Cheswick vs. McMurphy

In the events leading up to Cheswick’s suicide, Ken Kesey portrays Cheswick as weak and insecure. Kesey compares Cheswick to McMurphy who is portrayed as: “a braggart and a blowhard of the type who may climb up on a soapbox and shout for a following, the way we’ve all seen Mr. Cheswick do, then back down the moment there is any real danger to him personally” (149). Although the nurse directly compares McMurphy to Cheswick, this comparison is entirely flawed. While Cheswick does shout for a following at times, he chooses to commit suicide. He neither pursues his beliefs nor perseveres against the tyranny of the Big Nurse like McMurphy does. Moreover, Cheswick is not a braggart or blowhard by any means. McMurphy is the true braggart. Kesey writes: “Everybody knew the kind of answer the doctor would make, and before he even had the chance Cheswick would be off on another complaint. ‘Then what about our cigarettes, Miss Ratched’”(159)? Indeed, Cheswick does not face the Big Nurse like McMurphy initially does before he learns of his commitment. Instead, Cheswick makes a myriad of complaints without taking action. McMurphy and Cheswick are similar in the fact that they both back down in order to evade further punishment from the Big Nurse. The two differ, however, in their approach to the Big Nurse. While McMurphy chooses to initially try and “get the Nurse’s goat,” Cheswick passively complains and follows McMurphy’s lead. Cheswick truly depends on McMurphy’s support when complaining to the Big Nurse. Kesey describes Cheswick’s dependence on McMurphy: “‘Yeah, get on with the godblessed meeting.’ He nods stiffly, then settles his chin down on his chest, scowling. He’s pleased to be sitting next to McMurphy, feeling brave like this. It’s the first time Cheswick ever had somebody along with him on his lost causes” (115). Cheswick feels "brave" and "pleased" because McMurphy supports his ideas. In reality, McMurphy is much stronger than Cheswick in his retaliation against the Big Nurse. Lastly, Kesey marks Cheswick’s death with a notion of puerile lowliness. Kesey describes Cheswick's last tantrum: “‘I ain’t no little kid!’ He stamped his foot and looked around him like he was lost and might break out crying any minute” (164). Kesey portrays Cheswick as an immature child in his last moments. This sense of childishness accentuates the feeble nature of Cheswick’s complaints against the Big Nurse. Furthermore, Cheswick’s “stamping” and “crying” strengthens the image of his premature behavior. By choosing to commit suicide, Cheswick has taken a premature route—choosing to kill himself early in the novel rather than face the Big Nurse. Kesey continues the image of Cheswick: “He never had looked big; he was short and too fat and had a bald spot in the back of his head that showed like a pink dollar, but standing there by himself in the center of the day room like that he looked tiny” (164). By portraying Cheswick as “short,” “fat,” and “tiny,” Kesey highlights Cheswick’s effete spirit. Cheswick’s desire to live is overshadowed by his inadequacies as a man. While the other patients raise their spirits and empower themselves through their relationship with McMurphy, Cheswick doesn’t follow the bandwagon. Instead, he chooses to commit suicide. Indeed, Cheswick and McMurphy are entirely different in their approach to the Big Nurse.