Power is important in society to classify different economic or gender classes and for people in the higher classes to obtain strength to overpower others. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by director Milos' Forman demonstrates and shows how the roles of power change throughout the movie. Initially, the female nurses in the ward obtain more of the power until McMurphy shows up and gives the patients hope and strength to stand and rebel against the nurses so they can find freedom and confidence in themselves. .
The film shows how actions of certain people can affect the judgments of others and make them feel powerful. This concept is contrasted in different parts of the film where the roles change from having power to having no power, and with the absence of no power patients have a buildup of anger and sadness and are able to express how they feel because of McMurphy. For example in the film where Mrs. Ratched held a discussion group where she told the patients that she was going to take away their cigarettes because of their " Gambling Problems". One of the patients was acting "crazy" because there was a lit cigarette on his pants which caused him to act this way and he was taken away by the other nurses in the ward. This brought anger into Mr.Chezwick's eyes and he got up and stated "I'm no little kid!" (Milos Forman) and he then stated "When you're gonna have cigarettes kept for me like cookies and I want something done!" (Milos Forman) The significance of this idea is that in this part of the film he showed his anger towards the nurses and was able to gain the confidence that he never had because the nurses all tried to get them to be "potato's" and not be able to have a mind of their own, but they strive and want to be able to have an opinion and the strength to stand up and start a rebellion against them. In all, the film gains a sense of superiority of different classes and how lower classes are able to rise up against the much higher classes to be able to feel that sense of freedom and empowerment.