Chapters 24-25 (pages 205-258; all of part 3)

McMurphy’s influence in the chapter helped not only the Chief grow but also the rest of the patients on the ward. The conversation between the Chief and McMurphy allowed the Chief to open up and find the strength he had in himself before he was on the ward. McMurhpy was patient and attentive as he listened to the Chief’s story. The Chief’s silence had built up in him and when he started talking he could hardly stop. He had so many built up emotions and words to express and McMurphy helped him let it all out. He had found the confidence that he lacked before to talk because of McMurphy. McMurphy joked that with his help, the Chief would grow even bigger than before and that he would find his strength again. He told the Chief after their conversation that he had already grown another foot in a half. The Chief did in fact grow during their short conversation, not physically but he grew mentally. He had found a spark of confidence and strength within himself because of McMurphy. 

The fishing trip that McMurphy had planned had given the patients a new sense of confidence and power. They felt powerful and rebellious that they were leaving the hospital to go fishing because Ms.Racthed was against it. They feared leaving the hospital but they trusted McMurphy. The beginning of the trip was rocky for the patients but when they reached the gas station there was a moment that made the patients feel bigger. McMurphy was having trouble with the gas station attendant so he made the man fear him and the other patients in order to be powerful. He told the gas station attendant that they were all crazy and powerful people. The patients felt bigger because they had the power for once and could pretend to be who they were not. They spoke up for themselves and had the confidence to speak back to the people who were trying to walk all over them. All of the patients felt bigger after that moment. 

The men also felt empowered and bigger when they were out fishing. The trip had bonded them all together and made them feel strong. They had been so successful and strong to pull up the fish by themselves, without the help of McMurphy. They tried to make him help them but all McMurphy did was stand and watch. Him not helping the men pull the fish in allowed them to have their own powerful experience and feel proud for conquering a fish. The men did not think they could pull in the fish by themselves but McMurphy forced them to because that’s how they needed to learn that they were stronger than they thought. All of the men felt more confident and powerful after the fishing trip. They became changed men because of McMurphy’s trip and influence. McMurphy’s planned trip was a big influence on the men but the unplanned influence he had on the men far outweighed his original plans. 

Throughout part three McMurphy actively is trying to get the people on the ward to come together. He actively tries to make a basketball team, a soccer team, and other things. He ends up deciding that going on a fishing trip would be a good idea where he'd have to put in a request to the nurse to leave, " ... ask her nicely as you please if he could use her fountain pen to write a request for an unaccompanied leave from the hospital. (206)" just to try to get under the nurse's skin. She'd try to find ways to get it so they'd not be able to go but he keeps going strong and they end up being able to go. When the patients leave the hospital they are all nervous, but McMurphy is full of laughter and confidence. They go to a gas station and the patients start to feel themselves even commanding the person at the gas station to give them a discount and clean their car. The patients then get to the boat place and McMurphy pulls the captain aside to call to get permission, runs back out and they take the boat without permission, loads everyone on and they all take off. They have an amazing day on the water and they end up getting a huge fish. In the end, the patients go back to the hospital. I believe that unintentional things work better than intentional ones. At the gas station, which wasn't planned, they all were very open and had an amazing time coming out of their shells. 

to ask the nurse to leave*

The conversation between Chief and McMurphy really helped Chief come to terms with his thoughts and express how he feels. McMurphy also plans on making Chief "big" again as long as he goes on the fishing trip. This may be a part of McMurphy's big plan to overthrow the hospital but Chief does not see that. A start to Chief's disobedience is when one of the Black boys hands him a broom but Chief turns in the other direction and walks away. Only the morning after the conversation Chief is already feeling "bigger."

When Chief catches the fish he has an out-of-body experience. Almost showing that he got bigger after doing that. When the woman that is fishing with them reels in a fish and her shirt opens up everyone starts laughing. This is a release from everything that they had pent up over the years. This is making everyone "bigger" and helping them bond. 

Both the intentional and unintentional actions made them bigger, however, I think the unintentional ones had more of an impact because they aren't deliberately thinking about their actions, they are simply doing them so it has more of an impact. That means they don't need to think about what their actions may cause, it is already inside of them =, making them more confident and powerful.

Despite Chief being one of the biggest patients on the ward, he sees himself as small, and after voicing this to McMurphy (who is outright confused at this statement) McMurphy pledges to help him “get bigger.” McMurphy sets example, and tried to help the other patients gain more confidence and follow his lead. “The other Acutes were beginning to follow his lead.Harding began flirting with all the student nurses, and Billy Bibbit completely quit writing what he used to call his “observations” in the log book, and when the window infront of her desk got replaced again…. Scanlon did it in by accidentally bouncing our basketball through it before the whitewashed X was even dry.” (208)  There are ones that are planned, Like McMurphy boasting up George as a Captain for the ship, in multiple instances (though most likely for his benefit, it still worked) A lot of the intentional part were just McMurphy trying to hype them up, saying the look and act like this and that. And since this happens, there are also some instances where he unintentionally makes them “bigger.” And by accomplishing this trip, he boosts their morale and confidence, everyone is more outspoken, having a good time, and standing up for themselves. And by the time this trip concludes, it seems theyre bigger than ever. “He’d shown us what a little bravado and courage could accomplish, and we thought he’d taught us how to use it.” (239)

McMurphy had plenty of influence on all of the other people on the ward. It got to the point that, if McMurphy was doing it, everyone else would be too. McMurphy began flirting with the student nurses, "...the other Acutes were beginning to follow his lead."(p.208). This shows the power and stature he holds. Not only does his instill confidence in the other patients on the ward from his influence, it continues the same way when McMurphy converses with Chief. They talk about how Chief is much smaller than he used to be, but I also believe that Chief states he is 'little' compared to McMurphy because of his demeanor. McMurphy is much more extroverted, confident, even cocky. SO when Chief compares himself, he seems more frail, even if Chief is taller or physically bigger. However, McMurphy spent time trying to explain to Chief that he is "...big as a damn mountain"(p.219). He even had Chief imagining his life, as a tall handsome man "...cuttin' down the boulevard"(p.223). I believe on some level McMurphy planned how he would gain influence, and how he uses his influence came later. The reason I believe this is because he came onto the ward comandeering attention. It's hard to believe he had no idea his power over the other people on the ward, but now he presumably just uses it to have something to do.

McMurphy makes Chief feel bigger than he is by giving his first impression on Chief when he gets to the ward. He describes how Chief, “stands a head taller’n any man on the ward.”(Kesey, 219) and how that makes him bigger and intimidating. When all patients in the van are feeling uneasy about the gas station and its patronizing service men, this gets McMurphy very frustrated. He steps in front of the doctor to take matters into his own hands, and tries to intimidate the men by telling them that these patients aren’t “ordinary nuts.”(Kesey, 236) He starts characterizing individual patients to make them seem like a threat. “You see that big guy? He’s an Indian and he beat six white men to death with a pick handle when they tried to cheat him trading muskrat hides.”(Kesey, 237) This ultimately boosted the confidence of the patients and has them all, “feeling cocky as fighting roosters.”(Kesey, 238) It made them feel bigger, especially as a unit. McMurphy plans on bringing them on a fishing trip to get them out of the ward and help them feel what it’s like to be in the real world again. But I don’t believe any of the extra was planned. The acting big and intimidating at the gas station was the most effective, because it made every patient in the van a bigger version of themselves, to the point where even they were giving the servicemen orders. They were also collectively working to strike fear into pedestrians and other drivers at traffic stops.