also influence (control) other patients to gamble with him. McMurphy then begins his epic battle with Nurse Ratched. He defies ward polices by taking an early morning shower and brushing his teeth before Nurse Ratched arrives at the ward. When she does arrive, she is angered with him, but does not let it show to anyone. Nurse Ratched even keeps her cool when McMurphy deliberately tries to set her off when he removes his towel only to reveal his flashy boxer shorts. “She can’t have them (the patients) see her face like this, white and warped with fury. She uses all the power of control that’s in her, and gradually the lips gather together again under her little white nose.” (Kesey, 90) McMurphy continues his relentless pursuit of control over Nurse Ratched. He manages to influence Dr. Spivey, into opening the tub room for the patients during the daytime. McMurphy influencing Spivey, who is regularly under The Big Nurses’ control, sparks her temper again but again she regains herself before she expresses anger. The dam finally breaks when and McMurphy gains control over Nurse Ratched’s temper, when he rebels against ward policy of watching the World Series. He narrowly falls one vote shy of changing the policy, and he responds to the vote by sitting down and pretending to watch the World Series when he is actually watching a blank screen. When other patients join in on McMurphy’s rebellion, Nurse Ratched explodes in anger. She tries to use her control over the other patients to get them to stop ‘watching’ the game, but it does not work because the patients ignore her. Her temper detonates: “You’re committed, you realize. You are under the jurisdiction of me … the staff. Under jurisdiction and control - ” (Kesey, 128) McMurphy clearly wins the control battle over Nurse Ratched. His influence and control over the patients is stronger than hers, thus believes that...
