One flew over the cuckoo’s nest is based largely on the conflict between Randle McMurphy and big nurse Ratched one of the theme rebellion against conformity takes place in the psychiatric ward. The Psychiatric ward is also known as the combine which is presented as a efficient machine that make the mental patients conform to its rules. Any individuality is suppressed the big nurse is a symbol of repression and fix those who stand out. McMurphy a mental patients in the psychiatric ward is a symbol of freedom and individuality. These two characters being opposed of each other make up most of the conflict in the book.
Another theme that is portrayed in the book is sexual freedom. The psychiatric ward is a sexual repressed place. Example of this is show with character like big nurse and nurse Pilbow and the emasculates and weakens of the men in the ward. Nurse Pilbow who is freaked out by McMurphs raw untamed sexuality ,which he totally open about sex and enjoy his masculine sexuality, And the recurring mention that the big nurse has large breasts, which she always try to conceal them. It seem like the ward is castrating the men. Women in this book are often portrayed as bad and threatening. Most of the male in the ward has been in relationships with overpowering women, which has missed them up.
Invisibility is another symbol in the book. A lot of important thing are hidden of invisible. Example of this is Bromden the narrator tries to be as hidden and invisible as he possible can. He has achieved this by pretending to be deaf and dumb. Also