One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Short Summary

The story takes place in a mental hospital and is narrated by Chief Bromden. The reader can tell that he suffers from paranoia given the cases of hallucination he experiences. Bromden is not happy by the way the world’s forces intend to control the way people behave. Because he does not want attention, Bromden pretends that he is deaf and dumb. In the facility, they are controlled by Nurse Ratched.

Patrick McMurphy comes to the facility as a patient. Patrick looks distinct from the other patients and does not respect the rules laid down by Nurse Ratched. He loves women and gables a lot. Because of his opposition, Patrick McMurphy always collides with Nurse Ratched.

Here Is the Complete Plot Overview

Nurse Ratched’s way of controlling people with a mental health condition is by allowing them to spy on and harm each other. Although patients have always respected Nurse Ratched, the opposition from Patrick McMurphy begins to influence them otherwise. Patrick McMurphy persuades the other patients that they should put pressure on Nurse Ratched to allow them to watch World Series on television. When Nurse Ratched insists that cannot be allowed, Patrick influences the other patients to watch the blank screen as a sign of opposition to the rules.

McMurphy is warned that he should respect Nurse Ratched or risk being held in the facility for a long time. Although he reduces his opposition, the other patients have become too rebellious. Cheswick commits suicide when McMurphy does not support him in his quest to force the nurse to allow him to smoke cigarettes. McMurphy becomes rebellious again.

McMurphy forcefully takes some patients on a fishing trip. Though Nurse Ratched tries to dissuade the other patients from following McMurphy, they still do it. Later, McMurphy is detained in the Disturbed Ward after a fight. He is taken through electroshock therapy together with Chief Bromden. Because of Chief’s heroics, the other patients begin to consider him a legend. McMurphy hides his suffering from the other patients.

Mr. Turkle is bribed and allows Starr to smuggle prostitutes, marijuana, and liquor into the facility. After the party, the patients are a mess. Bibbit cuts his throat and dies when threatened by Ratched. Nurse Ratched is stripped naked by McMurphy. This act demeans her authority over the other patients.

McMurphy comes back from the disturbed ward in bad shape, and Chief kills him. After that, Chief Bromden escapes from the facility. The other patients are either discharged or transferred to other places. That is how the story by Ken Kesey ends.