"There is a good principle which created order, light, and man, and
an evil principle which created chaos, darkness, and woman." -Pythagoras
In the novel One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest,
main ruler Nurse Ratchet would be in discordance with the above
quote. Instead her ruling upon the combine is imposed with the attitudes of man
as described by Pythagoras. As well, men would feel emasculated by Nurse
Ratchet's mere presence, the roles are reversed.
Ratchet is first introduced to us as a calm woman,
with nice body and charisma. This statement coming from a man that is accustomed
to the nurse being on top, the narrator, Chief Bromden. It would not be until
McMurphy comes into the combine that her abuse will become noticeable. Before
McMurphy came in, there was a dissonance in terms of masculinity: how men are
supposed to act to overpower women, and how they acted in the mental institute.
As the new inmate settles in revolts against this regime arises. Throughout the
novel McMurphy will walk around in his boxers, exposing his body; sing out loud
and direct authority as friends. These all because McMurphy knew relatable
ideals prevailed over physical power, such as the one Nurse Ratchet imposed.
Women are marginalized as evil in Kesey's
novel. Upon there being few women present in the narration, there are only
three types: first there is the distant wives of the inmates, the second is the
imposing almost man figure of the Big Nurse and other small nurses, lastly
there is the prostitute figure of women. None of them represent well-rounded women;
they take to extremes the worst characteristics of women.
McMurphy and Nurse Ratchet are in a constant dispute
for power. As it catalyzes to the end, McMurphy begins to lose power against the
empowering nurse figure. He knows drastic measures are needed to be the savior
the combine had so long awaited. That is when he approaches the nurse and with
no stutter rips opens her shirt and begins to choke her. Not only does he for
the first time use physical power, but he exposes the nurse’s femininity, her
breasts. It is the end of his revolution, his point has been stated: the nurse
is not a machine following societal expectations, but a human just like the
inmates.
She simply could not lose. At the end McMurphy becomes
a vegetable after various electro shock therapies were mandated by Nurse
Ratchet, as pure revenge.
He died a martyr.
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