With the exception of the prostitutes, who are portrayed as good, the women in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest are uniformly threatening and terrifying figures. ... The fear of women is one of the novel's most central features. ... In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the author, Ken Kesey has put women into two opposite categories. ... She makes the patients suffer guilt pangs and often succeeds in turning one against the other because "she has a genius for insinuation." ... When McMurphy fights the Black orderlies over George's enema, she has repeated shock...

• Word Count: 825
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

All of them, except Candy, are matriarchs who dominate over men and are all represented negatively. ... Nontheless, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest clearly illustrates a reversal in stereotypical gender roles, and serves as a constant reminder of the attitude biases still present in modern society. ... A man go around lettin' a woman whup him down till he can't laugh any more, and he loses one of the biggest edges he's got on his side. ... Bibbit's absolute power over Billy is shown when Nurse Ratched, having caught Billy having sex with a prostitute, thr...

• Word Count: 818
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," by Ken Kesey, is centered around a half Indian man named Chief Bromden. ... One theme is that although there may not be significant and outright mentioning of many women in the story, they can still be stronger than men in a mental aspect and use that strength to influence others to do their bidding. ... Nurse Ratched is the primary woman in the story and the first one to be introduced. ... From here it is plain to see that Nurse Ratched has a mental grasp over Bromden and constantly keeps him scared and at bay. ... Harding and once again asserts Nurs...

• Word Count: 957
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School