Movie

Inherent within every human heart is the need for dignity and respect; but nowhere is that necessity more important than in the hearts of those whom society as a whole has ostracized. Centered around the inmates of a mental hospital, the movie “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” depicts the constant struggle of those whom society has labeled insane to discover and maintain respect from within and without themselves. The characters present a haunting representation of the strife experienced by every individual in the never-ending search for justice, respect, and freedom.

However briefly, justice never fails to find a champion. Within the movie, that champion was McMurphy, a convict sent to the mental hospital for observation to see if he truly had psychological problems, or was simply inventing them to escape hard labor. At the institution, McMurphy’s sense of justice was outraged by the in-human coldness and rigidity of the chief nurse, Ratched. At first, McMurphy asked that the music being broadcasted on the loudspeaker be turned down. Nurse Ratched refused to consider his request, citing the norms of the ward. Later, when McMurphy requested that a vote be taken for watching a baseball game, Nurse Ratched refused to acknowledge his winning vote because she had already adjourned the meeting. Her inflexibility led McMurphy to begin his struggle for justice and freedom within the hospital.

If a sense of justice prompted his actions, it was a need for respect that caused him to continue. He bet his companions that he could use a heavy bathroom commode to break open the windows and escape. Though in reality he did not have the strength to lift it, what he said after attempting it is memorable, “at least I tried.” He had satisfied himself and everyone else that he had made the best attempt possible. In another instance, Nurse Ratched adjourned the meeting before he obtained the tenth vote necessary to change the ward routine and have baseball shown on...