One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Marxist Analysis

As humans we are all not created equally. We have our distinct unique qualities that make us who we are. Yet despite this in today’s society we are constantly pointing out our differences. These differences can take on a variety of several different forms. Race, gender, income are significant differences that we are often defined by. These three qualities that define us are major qualities in defining our class. In our society the higher class you are, the more power and prestige you have. Often times there is a struggle between higher and lower classes for power and more freedoms. These ideas is exemplified In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. But before we dive into these ideas, we must address what the definition of the class conflicts are

Classism is the belief that our value as human beings is directly related to the social class that we belong to . In other words, the higher class you are the more power you have in society. This is because according to the Classist belief, higher class people are more dependable, honorable, intelligent and energetic that lower class peoples. It was perceived that since higher class people were better than their lower class counterparts that they would take the leadership roles in society. Lower class people were seen as lazy, undependable, slow-witted and dishonorable. The power struggle to be in charge is something that is highlighted throughout One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey uses the conflict between the doctors and patients to symbolize the class conflicts that are occurring throughout the

She implements control by playing boring music throughout the hospital and sticking to a very tight schedule. This is her way of enforcing control over the hospital members. Nurse Ratched doesn’t want to relinquish control of her dominance over the hospital so she’s going to do everything in her power to keep the hospital the way it is. By oppressing the patients and limiting their freedoms Ratched can rule with a reign of terror and not allow anyone to break the system that’s in place. So when McMurphy proposes the vote she is very against this because even the slightest attempt at change can throw off her control. After the vote just fails she shuts down any hope of passing the change by immediately closing the vote. “Perhaps, Doctor, in view of the patient’s condition, we should bring this meeting to a close earlier today.” She is scared that the patients are starting to no longer accept her ways as they were only a vote away from changing the schedule. Nurse Ratched content that she has shut down another attempt of rebellion returns to her desk thinking that she has won. But when RP McMurphy refuses to get back to work, her power is in serious jeopardy as one by one the patients ignore her