McMurphy vs Ratched
Throughout the story “One flew over the cuckoos nest” there is a conflict between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. Since the second he arrived at the institution, the patients all knew he was different. He had a different kind of swagger to him and he had tattoos. Nurse Ratched also knew since he arrived that he would be a different type of patient. In his first week at the institution, he makes a bet that he could make Nurse Ratched crack. He won the bet when they wanted to watch the world series game and after it was turned off pretended like it was still on. This made Ratched lose her temper, and won McMurphy the bet.
Ratched was on a power trip running the ward. The opinion I got from the story is that she loved to be in control and have everything go her way. When McMurphy is around, I feel like this power of hers is threatened. Therefore, I believe the conflict of McMurphy and Ratched is one of control.
I also think that Nurse Ratched wanted to have total control over everyone. McMurphy was probably one of the most normal people in the ward and he knew about her power and wanted to have more control than she did, so I agree that the conflict between these two charaters was about control.
↓ Quote | Posted December 7, 2006, 3:59 pmI also feel as if Ratched was on a power trip and McMurphy threatened her power. I believe that is why she did what she did to McMurphy. She gave him a lobotomy to destroy him and to gain all of her power again. But I also do feel that when Chief Bromden suffocates him and leaves the ward that is also taking away some of her power. So maybe she lost her complete control over everyone forever.
↓ Quote | Posted December 11, 2006, 8:45 am