One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a classic narrative with the perfect depiction of society. This novel is a well-known tale of good vs bad, taking place in a psychiatric facility in the 1960’s. The home for the mentally unstable was ran by the head nurse, despot Miss Ratched. Running the ward with a powerful grip, she struck fear in all her patients and her authority was never questioned. That was until her long lasting reign over the ward came to a halt when a new patient, Randle McMurphy, arrived with his arrogant, challenging attitude and infectious, rebellious tendencies. Ken Kesey’s novel reveals how society functions together by representing an idea of cruelty in his story. Cruelty is defined as “callous indifference to and pleasure …show more content…
She is sometimes even referred to as “Big Nurse” indicating a large, overshadowing presence in the ward. As head nurse, she runs the hospital, seeking to have all the control and the power. She determined and maintained her harsh authority by proving to the patients that she was in charge, often resulting in humiliation and manipulation. Many times throughout the novel, the nurse used a patient's instability and fear of both her and life outside the ward, to get her what she wanted. Naturally, the men in the ward retaliate because of their lack of confidence prevented them to stand up to the nurse. That was not the case, however, for the new patient McMurphy. He instantly recognized the nurses manipulation and cruelty, and instantly began to challenge her. Despite his attempts to loosen her reign, she still continued with her passive aggressive manipulation. For example, when McMurphy had planned a fishing trip for the boys, the nurse immediately didn’t like the idea. Instead of scolding them, and forbidding them to go on the trip like a tyrant, she began to play on their fear of the outside world. Nurse Ratched then continuously posted articles on the dangers of the ocean with the full knowledge that the men viewing