Aragorn Louis most likely perfectly captured the relationship between McMurphy and Ratched when he said: "Light only has meaning in relation to obscurity, and truth presupposes error. mixed opposites which populate our life, which make it spicy, intoxicating. We only exist according to this conflict, in the zone where black and white clash. Relatedly, if McMurphy is the light and Ratched the darkness, then we see that we can only understand the two in relation to each other. In a sense, what makes these two characters so great and appealing to readers is the fact that they are placed in context in relation to each other. Neither McMurphy nor Ratched alone represent the message Kesey wants to send, but together they do it perfectly. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay McMurphy's philosophy of life depends on sexuality, freedom, and determining one's own destiny. In a sense, he serves as a foil and a true antithesis to Nurse Ratched and her personality. One of the major conflicts that occurs with Nurse Ratched occurs during their confrontation after her shower and when he is wearing her bathrobe. When he arrived at the hospital, he was never given a uniform, and so when Ratched tells him to take off his robe, we see a tense moment as Ratched thinks he's going to take off his clothes. This is a setback for Ratched due to her sexual repression. She has always avoided the sexual aspects of life. She felt like her breasts were too big and made her look too feminine. A former army nurse, Ratched represents the Combine, the mechanization and automation of society. She represents everything that is and should be perfect. His uniform is always neat and well maintained. Its glass is perfectly clear. But in this, McMurphy's sexuality finds a sensitive point. Sexuality involves passion, grace, lust and love. Ratched's automation is the opposite: it's monotony. Here we are witnessing a major conflict that lasts throughout the novel. The final demonstration of this lies in McMurphy's ripping of Ratched's shirt. By exposing her and ruining his perfect uniform, he wins the ultimate battle. She was violated beyond what she could control sexually, and she lost control that she can never regain. But in some sense, the two can never coexist because they are so similar. Both have selfish and controlling personalities. Nurse Ratched enters the room "with a cold" and from there all we see is her complete automation and control of the ward. Even in the way he speaks, we see his level of control. For example, when people speak up in meetings, she doesn't ask them to wait their turn or be quiet, but rather tells them to do so. It is precisely in these subtle maneuvers that she maintains a hold on them. The members of the ward feel like they need Nurse Ratched to make decisions for them, despite their constant complaints about how they hate it. McMurphy can't exactly coincide with Ratched because of this reasoning: he can't stand being controlled by another. McMurphy has a naturally domineering personality. He values ​​freedom and self-determination above all else, and Ratched finds the power to take that away from patients. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a personalized essay All.