Power could be used as a tool to mend one's mentality; however power comes with great responsibility which may very well lead to destruction. There were two powerhouses in this book, Nurse Ratched and Randle Patrick McMurphy. Despite both having power, McMurphy had the capability to gain the influence and courage of his ward to not only change them but also himself. Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest elaborates on the topic that as individuals, we need these specific aspects in our lives to truly discover and hone our true selves. We would have to find an approach to achieve this under any circumstances. A person's action can often influence an individual's determination; through one's desire, power and strength will free one's conflict. .
Murphy is utterly an assertive and bold individual, who managed to land himself to "participate" within the ward in order to escape his other ordeal which he frankly dislikes and would rather stir away from. He has been identified as a psychopath because of his past actions regarding a 15 year old girl; His ruling during his trial required further analysis to confirm a negative and positive diagnostic from him. He is a sly individual who brought great attributes into the ward. McMurphy is also quite the extrovert considering his speech to be so loud with a reverberating amount of confidence. "My name is McMurphy, buddies, R.P. McMurphy, and I'm a gambling fool" (pg. 16). We can say that McMurphy is a ball of energy that wastes no time whatsoever in his introductions by the way he already labeled them as his buddies. Being that of the interactive individual that he is, he quickly introduces himself to others. At first the patients were dazed and uneasy with McMurphy and his personality and easygoing attitude. Although Mack can be mischievous, random, and being a swindling "gambler", he has a charming persona that Chief Bromden quite fancies.