One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Power Quotes

When she's asked to turn down the music on the ward, Nurse Ratched replies that she's not going to change things just to suit McMurphy's preferences. She wants to teach him to respect the needs of others just as much as his own. But that's probably not going to happen. This is less about everyone else's needs, and more about Nurse Ratched's desire to control every corner of the ward.

When McMurphy presses his point too much, Nurse Ratched's trick is to focus on something concrete that she can call him out on. A little misdirection always does the trick. So she points out the fact that his hand is leaving a print on her nurse station window. This trick puts her on the high ground while distracting McMurphy from what he's trying to say.

McMurphy finally snaps when he realizes that he'll never be able to outsmart Nurse Ratched. So he attacks her and tries to kill her. And he ends up getting part of his brain taken out for his trouble. Even Harding, who can never quite say what's on his mind, is totally clear here: McMurphy's gone over the line.