the struggle for power
Many novels have been written on the subject of power and its attainment. Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is the story of a man driven to insanity and unspeakable violence in his quest for it. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, concerns a young man trying to find himself and obtain some control over his life. Power comes in many forms, whether it is a simple journey for the purpose of self-enlightenment or a bloody crusade. People generally like to feel as though they have control even when they do not. Some will even try to control others, the less fortunate for instance, when controlling their own lives becomes difficult. To control one's life is to have a say in one's destiny. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, by Ken Kesey the three main characters all try to have some degree of control. Nurse Ratched has true control over the ward and loves it that way. She delights in nothing less than total suppression of her opponents. Her perfect world is challenged !by a newcomer, Patrick Randle McMurphy. He likes to be in control as well and loves the attention it gets him. The narrator, Chief Bromden, has never had any control over anything in his life until he comes to the ward. By making himself see the world i
of the lives of others, but rather wants to maintain control of the ward at all costs. Nurse Ratched is able to control the ward by destroying the men emotionally so they have no will to fight her anymore. Three personality types so different never could exist outside of fiction. Yet, all three are human beings and, as such, the acquisition of power must be a foremost though, even in a book. Never having said a word before, the chief is struck by the powers that lie within McMurphy. He is just a normal outgoing guy who is willing to overlook the stereotypes about people in mental hospitals. While the rest of the world shuns these men he treats them with respect. Nurse Ratched, on the other hand, uses tricks to make the men feel cheated and alone. In her perfect world there would be no other dissenting voice, no argument, and no McMurphy. McMurphy is able to bring out in the chief something that no one else ever could, besides speech, and that is power. The chief feels small. He feels that he is not strong at all but his actions concerning McMurphy change all that. The power desired by Nurse Ratched, Chief Bromden, and McMurphy are all obtained in different ways. me he puts his hand through a glass window just to make sure that the nurse knows he will do anything to stay in control. "The glass came apart like water splashing, and the nurse threw her hands to her ears... he turned to where Big Nurse was sitting like a chalk statue and very tenderly went to brushing the slivers of glass off her head and shoulders. ...'That window glass was so spick and span that I com-pletely forgot it was there'" (172). This gets a great reaction from the men in the ward. They love the fact that someone is challenging the nurse. He is not only getting power because they are on his side, but is giving them enough power to conquer their fears. McMurphy tries to make life on the inside as much like life on the outside would be. He teaches the men to play cards and even starts a basketball team. He treats them like normal people. After taking a group of them on a fishing trip their camaraderie reaches its high point. "While his relaxed, good-natured v! wever, is the killing of McMurphy. "He [McMurphy] would not have left something like that sit there for twenty or thirty years so the Big Nurste could use it as an example of what can happen if you buck the system" (270). Instead of letting his mentor and friend be a living reminder of the nurse's power, Chief Bromden kills him and keeps her from getting the last laugh. She tries to play God by controlling a man's destiny and by making him a symbol to further her interests. But the Chief is able to end his li
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1814
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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