One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest

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The ward is run by her to a very strict daily routine, which is almost fanatically neurotic in it’s precision and dedication. Chief describes Big Nurse’s devotion to her daily routine:
‘The slightest thing messy or out of kilter in any way ties her into a little white knot of tight-smiled fury’ (27)

When McMurphy enters the ward, the delicate equilibrium which the nurse has created is upset. This is because, like the nurse, McMurphy is a natural leader-figure. He takes over the control of the ward by manipulating the patients; seemingly for their own good, but it may be argued that he gets a feeling a control from being a leader over a large group of people.
This may be a feeling of control and power which has previously been absent in his life for some reason.

We are told, early in the book, of McMurphy’s admission to the ward doctor about his conviction for raping a fifteen year old girl, and his unwillingness to ...

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staff in the company are directly answerable to him. The Managing Director has the power to hire new staff, and also to make staff redundant. But, again, he is answerable to the owner of the company and perhaps the shareholders; so he can never have total power in his position

This can be contrasted with Big Nurse; She is, in theory, answerable to the Management Board of the hospital, and even to the doctors who work on the ward. But she appears to have the most control over the daily running of the ward, as if she were senior to the doctors, even though, in fact, she is only a nurse. She seems to have total and complete authority over every person in the ward.

The theme of ...

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