Kolle on Cheswick's Death

The series of events that lead up to Cheswick's death provides clues that give insight into the thematic reasons why Kesey killed this secondary character so suddenly. The absolute facts surrounding Cheswick's death are slim, and Kesey's description is brief leaving the reader very little plot to analyze. Prior to Cheswick's death, he made an aggressive and bold stand against the nurse in an afternoon meeting. When Cheswick stood up in the meeting challenging the cigarette rationing, he received no support from any other Acute including McMurphy, and ultimately two black boys dragged him off to the disturbed ward. Here Kesey once again explicitly conveys the importance of numbers, and the power that is held or lost in a group. Because no Acutes stand up and support Cheswick, the nurse remains in control. Earlier when the McMurphy attempts to lift the control panel, the Cheif says, "it'd take three of him to move that panel," eluding to the idea that just as a person's sanity is defined by their society, a person's power is dictated by the group that backs them up. Immediately following Kesey's description of this meeting Cheswick commits suicide (use of the word "cluched"on page 166). Cheswicks death is a win for big nurse and the combine. Kesey clearly shows that her power was never in question and that through the novel thus far she has maintained ultimate control. The Cheif explains that, "she is too big to be beaten ... she don't loose her losses, but she wins [the patients']" (Kesey 109).