Matriarchy In Cuckoo's Nest

A detailed Summary of Matriarchy In Cuckoo's Nest


Until modern times, society advocated that a man's role was at work, while a woman was required to stay home and assume the role of the main caregiver. Men were given power and authority, and women, conversely, were expected to be meek and subservient. These roles extended beyond the family and out into society, and materialized in areas such as education, politics, and occupations. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey uses the reversal of these stereotypical gender roles to demonstrate the chaotic and sometimes tragically comic world of a mental institution. In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, the women are the power figures and are able to significantly manipulate the patients on the ward, as shown by the characters of Nurse Ratched, Mrs. Bibbit, and Vera Harding.

Nurse Ratched, whose power is expressed in bluntly sexual terms despite her attempts to deny her sexuality, maintains her position as the sloe voice of authority on the ward by suppressing the patients' laughter. The men under her jurisdiction use sexual references when talking about her, and after the first group therapy session the new admission R.P. Mc


The characters of Nurse Ratched, Mrs. Bibbit, and Vera Harding are representative of the matriachy that reigns in the mental ward. On a larger scale, these women exemplify the notion that women are to blame for the ills of soicety. Kesey does introduce the characters of Candy Starr and the girl in the cotton mill, both of whom stand in stark contrast to the matrons of the hospital. He also has McMurphy mention that "ball-cutters" can be any age or gender. These parts of the novel show hints of gender equality that the rest of the book appears to ignore.

Murphy calls her a "ball-cutter." The nurse attempts to hide her sexuality, and the schizophrenic Chief Bromden first brings the reader's attention to this denial in saying, "A mistake was made somehow in manufacturing, putting those big, womanly breasts on what otherwise would have been a perfect work, and you can see how bitter she is about it." (Kesey 11) Nurse Ratched's ultimate authority on the ward stems from the fact that she controls people who would normally be her superiors, namely Dr. Spivey, who Dale Harding says is, "'exactly like the rest of us. . .completely conscious of his inadequa

Some common words found in the essay are:
Vera Harding, Nurse Ratched, Billy Bibbit, , Ken Kesey, Candy Starr, Chief Bromden, Dale Harding, Miss Ratched's, Nurse Ratched's, nurse ratched, vera harding, nurse ratched bibbit, nest ken kesey, cuckoo's nest, nest ken, ken kesey, characters nurse, ratched bibbit, bibbit son, cuckoo's nest ken, flew cuckoo's nest, bibbit vera, authority ward, characters nurse ratched,

Approximate Word count = 778
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels

join now Save Paper

Related Essays

  • One Flew Over the Cuckooamp39s Nest 4 ... a point in the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Harding says that the men on the ward as well as all the men in the world are ampquotvictims of a matriarchyampquot. ... 799 words
  • Flying over The Kukuamp39s Nest ... however, reveals the misogynistic undertones to One Flew Over the Cuckooamp39s Nest. ... that the patients are rendered sexless because modern society is a matriarchy. ... 1938 words
  • Cuckoos Nest ... symbolises all that is sterile, mechanical, conformed and unnatural a mechanical matriarchy. ... One Flew Over the Cuckooamp39s Nest is a microcosmic look at an ... 1608 words
  • Cuckoos Nest ... symbolises all that is sterile, mechanical, conformed and unnatural a mechanical matriarchy. ... One Flew Over the Cuckooamp39s Nest is a microcosmic look at an ... 1608 words
  • Cuckoos Nest 28 ... opens the critique of the mental institution in One Flew Over the Cuckooamp39s Nest to a ... She is part of a matriarchy, an observation by Harding that relates to his ... 12450 words


Saved Paper

Save your papers so you can locate them quickly!

Newest Essays

Testimonials

  • "Thank You So Much!!! You have saved me once again!!!"
    Jack M.
  • "With so many papers to chose from, I was able to get ideas to help me with all of my classes. Thank You!"
    Brian P.
  • "I've used this site for the last 3 years to help me come up with ideas for my papers."
    Sara J.
  • "I use this site every week to help me write my own papers!"
    Rachel W.
  • "I love this site!!!"
    Marie N.
Home Join Now Support
Acceptable Use Policy About us FAQ
All papers are for research and reference purposes only!
© 2002-2009 DirectEssays.com. All Rights Reserved.