The Change in the Relationship between Nurse Ratched and the Patients in Ken Kesey’s Novel One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest

In Part 2 of Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, the relationship between the patients and Nurse Ratched changes drastically, largely due to McMurphy. McMurphy understands that despite their surroundings, they have the capability to overcome the nurse. Each patient possesses a unique skill which they could potentially use against her: Harding is exceptionally intelligent, Chief is incredibly strong, McMurphy is remarkably brave, and so on.

Even though they are all on a strict routine, McMurphy is determined to guide them out of this fog and encourage them to voice their opinions.

He realizes that they have the ability to make their own decisions, and this is where the shift in the relationship begins. One change that McMurphy advocates for is adjusting the schedule to watch the World Series. As a die-hard baseball fan, who has not missed watching a World Series game in years, a vote is held to see if the majority would be willing to accommodate this change.

Nurse Ratched’s power primarily rests on her ability to remain composed and unreactive. However, when the men pretend to watch the game on a blank TV screen, her steadfast demeanor starts to crumble. Despite the majority not voting in favor of watching the game, Ratched responds by calling a meeting with the doctors. Bromden acknowledges this shift, claiming he is “waiting to see how she’ll act now that it’s known she can be made to lose control” (149). Now, with the realization that they can incite her anger and disrupt her composure, the power dynamic shifts towards the patients. If they can penetrate her hardened exterior and provoke her, they have the potential to enact further changes within the ward.

Nurse Ratched is accustomed to having things done precisely her way as she has maintained dominance over everyone. However, as the patients begin to rebel, her power begins to waiver. In the meeting with the doctors, the suggestion arises for McMurphy to be sent to the disturbed ward, but Nurse Ratched contests, “He should not be sent up to disturbed, and I don’t agree that he is some kind of extraordinary being – some sort of psychopath” (156-157). If McMurphy is transferred to the disturbed ward, Nurse Ratched would lose her ability to manipulate and subject him to harmful treatments as a form of punishment.

McMurphy remaining presents Nurse Ratched with the opportunity to reclaim her authority over him and return her ward to its previous state. That’s why she argues that he should stay with the acutes; it isn’t because she believes he isn’t insane. Now, McMurphy can serve as an example to warn the other patients against defying her and to uphold her control.

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