In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey portrays women as extremely negative, dominant, or submissive. Nurse Ratched, Vera Harding, and Billy's mother control women who use fear to reign over men and mask their feminine qualities. Candy Starr and Sandy Gilfilliam, however, are prostitutes who submit to objectification by men. Nurse Ratched masks her feminine qualities while the other women emphasize their sexual availability. Aside from one level-headed woman, the nameless Japanese nurse in the Ailments ward, Kesey's women are extreme and negative characters. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Nurse Ratched defeminizes herself and subjugates men's masculinity. Her attempts to defeat men are ironic because she herself tries to embody masculine characteristics. Illustrating its effect on men is McMurphy's observation: "No, the nurse ain't some kind of monstrous chicken, man, what she is is a ball-cutter" (57). Symbolic language like “ball cutter” is a metaphor because men know the degree of pain associated with groin injuries. Although the nurse does not physically harm the men; his actions damage their mentality. This destruction is shown by Harding's comment: "He is as selfless as the wind, toils thanklessly for the good of all, day after day, five long days a week" (58). This quote represents the devastation of men's ability to decipher manipulative activities. The men on the ward have grown accustomed to Nurse Ratched and dismiss her tyrannical attitude as thoughtful management. However, McMurphy is insightful towards Nurse Ratched due to her life adventures related to work and gambling. He is also a new member of the department and is faking mental illness to escape a conviction for farm work. Even patients recognize that Nurse Ratched makes men feel inadequate; Harding, for example, states, “Dr. Spivey is just like the rest of us, McMurphy, completely conscious of his inadequacy” (59). He belittles men by initially using peaceful words and ending with offensive intentions: “Good morning, Mr. Harding, because, look, your fingertips are red and sore. Have you bitten your nails again?" (90). She further demonstrates her malice towards men when she shows Chronics as a reminder of what can happen to Acutes. Vera Harding, Dale Harding's wife, differs from Nurse Ratched in how much she uses her physical appearance and sexuality to intimidate Harding. When he comes to visit her, she flirts and blows a kiss to the black boy. This behavior leaves Harding sexually insecure and vulnerable laugh instead of making that little mouse squeak?" (158). This direct insult breaks his ego because it destroys his personality and his humor. He continues his insults by saying, "Oh Dale, you can't get enough, can you? " (158). Harding understands that this is a reference to his sexual inadequacy and becomes a pitied figure. By provoking her husband, Vera has forced him into a nervous state. Vera displays her domineering attitude in a different way than the cold Big Nurse. Vera Harding also exploits her husband's homosexuality. The novel provides good reason to believe that Harding is openly gay, partly through what Vera says about him - for example, stating that she wishes Harding's friends would stop hanging out at the house. He goes on to say, “Snooty guys with nice long hair..