. I saw it on the news last week, the space programs aren’t just to win the race against the Soviets. They also seen big fields of nothing swallowing light, massive chunks of space gone in a flash. That dice ain’t so different, its shiny surface approaching the black chasm in the back of Martini’s throat.

“For god’s sake Martini don’t swallow the fuckin’ dice!”

Mac screams as he reaches into Martini’s mouth and yanks the dice out.

He’s like a father, yanking a tooth out of a petulant toddler. He wipes the dice off on his shirt and clacks them together in his hand, rolling them for Martini. Martini couldn’t care less, he’s drifted somewhere else now. I don’t know where he drifts when he’s got that blank, vacant stare. I wish I could see what he sees. We played for about an hour. Longest damn hour of my life.

“Could all acute ward patients report to the day room? Group therapy shall begin in 3 minutes.” Miss Ratched’s soft voice echoes over the loudspeaker. It’s not very loud in the tub room, almost faint. Like a spirit drifting in and out of the room. Maybe that’s what Martini sees. 

We scoot chairs to the dayroom, clear the tables, and all sit down. Miss Ratched is holding her folders and that notebook. That damn notebook. Mac calls it the “God damn motherfuckin’ book of the devil.” I wrote down something he said on Tuesday, he started blabbering about one of his past “flings” I hate when he does that. Can’t talk about girls like that, Mother warned me so.

“M-m-m-miss Ratched? C-could I talk a-a-a-about myself today? I-I-I-I just feel li-like it.”

She nods and we begin. I don’t share often, and usually when I do I talk about Mother. This time was different, I had other things on my mind. Mac talks about the military a bit. Got me thinkin’. I was almost an army man. Almost.

I felt like I talked for days, my throat dry as a desert by the time she asked me to get off the topic of my stutter. I couldn’t help it. I got lots to say, but my throat don’t got the time to say it. It’s in a hurry, it wants all words vacated and closed up. “Spit it out! C’mon, say it with your chest! Speak up, boy!”

I’ve heard that kinds of stuff all my life. Nothing’s new. Never new stuff on the ward. Miss Ratched moves the topic along. Now she wants me to talk about the girl. Mother never liked girls. Says they take me away from her.
“So, Billy, do you think your Mother is overbearing in a sense? I mean, me and her are old friends and I’ve never gotten that sense from her, but perhaps you could shine a light on your perspective.”
“I-I-I-I-I just f-f-f-feel there’s got to b-be a better way to be a p-p-p-p-parent! I don’t w-want to be just an e-e-extension of h-her! I’m n-not no o-octopus arm!”

“Yeah, Billy’s his own man!” Cheswick pipes up and stands on his feet, the little brat he is. Biggest middle-aged brat I’ve ever seen. I hate it, he doesn’t let a man fight his own battles. Ain’t nobody needs a little puppy like him chirping at everyone everywhere. 

“S-s-s–s-shut up Cheswick!” “Calm down Mr. Bibbit, our meeting is going to conclude soon. No need for hostility. Save your thoughts for the next meeting.” She intermittently puts her finger to her lips and shushes me, like she’s blowing candles between her words. “Now with that, I believe this meeting shall come to a close if nothing else is to be said.” Mac’s not happy, he’s still got something to say. He always does.

“As a matter of fact, ma’am, there does happen to be something. Remember that vote we had a day or so back – about the TV time? Well, today’s Friday and I thought I might just bring it up again, just to see if anybody else has picked up a little guts.”

“Mr. McMurphy, the purpose of this meeting is therapy, group therapy, and I’m not certain these petty grievances–”
“Yeah, yeah, the hell with that, we’ve heard it before. Me and some of the rest of the guys decided–”

“One moment, Mr. McMurphy, let me pose a question to the group: do any of you feel that Mr. McMurphy is perhaps imposing his personal desires on some of you too much? I’ve been thinking you might be happier if he were moved to a different ward.”

She cuts him off again, but this time ain’t nobody listening to her. She’s got that voice of daggers, but her words ain’t touching Mac. He’s a mountain of a man with skin hard as rocks. Mac kept arguing, he wanted that vote. In a way, we all wanted it. I put my hand up this time, I knew I had to. All us acutes did. I didn’t mean it as disrespect to Miss Ratched, I swear I didn’t.

But I felt like it told her something, something I’ve wanted to say for a long while. I had lots to say, and this time my hand had the time to say it. 

Why Billy?

I used Billy Bibbit’s character as a speaker since I feel a personal connection to him somewhat. Billy as a character struggles greatly with asserting himself to his mother and Ratched, and it’s specifically told he was institutionalized at the suggestion of his mother to Ratched, although he is a full grown adult and is not permanently committed. His character is something I personally relate to when it comes to assertion and confidence. In my writing I wanted to create a descriptive scene and show the amount that could go on in Billy’s mind as a character yet still preserve the very limited he speaks about due to his reservations. Billy is thinking a lot but not talking much.

Everyone in the Ward is working, doing their chores, Bromdon specifically is cleaning but what makes his chore so special is where he is cleaning. The staff around the Ward decided to let him clean the staff room because Bromdon has tricked everyone into believing that he is deaf and that his disability allows him to be in the staff room because he supposedly can’t hear what the staff members are saying/planning. Before Bromdon goes to clean the room McMurphy asks If they will know that he can hear and that he’s been hearing every conversation they had around him. This shows how only McMurphy knows his secret and he can trick everyone except the known trickster, McMurphy. The way Bromdon describes the condition of the meeting room and it seems unreal and disgusting, on page 131, “The things I’ve had to clean up in these meetings nobody believes me; horrible things, poisons manufactured right out of skin pores and acids in the air strong enough to melt a man. I’ve seen it.” this shows the types of things going on behind the scenes where the rest of the patients can’t see. Why do they trust Bromdon with this job? Was he the only option? Because he can still see and talk not being able to hear won’t stop him from letting others know about what goes on back there. Also is this what he is cleaning real? I started to think this because of the question of whether or not Bromdon is a reliable narrator because he sees thing comes into play here and I am not sure if the air from acid has melted a man. The staff has gotten used to him cleaning there for such a long time they aren’t even bothered by his presents and they treat him like he is invisible as described by Bromdon on page 131, “I move around my chores, and they see right through me as I wasn’t there”. This also means he hasn’t told anyone about what goes on in there because if he did they would find out and realize that he is lying about his hearing. That is why I think maybe he told McMurphy about what is going on or McMurphy’s high intellect helped him figure out that Bromdon is playing a trick. All of this leads up to my art piece where I drew Bromdon cleaning up what is supposed to be acid and a skull is seen which represents the melted man, I also made sure that Bromdon was colored in lightly because he seemed invisible over there. With the staff, I put them all around a table and Big Nurse looked small but was the only one standing to show her power over everyone there because she even said she gains full control when she is in the meetings. All of these details add up and make a scene that you would see if you were in the staff room and seeing what goes on in there.

I chose to create a late 1940s era monopoly board with quotes from the book scattered throughout and a clock in the middle. The book, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, By Ken Kesey is set in the 1960s, but I assumed that the psychiatric facility would not have the most up to date, or new board games, which is why I used a 1940s Monopoly board for my inspiration. The clock in the middle showcases squiggly hands both pointing to the three on the clock to illustrate the ways in which our narrator, Chief Bromden, often gets lost in time. Like on pg. 103, when Chief states, “There’s long spells- three days, years- when you can’t see a thing.” I wanted to show Chiefs loss of time because I think that it is very significant to a question our class has posed a few times in various discussions: how reliable is Chief Bromden’s narration? From the very beginning of the story we are questioning if what we are being told is the truth of what has happened, or it’s just Chief telling us what he believes he saw, early on in the book he addresses this, “It’s still hard for me to have a clear mind thinking on it. But it’s the truth even if it didn’t happen.”(8) This leaves the reader questioning whether or not we can trust Bromden’s narration throughout the rest of this story. On my Monopoly board I scattered different references to the story throughout the classic Monopoly squares. I color coded these squares to group different topics that are related to some of the main characters together. I used the color green on the “Work Farm” and “Casino” squares because both of these squares are relevant to the character, McMurphy. On each corner of the board I included a main reference included throughout the book that has been mentioned more than once. The Nurses Station, the Shock Shop, and the Broom Closet. All of these locations are essential to the facility, and have been mentioned in multiple scenes throughout the story. In the fourth corner I replaced the class Monopoly “Go” square with a “Do NOT Go” square. I chose to include this because a lot of the characters within this story seem to be trapped in the psych ward, with no choice to leave, and no life waiting outside for them even if they did. I chose to include squares that are present within the actual game Monopoly because I wanted to signify our narrator’s constant fight between the real world and the world within his head. It is clear that Bromden is constantly trying to differentiate between the psych ward and his present, and his past memories. This creates a confusing plot and leaves me wondering sometimes if what Bromden is describing actually happened, or if we are just inside of his head. I wanted to create the same kind of confusion on my board which is why I mixed in Baltic and Mediterranean avenues with the Columbia River Dam.

Whenever I read the book One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, I never antagonize the character McMurphy because I relate to him in a way where he resists submitting to the control of authority. Most of the authority figures in my life take advantage of their power, and use it as a way of compelling others around them. Fortunately for myself, I tend to see the true intentions of the judgment, just like McMurphy. He is the newest addition to the Ward, but he is considered an outcast based on the way he has self discipline unlike the others who comply with Nurse Ratched’s jurisdiction. The more I analyze the interactions where McMurphy has tried to unbrainwash the other patients about the nurse, the more I realize that I resist the authority figures in my family if they aren’t my mother.

In response to McMurphy’s unpopular opinion of Nurse Ratched, Harding compares the analogy of everyone in the ward being rabbits controlled by wolves. “‘The rabbits accept their role in the ritual and recognize the wolf as the strong.’” (57). I view the circumstance with my family as the adults putting on the persona as a wolf trying to control the rabbits, but in a sense I’m like McMurphy where I refuse to be a part of that stimulation. A lot of the time, older people in my family will try to give their input or solutions to things pertaining to me when their opinions weren’t asked for. But because they’re adults and hold an authority title over someone my age in the family, I’m expected to listen to them and apply their corrections, but I disagree and have always felt that way. Finishing his point, Harding ends his analogy with “He knows his place. He most certainly doesn’t challenge the wolf to combat.” (57). I break generational curses in my family with it being mandatory to submit to the control of other adults, the same way that McMurphy is breaking the routine of following orders from the nurse at the Ward. In my family, “what the adult says always goes”, no matter the circumstance and if you do otherwise, it equals disrespect.

My mom usually finds all my opinions on the traditional rules valid, and supports me to voice my opinion. She always said “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it”, towards the controversy of disrespect. I think that the other patients and staff members of the Ward take McMurphy’s honesty as a negative connotation because he doesn’t have someone to differentiate his delivery. There’s this one specific rule in my family that I find absolutely ludacris. If all the seats are taken at an event or gathering, and an adult doesn’t have anywhere to sit, then a younger person has to get up and offer their seat, even if they’re in the comfort of their own home. Personally, I am never doing that, especially not in my own house and I think that McMurphy would say the same. The quote “You mean to tell me that you’re gonna sit back and let some old blue-haired woman talk you into being a rabbit?” (58) reminds me of the time when I refused to give up my chair to a family member, and I received backlash for it. But just like McMurphy said I’m not going to let anyone talk me into being a rabbit.

The term “self discipline” in this case doesn’t go with its usual meaning. Instead it means that we are self-disciplined, as in giving ourselves authority, rather than taking in the orders from those that hold power above us. And by “us”, I mean McMurphy and I. To be quite honest, when adults try to boss me around, or give me orders, and they aren’t my mother, it makes me want to refuse to listen to them even more. For example, recently on Thanksgiving, I overheard one of my family members planning to send all the kids upstairs so they could play adult games. She isn’t even that older than me but she is an adult. So I went into the kitchen and told my mom I wasn’t going upstairs, before she even heard about the plan. But I ended up going upstairs later that night, and I was never even told to. I think the idea of me being controlled or told what to do irritates me. I’m not even one to act up or do something illogical, so when anyone who isn’t my mother tries to correct me, it’s in my nature to resist.

For this Lit Log, I assembled magazine cutouts (entirely Playboy) to represent McMurphy’s view of the Ward— specifically pulling from the conversation he has with Harding on his first day, after the group meeting. McMurphy immediately knows the power he will have over the Ward in the coming weeks, and he seeks to have power everywhere he goes. Even after hearing of the unstoppable force that is Nurse Ratched - he is confident that he can “get her goat”, saying on page 67, “Bug her till she comes apart at those neat little seams, and shows, just one time, she ain’t so unbeatable as you think.” This piece is split up into a few different parts- one is how he learns most of the Chronics came to be the way they are, which is being sent to the Shock Shop. Harding describes this experience to McMurphy on page 62, “Even when you do regain consciousness you are in a state of disorientation for days…Enough of these treatments and a man could turn out like Mr. Ellis you see over there against the wall.” McMurphy is skeptical of these “treatments” that are given to the patients from the shocks to the group therapy, that seems to only humiliate and silence the men in the Ward, as seen in the picture of men with fingers pointing at them, and the sea of wires and electricity that the pictures of men swim in, their mouths covered. One man’s face has turned into a sort of screaming monster while his hair frizzes out from the electricity. A second part is the depiction of Nurse Ratched - her head is huge and she looms over this piece like a big round sun, watching every move at all times. Though she attempts to show a false sense of kindness and security towards McMurphy, he sees right through her faḉade to her foul intentions. Though Harding does depict her as a “mother” of the Ward, on page 54 he says, “Our sweet, smiling, tender angel of mercy, Mother Ratched, a ball-cutter? Why, friend, that’s most unlikely.” As much as they wouldn’t like to admit it, she is their caretaker and without her they would have no one to look after them. The final part to this piece is McMurphy’s idea of himself and Bromden, and how it reflects on Bromden. Though we know McMurphy is large, he is obviously smaller than our main character, who he speaks down to and pities. Being in the Ward so long, Bromden doesn’t realize how small and helpless he feels until he sees the new patient take charge of things so defiantly, especially after being force fed pills earlier that day. McMurphy sees that even a man that large can be suppressed and puppetted, but still does not feel threatened. As shown in the piece, McMurphy is a big, cowboy-like, cigarette-smoking, multi-limbed entity that looms over Bromden as he’s being lowered into a catatonic state. The pills represent the men’s inability to fight back. They cannot beat the Nurse because they cannot beat the treatments.

Here we can see Chief Bromden looking through the window of the ward late at night. A grass field dimly lit by moonlight lies on the other side of the window. Across the field, there are scattered digger squirrel holes and pine trees. In the distant sky, there’s a flying v of birds soaring through the moonlight. Chief Bromden can see a dog exploring the dark lonely field. Chief Bromden watches the dog exploring the night saying, “sniffing digger squirrel holes, not with the notion of to go digging for after one but just to get an idea of what they were up to at this hour.” (142) Bromden sees part of himself in the dog as they are both exploring late at night. Bromden himself was “I walked among the guys heaped in long white rows like snowbanks, careful not to bump into somebody, till I came to the wall with the windows.” (141) Bromden is exploring the ward late at night, not with the intention of escaping but simply because he is curious as to what goes on late at night when everyone is asleep. Similarly, the dog is exploring the field, not with the intention of going after a digger squirrel but just because he is curious. As Bromden continues to watch the dog, he sees the dog look up into the sky and after a few moments, Bromden hears the geese too. Bromden notices that the dog “was still standing with his paw up,” (143) long after the geese flew over them. Bromden has been watching the dog enjoy its freedom and yet at the sight of birds, the dog becomes jealous of their ability to fly. The dog stands there watching them fly, wishing he too could fly. At the same time, Bromden leans his head against the window, watching the dog, wishing he too could be free to run in the open field. While the two aren’t in the same position, they share jealousy of what someone else has that they don’t. This shows Kesey’s intent to demonstrate the things everyone takes for granted. The dog has no idea that Bromden is watching and doesn’t realize how lucky he is to begin with. Kesey is demonstrating that the grass will always be greener on the other side, even when some people don’t have any grass at all. While Bromden and the dog are both jealous of other animals’ freedom, they still have polar opposite positions of freedom themselves. When the dog wanders off from home, he still has the option to come and go whenever he pleases whereas Bromden is stuck inside. Bromden is stuck behind the glass window, watching a dog do everything he wishes he could do himself and for that, he envies the dog. Up until this moment, we’ve seen constant similarities between the situation of patients in the ward and animals that are mistreated. For example, Bromden’s description of one of the patients being summoned by the big nurse saying, “he crawled to her like a dog to a whipping.” (86) This situation goes one step further and puts the dog in a position of more power than Bromden and the other patients, adding to his sense of helplessness. He is no longer on the same level as a captive animal, he is now beneath it.

The mental hospital portrayed in the book “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” presents a tense environment for patients. The ward consists of people labeled acutes, those who seem to have a future beyond the ward, and chronics, those who are permanently “crippled”. A better word to describe the nature of this ward would be “authoritarian”. There are ridiculous rules that nobody questions because of fear of the head nurse except the new patient.

The new patient, McMurphy, comes into the ward strong, immediately having the goal to “run” it. He is soon accepted by the patients but thrown off by their submission to the nurse who runs the ward, Big Nurse. When Mcmurphy inquired about why they fear Big Nurse so much, a patient tells Mcmurphy that they could be threatened with things like “Shock Shop” which is where cruel “electrotherapy” takes place. Or they’ll be given a lobotomy, turning them into a “chronic” forever (62).

I was skeptical about the criticism placed upon the ward at first. I had chalked it up to the staff actually wanting to help the patients and these cruel “treatments” were because science at that time made people believe these treatments were beneficial. But, later on into the book, we see Big Nurse in a staff meeting. In the meeting, they discuss how to make McMurphy look “schizophrenic” or “homosexual” in order to send him up to the disturbed ward where the most “difficult” patients reside to receive lobotomies and electroshock therapy (134). McMurphy technically had done nothing wrong but challenge their authority or intimidate them because of his boldness. At that point I had seen the ward for what it was.

That’s not the only realization I had. I was also forced to think about how similar but different my attitude to authority is. I appreciate order and someone to lead. I do believe that’s necessary for any organized group of people. But, my problem with authority comes from when power is abused, much like McMurphy. McMurphy first speaks up about the abuse the patients experience after the first group therapy session we see. He compares it to a “pecking party” and explains that a pecking party is when “The flock gets sight of a spot of blood on some chicken and they all go to peckin’ at it,” ( ). The patients were encouraged by Big Nurse to berate a single patient during the therapy session. I felt disgusted and sympathetic for the patients after witnessing how they all jump on one patient in order to please Big Nurse.

McMurphy and I are similar in that aspect too. I remember when I first started working and I was learning the ropes of having a job. There was this one manager and if they weren’t having a good day, nobody would be having a good day. They made work unbearable. There was this one thing they would do that would drive me crazy. They’d come to your station and nitpick at anything you were doing, “correcting” things that weren’t wrong, just their preference. Knowing my temper, I tried my hardest to avoid confrontation but they made it extremely difficult with their tyrant-like behavior. Much like Big Nurse who purposefully picked at McMurphy before he started to mess with her (23). My breaking point was a few months into my employment and I had been on the station that involved packaging food. Every few minutes she’d look over my shoulder and tell me something I was doing “wrong”. “You’re not supposed to put that into a box”, “Only bump off one ticket” . After a certain point I snapped a little bit and told her that maybe she was telling me one thing while another manager had told me something else. “Maybe you should get on the same page as your coworkers”. There was a bit more back and forth between us before she finally walked away and we were never put on shift together again.

I was upset because of her and most of my coworkers did not like her because she did the same thing to them. I wanted to get back at her in a way or annoy her enough so that she’d leave me alone but I soon realized that there was no action to take. It simply wouldn’t be smart to gamble with my job which was a great job. I couldn’t do anything about it. Mcmurphy had this same realization after talking with the lifeguard. He had too much to lose to go against authority.

I thought about if it was actually possible to go against tyrant authority figures without losing something. McMurphy was appalled at the way these men bowed down to Big Nurse at first. He was even critical of them. I was guilty of criticizing the men within the ward too. But I also didn’t consider the fact that they could literally become the victim of a lobotomy or electrocuted. The stakes are high for them. Mcmurphy felt those stakes rising, he finally felt the threat that day at the pool. After seeing McMurphy finally become docile, I realized that there was little to nothing we could do to challenge authority without losing more than we gain.