Aristotle Poetics

Throughout centuries, Aristotle’s Poetics has been a widely used criterion for writers, filmmakers, and play writers. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is among the classic films, that successfully applies Aristotle’s six definitions; plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle, and song.
“Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is complete, whole, and of a certain magnitude… A whole is that which has a beginning, middle, and an end.” Aristotle further adds that the plot must follow a change of fortune. The plot starts off with a criminal named McMurphy, transferring to a mental institute for evaluation after raping a minor. He seems to find this a good way to avoid working in prison, but soon comes across conflicts with Nurse Mildred Ratched, who is in charge of all the patients there. Nurse Ratched frightens the patients, putting them through many unpleasant medial treatments. Seeing this, McMurphy takes on the role of “leader” over the patients, which includes Billy who has a stuttering issue, and Chief, a Native American who pretends to be deaf and mute but is sane. McMurphy tries to make the patients’ lives more adventurous by teaching the patients to steal a school bus to take the patients on a fishing trip and other activities. Nurse Ratched, sensing that she is losing control over her patients causes more complications. The climax reaches during the night of Christmas Eve, when McMurphy plans an escape with Chief. He asks Candy, a hooker girl to drop off some alcohol and pick him up, but fails to escape when he gets drunk and lets Billy sleep with Candy out of pity. When Nurse Ratched finds out the next morning, she is outraged and humiliates Billy, threatening to tell his mother about the incident. Billy’s frightened, and commits suicide. During this time, McMurphy contemplates on his last second escape, but chooses to stay after seeing Billy die. Enraged over what happened he strangles Nurse Ratched nearly to death, and then was put through leucotomy,