Misogynistic and Sexist Undertones in One Flew Over the...

From the moment that the apple touched Eve’s lips, women have been seen as an embodiment of all that is evil. This reflects misogynistic societal beliefs that women are below men. While many of the prejudices towards women are hidden in modern American society, some misogynistic stereotypes are still present. In Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, one can see many misogynistic and sexist undertones. Big Nurse Ratched is in a position of authority over a large group of men and is seen as a tyrannical and unjust ruler. Although most of her methods would have been seen as awful when used by any person, the saturation of bad women in the novel creates an unfavorable picture of women in general. The balance of power in the ward is†¦show more content†¦Therefore, she â€Å"attempts to conceal [her breasts] in [a] sexless get-up† (64). In order for McMurphy and the men to regain power, they must regain their sexuality and reveal the nurseâ€℠¢s. McMurphy’s final stand against the nurse involves him â€Å"ripp[ing] her uniform all the way down the front† (275) and revealing breasts that she had concealed. With this metaphorical rape, Kesey is equating the men regaining power with sexual dominance over women. The rape of the nurse is seen as a heroic act by McMurphy, which conveys the misogynistic message that men have a right to sexual power over women. The way that McMurphy performs this rape is effectively silencing the nurse, as he had his â€Å"heavy red fingers [in] the white flesh of her throat† (275). Using silence in conjunction with a metaphorical rape gives a further misogynistic tone, as McMurphy is exerting sexual dominance as well as stopping her from being able to speak out against him, or any man. Because this is McMurphy’s final action, it is seen as his greatest one. Therefore, the man who can break a woman is seen as an ideal specimen. Size, both physical and metaphorical, plays a large role in the misogynistic references in the ward. The Chief makes constant references to people’s size. However, size is relative. One cannot be big without someone else being small. When the nurse is in full control, the Chief sees her as â€Å"big as a tractor† (5). With her great size, Nurse Ratched is squashing the