Nurse Ratched represents structure, discipline, and conformity. Her character, with help from her subordinates, drains all individuality from the characters in the mental ward by taking away any since of dignity and control. Anyone who questions her authority is brutally humiliated and punished with controversial treatments like electroshock therapy. Ironically, her power is maintained with the ward patients through the suppression or subjugation of her own sexual freedom. She maintains her power by covering and hiding her femininity and projecting a masculine image to her patients that instills fear and respect in her male patients. Her character dictates that her environment along with those in it, including both her subordinates and patients, remain sterile of all expressions of sexuality. .
Subjugation of freedom was also expressed through the story of the book's narrator, Chief Bromden. As a child he lived and co-existed close with nature as a member of an Indian tribe. His recollection of his childhood consist of interacting with nature by fishing and hunting. From those childhood memories came tragedy, his and his tribe's independent way of living was brutally taken from them due to greed of the white establishment. They stole their land for the purpose of using it to install a hydroelectric dam. The location of this dam was once the best fishing location of the area. After the technological work force were trained to manage the new facilities, the men of his tribe were striped of all of their individuality. Both the men and women were forced to abide by identical uniform model; this in his eyes caused him to feel that they were only half alive. Chief Bromden's decision to fake being deaf and dumb in the hospital is an outward illustration of how suppression of his individualization has become a normal way of life that he continues to perpetuate. .
Rebellion Against Conformity.
McMurphy's character plays the role of the rebellious protagonist.
