Examples Of Mcmurphy In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Randle McMurphy, the protagonist, is introduced to break down the nurse’s oppressive ways. McMurphy, a con man who was sentenced to a work farm, was diagnosed as a psychopath and sent to the mental hospital, which he much preferred. Serving as a savior figure to the patients of the ward who have already been battered by the Big Nurse, McMurphy causes interference to the nurse’s control. He supports the men as they are ridiculed in meetings and supports their attempts to change policy. Although he does help other patients, he first looks out for himself. He cons the patients out of their money and then follows the nurse’s rules for awhile because of the threat of being kept on the

Randle Patrick McMurphy, the main character in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, is the perfect example of a hero. He is committed to a mental institution after faking insanity to get out of a work camp. From the beginning of his presence on the ward, things start to change. He brings in laughter, gambling, profanity and he begins to get the other patients to open up. All of this, however, clashes with the head nurse, Nurse Ratched, who is trying to press conformity and obeying authority. It is then a battle between McMurphy and the nurse, McMurphy trying to set the patients free and the nurse trying to make them “normal”.

     Mcmurphy was the one who started making people laughing in the ward. When he first came into the ward he was cracking jokes and shaking everybody’s hand. (p.16)

The Christ figure is a recurring symbol in American literature. Throughout Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, various interactions and events portray McMurphy as a Christ figure. There are frequent visual and concrete references to Christ throughout the novel. Also, the reader discovers that the other patients view McMurphy as an inspiration and someone they wish to emulate. This cooperation enables him to oppose Nurse Ratched and do what he thinks is best for the patients.

Everyone seems to have a clear vision of how other people should live their lives. If someone is not what others want him or her to be, they are judged and judged incorrectly. However, in society, this idea is far more common and almost expected. In fact, Ken Kesey, author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest portrays erratic behavior through his character Randle Patrick McMurphy as one who does not accept this idea. McMurphy is portrayed as an aggressive, yet passionate leader of a group of mental patients. With that in mind, his behavior throughout the novel is irrational to those who instantly judge him incorrectly by his actions. Little do those around him know, he is doing something for the greater good. McMurphy’s aggressive behavior can

McMurphy learns that involuntarily committed patients cannot leave the hospital without staff approval. Therefore, he cannot leave at the end of his six months sentence, but when Nurse Ratched says he can and he begins to submit to her authority. However, by this time, he had become the leader for the other patients. Their sanity, their claim to manhood lies in the balance. Cheswick, dismayed by McMurphy’s surrender, commits suicide.

After McMurphy convinces nine of his fellow patients to join him on a fishing trip, the group ends up stopping for gas and runs into trouble. A few men that are working at the gas station attempt to rile up the patients; resulting in McMurphy stepping in. He reminds the workers “‘We are lunatics from the hospital up the highway, psycho-ceramics, the cracked pots of mankind”’ (Kesey 239). McMurphy showed the patients "what a little bravado and courage could accomplish" and they realized "he'd taught us how to use it." (239). McMurphy was a strong leader and role model that the men needed. He showed them a path to power and strength. Even in the darkest of times, McMurphy stays by the patient's side. Always proving to them how committed and dedicated he would

In Ken Kesey classic 1960’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest McMurphy and Nurse Ratched both suffer from strong and aggressive personalities. Nurse Ratched and McMurphy have manipulative and powerful individualities.

Throughout the novel, he is also shown to be caring for the other patients in the ward. He wishes them to stop being fearful, wanting them to take a stance for themselves and rebel against the ones oppressing them. This attitude dedicated to helping his fellow inmates is shown as early as the beginning, where McMurphy does his best to try and rile a laugh from the other patients who have had the laughs chased out of them years ago. One of the older patients, Harding, tries to explain how they are all rabbits in this world, how they must submit to the wolves for they have no power to stand up against them. However, McMurphy violently rejects this idea, telling him, “You’re no damned rabbit!” (58). McMurphy constantly tries to convince the other patients to stand up for themselves. This becomes most prominent near the end of the novel. After the suicide of a fellow inmate, McMurphy acts and attempts to strangle the nurse, knowing that by doing so will result in repercussions for him. As Bromden watches, he thinks, “We couldn’t stop him because we were the ones making him do it...it was our need that was making him push himself slowly up from sitting...it was us that had been making him go on for weeks” (274-275). Bromden realizes that the way McMurphy was acting was primarily for their sake, for the sake of all the other inmates who looked towards McMurphy as a sign of

Randle McMurphy: A Christ Figure A book that understands the inside secrets of society darkest reality: mental institutions. In his novel, One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey writes about hidden realities of numerous patients. The setting of the novel takes place inside of a mental institution. While getting to know the characters, the story is being narrated by Chief Bromden, who is mute, and the ward is run by Nurse Ratched, also known as the Big Nurse.

McMurphy teases her, embarrasses her, and doesn't follow her strict, tedious rules. The two are constantly fighting and competing for power over the ward like wild animals defending their territory, "…the fight could go on as long as she wanted, till he made a mistake or till he just gave out, or until she could come up with some new tactic that would put her back on top in everybody's eyes." (Kesey 205). By agitating the nurse he gets the upper-hand and annoys her to no end. She tries to conceal her frustration but in bursts of anger it is revealed, such as when she is bandaging McMurphy's hand after he punched it through the glass, "By the way she jerked the adhesive tight as she could, showing her remote patience wasn't what it used to be." (Kesey 207). The breaking of the glass by McMurphy symbolizes his control over the nurse; once the glass is broken the nurse’s power is demolished. As the Nurse becomes more frustrated McMurphy gains more and more power. With this power he able to become the "leader" of the ward. The other patients begin to glorify McMurphy like a god, following him around like disciples. They become loyal to him because he is able to gain control over Nurse Ratched-something they could never do. Don't be misled, McMurphy doesn't have a care in the world for the welfare of the patients, all he wants is to have privilege

Nurse Ratched’s assistants suggest to send McMurphy to send McMurphy to a different institution “ So you believe it would be wise, to send him up to Disturbed?” (155). Once again her assistants agree with one anothers ideas of sending McMurphy away “ I believe it would be the very least safe,” (155). Nurse Ratched however, does not agree with what her assistants have been saying which is very odd “ I don’t agree that he should be sent up to Disturbed…” (156). Nurse Ratched passes the opportunity to put McMurphy into the disturbed ward for being potentially dangerous, and instead, insists he stays because he is subject to the same fears as the other ward members which I believe is a very heroic

McMurphy is a man bound to change the ward not only to benefit his sanity, but all the other patients who have lost theirs over the years from the tactics used by Nurse Ratched. He is being forced into being what others think he is, in order for the patients to recognize themselves through his actions. He gives them the ability to regain their power that was lost from Nurse Ratched, and even though McMurphy has a choice to obey the rules, instead he is rebellious and the voice of the patients. That being said, McMurphy has the responsibility to continue to give them hope in order to help them. He pushed the patients to fight for what they want. For instance, McMurphy states “But I tried though. “Goddammit, I sure as hell id that much, now

In dark times mankind often finds itself looking to a higher power for help or guidance. A sort of savior to save them from whatever horrid situations soceity drops on them and bring them to better times. A perfect example of this is in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Where R.P McMurphy is portrayed as a Christ like figure there to save the ward and guide them from hellish place it is. To guide them from The processed control of the combine and of the devilish Nurse Ratched. Throughout the novel, Kesey alludes to all of the hell like characteristics of the ward, as well as its Christ like figures and its savior R.P McMurphy.

The novel, “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest,” by Ken Kesey illustrates society on a small scale. The story, narrated by Chief, a patient, starts in a mental ward that is run by Big Nurse Ratched. The policy is the law and no one can change it, only abide by it. The patients are being oppressed by Nurse Ratched, though they don’t realize it until McMurphy shows up. The patients do as Nurse Ratched says because they fear her wrath. Throughout the novel, the character Randle Patrick McMurphy represents the rebellious people in the oppressive society. As the story progresses, McMurphy commits many rebellious acts. He brings the patients together and they fight against the society, which is represented by