Cuckoo's Nest Combine

885 Words4 Pages
American author, Ken Kesey, in his renowned novel, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, denounces the government for the the control and manipulation of the human race. Kesey’s purpose is to demonstrate the conflict of individuals who have to survive in an environment where they are pressured to cooperate in such a realm of the Combine. The Combine is used by the Chief to represent the repressive forces of society that tire down the individual and remove any ounce of difference. The Combine is depicted by the Chief as a machine in which all parts are interrelated and depend on each other for the machine to run smoothly, so they must all be programmed in the same way. The Chief can not only see the Combine working but, he can feel it, not…show more content…
The chief states while outside for the first time in years that he “could see the signs of what the combine has accomplished since he was last through this country” and Chief is not impressed. The fishing trip that McMurphy plans is the first real instance of the outside presence of the Combine being held against the men, and it changes their whole perspective on the ward and the differences they hold against the everyday citizen. The men who are patients in the ward such as Billy or Chief are not crazy, they are just not the definition of normal and perfect per the Combine’s thoughts. But not one instance can change the powers behind the glass wall, not even breaking through all those times. Nurse Ratched holds everything over the men’s heads and is not afraid to fight in order to regain and hold complete control. She uses their wives, families, and possessions in order to gain an upper hand to the control panel. The combine is a complete manipulation against others for the benefit of the entire idea of consent, where “society is what decides who's sane and who isn't, so you got to measure up.” The wolves are always ready to attack with pure discipline and precise movements in the most robotic of ways. The combine will always be a presence but, with the right mindset of laughter and individuality comes reward as “...you have to laugh at the things that hurt you just to keep
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