he has control of the ward. McMurphy realizes soon after the incident that his victory and control over Nurse Ratched are an illusion. McMurphy discovers that he is committed to the ward and his release is dependent on when only Nurse Ratched decides to release him. McMurphy then begins to fall in line with the others. He does not speak up at any more meetings and does not cause any more problems for Nurse Ratched, who has regained her control. She realized that she is once again the main influence in the patient’s life. She tries to make use of her regained control, by shutting down the tub room as a punishment for the World Series incident. McMurphy has an epiphany after he hears this. He realizes that he must regain control over the nurse. He realizes he must do this not just to spite her, but because no one else ever has stood up to her, because they are too afraid of her. He sees that if does not stand up for the other patients, they will never stand up for themselves and as a result, they will live the rest of their lives under Nurse Ratched’s control. McMurphy’s motive for taking control changes from self-benefit to self and group benefit. His first act after his epiphany renews the intense war for control between Nurse Ratched and himself. McMurphy takes a stand for the rights of the patients while risking the possibility of his release from the institution. McMurphy, much to the astonishment of the Big Nurse, rejuvenates their battle by smashing the window to the Nurses’ Station to retrieve his confiscated cigarettes. He sarcastically justifies his actions by saying that the glass was so clean that he completely forgot it was there. McMurphy’s conclusion that the patients never have stood up for themselves because they are terribly frightened of the Big Nurse is correct. Nurse Ratched’s control over the patients is so strong that she tears down the manhood of all of the men, puts fear in the...
