“What is the importance of women in One Flew
Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”
Matriarchy |ˈmātrēˌärkē|
Noun (pl. matriarchies)
A system of society or government ruled by a woman or women.
The Definition of Matriarchy is as stated above “A system of society or
government ruled by a woman or women.” In his novel "One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s
Nest", Ken Kessey portrays women as the dominant sex, them being stronger than men and
having entire power over the guard.
The main female character is of course Nurse
Ratched (ratchet |ˈraCHit| A device consisting of a bar or
wheel with a set of angled teeth in which a pawl, cog, or tooth engages,
allowing motion in one direction only.) She has always reminded me of a sort of
robot, controlling the central machinery of the combine making sure it runs
smoothly and eliminating those who don’t fit in
society. In this point of the book we have talked about the topic of
Emasculation, which literally means to make (a person, idea, or piece of
legislation) weaker or less effective. Which is exactly what Ratched does at
the Guard, she makes people (no matter in which state they come in) weaker and
less effective. In another point Emasculation also means to castrate a man.
The significant role of women is clear throughout
the book “Year by year she accumulates her ideal staff: doctors, all ages and
types, come and rise up in front of her with ideas of their own about the way a
ward should be run, some with backbone enough to stand behind their ideas, and
she fixes these doctors with dry-ice eyes day in, day out, until they retreat
with unnatural chills.” Ratched is the only reason why the guard functions and
runs smoothly, besides without her influence there would be no one running a guard for
the insane.
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