One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a story about the power struggle between a rebellious new patient, Randle McMurphy, and the authoritarian Nurse Ratched in a psychiatric hospital. As McMurphy champions the dignity and autonomy of his fellow patients, Nurse Ratched sees him as a threat to her control of the ward. While McMurphy could have escaped, he chooses to hang around with the other patients. His defiance ultimately leads to tragic consequences when Nurse Ratched arranges for him to undergo a lobotomy, a procedure that fundamentally changes him. The story serves as a powerful commentary on institutional power, individual freedom, and the human spirit.