A struggle for power

Many novels have been written on the subject of power and its attainment. Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is the story of a man driven to insanity and unspeakable violence in his quest for it. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, concerns a young man trying to find himself and obtain some control over his life. Power comes in many forms, whether it is a simple journey for the purpose of self-enlightenment or …

…In her perfect world there would be no other dissenting voice, no argument, and no McMurphy. McMurphy is able to bring out in the chief something that no one else ever could, besides speech, and that is power. The chief feels small. He feels that he is not strong at all but his actions concerning McMurphy change all that. The power desired by Nurse Ratched, Chief Bromden, and McMurphy are all obtained in different ways.