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Example research essay topic: Nurse Ratched Power Personified - 955 words

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Nurse Ratched: Power Personified Within the scope of this research, we will elaborate on Nurse Ratched, a person who wanted too much power, much more than she could possibly handle. At the beginning of the novel, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, Nurse Ratched seems to have absolute power over everyone. Mainly because every patient in the ward is afraid of breaking a rule and that they are afraid of the consequences. For example, everyone obeys the nurse and they are being told to behave themselves discreetly by the nurse.

This is significant because the nurse can control them and obtain a peaceful environment in the institute. As well, she is able to make the patients listen to her and follow her rules. For example, every patient in the ward is afraid to look at Nurse Ratched, because when they look at the nurses eyes, her eyes can make them feel really guilty and make them feel like they " ve done something wrong when they havent even said a word. This shows everyone is afraid to raise his own opinions in front of the nurse. Moreover, there are workers in the ward such as the black boys, who have more power than others because they are like the nurse's special troop out to control the situation when the nurse is not around. If the nurse orders the black boys to do a task, they have to do it no matter of their own will.

The other patients see them as being more privileged; however the black boys are under the same pressure and human failings as the patients that Nurse Ratched has suppressed. All of these show Nurse Ratched had the most power and no one is going to break a rule under her controls over the whole institution. The Big Nurse is able to set the wall clock at whatever speed she wants (Kesey, p. 70). This shows her level of authority in the ward, because she can control the speed of everything, much like a god to mortals. However, after Mcmurphy comes to the ward, things change considerably. Before he arrived, all the patients were afraid to raise their own opinions about things that had on their mind, but Mcmurphy is raising his hands and trying to express his thoughts whenever Nurse Ratched holds a ward meeting.

Mc Murphy looks around, then holds his hand up and snaps his finger (Kesey, p. 44) Nevertheless, the patients accept Nurse Ratched's control over them because they believe it is necessary and also because they got so used to it that they dont even realize they are being controlled, until Mc Murphys arrival. This shows there is a major problem that the patients face, they believe themselves to be weak, and they need the Nurse to control them. But in fact some of them are capable of being independent. Another point shows how the power shifts from the nurse to Mcmurphy is that when Mcmurphy is wearing only a towel appearing in front of Nurse Ratched. She is telling one of the black boys to give him a new set of clothes. But Mc Murphy is wearing shorts under his towel shows that he knows sexuality is a particular vulnerability for Nurse Ratched.

This is significant because this is the first moment in which Nurse Ratched begins to show any sense of tense. Thus, Mc Murphy is trying to work hard to take the nurses power over. Mc Murphy complains about the noise and the patients should get a second room for playing games, but Nurse Ratched refuses. In the meeting, both the doctors and the patients support Mc Murphy and agree that they should have another game room; Nurse Ratched's hands seem to shake.

This is the second time that she loses her power and she actually shows weakness or worry. But I told him, a sort of second day room, a game room, shall we say? (Kesey, p. 99) As well, Mc Murphy allows other people to vote for watching the World Series. But Nurse Ratched does not allow people to determine decisions for themselves. All of these lead to the power shift, which occurs between Mc Murphy and Nurse Ratched.

There are many changes that take place throughout the novel; the patients in the institution change a lot with introducing Mc Murphy. Not only do the patients change, the Big Nurse herself was affected as well. For example, Chief felt so small and didnt want to fight back before, but after seeing how Mc Murphy and all the other patients are fighting, he too gains more courage and power from Mcmurphy. Also when the Chief awakes and watches the dog outside of the window, he begins to notice the things exist outside of the institution, as he could not before. I looked out the window. (Kesey, p. 141) This shows that Chief is more aware of the outside world now. Before the appearance of Mc Murphy, the nurse was invincible, strong and seemed emotionless.

However, after the many confrontations she had with Mc Murphy, and with the other patients, she changed. The nurses head gives that one little jerk again. Her hands are shaking. (Kesey, p. 100) From being calm and confident, she became vulnerable and weak. Due to Mc Murphys emergence in the mental institute, everyone is changed.

The patients now realize that they too can have a voice. Even though Mc Murphy dies in the end, he still made a great impact in the ward, and he was the one to rebel and bring everyone to realize they are more than just Chronic's and Acutes. Bibliography: 1. Kesey, K. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest.

New York: Harper Collins, 1989.


Free research essays on topics related to: one flew over the cuckoo, flew over the cuckoo nest, mc murphy, make them feel, nurse ratched

Research essay sample on Nurse Ratched Power Personified

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