I was shocked when I read to the end of the novel and found out about McMurphy's death, however, as we were dicussing significant events in class I knew his submission to the nurse was getting closer, but I never guessed that it would cost him his life. I still question the actions he had taken at the end, and most importantly why would he choose to stay in the hospital to choke nurse Ratched instead of escaping out of that same window where Sandy and Turkle had escaped from. Moreover, why would Bromden kill McMurphy? Doesn't that just show how he is defeated, or is it the opposite. How is McMurphy considered to be a martyr? Did he try to kill the nurse in order to benefit the patients of the ward, or was it for his own benefit. Did he choke the nurse because he felt his manhood was broken, and thus wanted to rebel against the force which caused that? Well, I found out that Bibbit's death answers that question. How would the story have been different if Billy never committed suicide, would McMurphy escape, or would he have done the same and tried to kill the nurse. I think that there is a bigger chance of him leaving the ward instead, because it wouldn't make any sense to stay. McMurphy was also symbolized as the savior Jesus Christ, so that itself tells which side he fought for, which is clearly the patients. What I don't understand is why he did it though after when he found out about the patients not being committed, wouldn't just make sense that it would rather be the patients to save McMurphy, but that defeats the whole purpose of why McMurphy is so different than the patients. In conclusion, I would say that McMurphy had to die because he's the hero, and most heroes die in order to get things done, and pass a message onto the next generation.
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McMurphy chose to stay in the hospital because he probably felt that had he left or been released, he would have just committed another crime and wind up right back in the same type of place. McMurphy was so uncertain about his own self. He was a misfit in the hospital to have the opportunity to choke Nurse Ratched. He thought this act would make her realize the pain and suffering she made her patients suffer. McMurphy wanted to physically hurt her for her physical and verbal abuse towards her patients. She treated them as though they were in a penitentiary. He also choked her because he felt all the suffering she imposed on him caused him to "lose" his manhood.
Chief Bromden wanted to kill McMurphy because he did not want him to suffer from his labotomy. A labotomy is a form of psychosurgery, also known as a leukotomy (from Greek leukos: clear or white and tomos meaning "cut/slice"). Bromden actually wanted to help McMurphy fulfill his dream of escaping the institution and living in a better place. He definitely helped to make McMurphy's dream come true by sending him to a "better place" (a.k.a. heaven).
McMurphy is considered to be a martyr. He demonstrated very accurately the disabilities and consequences the mentally ill must deal with in an institutional setting. I feel he taught the staff more right from wrong than they taught him!
This entire story would have been much different if Billy would not have committed suicide. McMurphy blamed Billy's suicide on Nurse Ratched. He felt that her constant mentioning of his mother caused him to commit suicide due to shame.
Throughout the book, and movie, McMurphy remains very good friends with everyone in the ward. He always tries to stick up for his friends. It is unfortunate that Nurse Ratched was unable to keep her mouth shut and her cruel thoughts to herself. If that would have been the case, then Billy would have not killed himself. As much as McMurphy would have liked to "put an end" to Nurse Ratched in a physical way, he was smart enough to realize that would have only made his situation even worse!
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