Aragorn Louis most likely captured the relationship between McMurphy and Ratched perfectly by saying, "Light has meaning only in relation to darkness, and truth presupposes It is these mixed opposites that populate our life, that make it pungent, intoxicating. We exist only in terms of this conflict, in the zone where black and white collide, if McMurphy is the light and Ratched is darkness, then we see that we can only understand both in relation to each other. In a way, what makes these two characters so great, so appealing to readers is that they are taken in context with each other. the other.Neither McMurphy nor Ratched alone represents the message Kesey wants to send, but together they do it perfectly McMurphy's philosophy of life hinges on sexuality, freedom, and determining one's destiny. In a way, she serves as a contrast and true antithesis to Nurse Ratched and her personality. One of the most notable confrontations that occurs with Nurse Ratched occurs in their confrontation after the shower and when he puts on the bathrobe. When he first arrives at the hospital, he was never given a uniform, so when Ratched tells him to take off his robe, we see a tense moment as Ratched thinks he's going to strip naked. This represents a setback for Ratched due to her sexual repression. He has always avoided the sexual aspects of life. She feels like her breasts are too big and make her look too feminine. A former army nurse, Ratched represents the combination of the mechanization and automation of society. It represents everything that is and should be perfect. His uniform is always neat and properly kept. His glass is perfectly transparent. But in this McMurphy's sexuality finds a critical point. Sexuality involves passion, grace, lust and love. Ratched's automation is the opposite: it's monotony. Here we see a major conflict that lasts throughout the novel. The final demonstration of this is McMurphy's tearing of Ratched's shirt. By unmasking her and ruining her perfect uniform, he wins the final battle. She was violated beyond what she could sexually control, and she lost control that she will never be able to regain. But in a way, the two can never coexist because they are very similar. Both have selfish and controlling personalities. Nurse Ratched enters the room "with a gust of cold" and from then on all we see is her complete automation and control of the ward. Even in his speech we see his level of control. For example, when people talk in meetings, he doesn't ask them to wait their turn or stay silent, but instead tells them to do so. It is precisely in these subtle maneuvers that he manages to hold them back. The members of the ward feel like they need Nurse Ratched to make decisions for them, despite their constant complaints about how they hate that ward. McMurphy cannot coincide with Ratched precisely for this reasoning: he cannot bear to be controlled by another. McMurphy has a naturally domineering personality. He values ​​freedom and self-determination above all, and Ratched finds power in taking them away from patients. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Throughout the novel, we see a slow progression in the shift of power from Ratched to McMurphy. Due to the nature of the actions of....