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Mcmurphy character analysis
Three incidents that made mcmurphy a hero in the one who flew over the cuckoo's nest
One flew over the cuckoo's nest book mcmurphy conflict
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It was clear that McCandless was ill-prepared for many of the situations that he was presented with throughout his adventure to Alaska. McCandless was very passionate about pursuing his dreams to live off the land. Although, if he wanted to survive long enough to enjoy living in one of the most harshest environments on earth, it would have only made sense that he carefully planned out every detail of his trip to prevent him from dying. However on the contrary, it was as if he had no plans or strategies to prevent this from happening. The ultimate sacrifice McCandless paid from unpreparedness was death.
All of the patients on the ward presume that Mcmurphy
Through Byrd's eyes McKinley is a man that is very focused on what he is doing and works with stress very well. He says that despite the circumstaces of the flight McKinley steadily takes pictures and doesn't worry about what is happening. He also says that McKinley is a extremely faithful and couragous man. Byrd says that McKinley would have jumped out of the plane to make it lighter if need be. This proves that McKinley has a character of tremdous sacrifice and courage.
Through Ken Kesey’s use of Christian imagery throughout One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but especially in this final section, Kesey allows McMurphy’s altruistic ways to shine through, giving the men of the ward a sense of individuality. Foremost, Kesey utilize a biblical reference when Bromden describes McMurphy as “a giant come out of the sky to save us from the Combine” (234). Bromden’s description is a direct reference to the second coming of Jesus Christ. In the book of Mark, it is described that “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26). In this way, Kesey compares McMurphy to Christ’s second coming.
After Jesus was crucified, he lay in his tomb for three days and then was resurrected. When he came across his disciples, they failed to recognize him. Once again, McMurphy symbolizes Jesus and the resurrection and McMurphy’s most dedicated followers, or Jesus’s disciples, cannot recognize the face of their savior. But, like Jesus on Easter Day, McMurphy must go to heaven as Chief Bromden lies on his body and suffocates McMurphy “until the thrashing stopped” (270). The ending of McMurphy’s life and his ascent to heaven demonstrates the conclusion of the Easter story allusion and the completion of the sacrifice to save the patients and allow them to feel as though they can leave the psychiatric ward and free themselves from the Combine and Nurse Ratched.
Throughout the romantic struggle, Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton, Ethan Frome sacrifices himself to be happy with Mattie Silver but in the process he paves his path towards infinite limbo. Ethan Frome is introduced as a man who is battered and withering. Upon going into his backstory, we discover his true self. A man who is in a marriage with a woman he has little to no feelings for, Zeena. Mattie Silver is the new woman who he has his eyes on and for her he sacrifices everything but just saves enough to withhold his integrity and obligation.
Billy ends up killing himself after the betrayal just like Judas after the realization of what they did. These betrayal set in motion both their deaths and ultimately their legacy after death. The death of McMurphy helps free the patients of the reigns of the hospital set on them, like how Christ free his people from the price of their sins. Even though McMurphy in the novel was very greedy and self-motivated at times, the inclusion of these allusions help break down the hard exterior that had been painted on him, by showing the reader that there was more to him and he truly wanted to help these patients. Kesey connections to Christ and McMurphy helps give the transitions needed in the novel to come to the conclusion at the end of the novel that because of McMurphy, many patients are now able to live their lives without being constricted to the walls of this hospital, but follow their own true
“At sea, away from the restraints of Nurse Ratched they follow the lead of McMurphy” (Elaine B., It’s the Truth Even If It Didn’t Happen). When the men are away from Nurse Ratched they still need to follow the lead of someone; rather than doing something from their own mindset. This shows how Nurse Ratched’s manipulation has hindered the men’s inability to do something for themselves. Another example of the longterm effects of manipulation is that none of the men actually want to leave the ward.
One man, George, was a germaphobe and was scared of being hosed off. McMurphy stands up for George and ends up getting into a fight with one of the aids. Bromden backs McMurphy up in the fight, so they both had to get EST treatment. As previously described, the table is shaped like a cross which helps prove that he is a Christ figure because Jesus was hung on a cross. Another instance where McMurphy is presented as a Christ figure is when Ratched found Billy Bibbit with Candy in the Seclusion room.
In Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the main character, Randle Patrick McMurphy, is a perfect example of a tragic hero. Throughout the novel McMurphy sets himself up to be the tragic hero by resenting Nurse Ratched’s power and defending the other patients. He can be classified as a contemporary tragic hero, but he also includes elements of Aristotle’s tragic hero. McMurphy’s rebellious nature and ultimate demise are what truly makes him as a tragic hero.
In the novel, McMurphy attacks the nurse brutally and attempts to kill her, “doctors and supervisors and nurses prying those heavy red fingers out of the white flesh of her throat as if they were her neck bones, jerking him backward” (Kesey 319). Also, the narrator shows mercy towards McMurphy by smothering him in his sleep, “and scissor the kicking legs with mine while I mashed the pillow into the face. I lay there on top of the body for what seemed days. Until the thrashing stopped” (323).
By weakening McMurphy’s power in the ward, she creates an environment where can continue to thrive in her power through the systems she has set in place. However, Nurse Ratched’s plan does not succeed and McMurphy is allowed to proceed with his fishing trip. He continues to undermine the nurse’s authority to the point where he physically assults her after she blames Billy’s death on him. His actions give Nurse Ratched an opportunity to give him the ultimate punishment, a
In the struggle between freedom and power, McMurphy’s sacrifice allows freedom to prevail. His leadership in a rising rebellion parallels many of the countercultures that arose during the 1960s. His rebellion fights against Nurse Ratched in the way that the countercultures fought against the government and society in the past to the present. The men in the asylum are unknowingly unhappy before the arrival of McMurphy. Through his antics, the men are saved from society in the form of Nurse Ratched’s regime.
His rebellious and free mind makes the patients open their eyes and see how the have been suppressed. His appearance is a breath of fresh air and a look into the outside world for the patients. This clearly weakens Nurse Ratched’s powers, and she sees him as a large threat. One way or another, McMurphy tends to instigate changes of scenery. He manages to move everyone away from her music and watchful eye into the old tube room.
The movie was mostly focused on the feud between the warden/nurse Ms. Ratched and McMurphy. McMurphy tried to go against the hard-set plan set by the institution. More he tried to establish dominance and leadership within the group. This threatened the nurse’s ways of subduing patients, and they felt of less importance in their own institution. This led to a bitter rivalry and because of it the nurse tried to subdue, with same techniques as with other patients, McMurphy even after realizing that he was not a mentally unstable person.
