Changing Chief

Everybody goes through changes. They can be both physically and mentally. In Ken Kesey's book, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest  all the characters develop both negatively and positively with the arrival of the new patient McMurphy. The character that is mostly affected by McMurphy's arrival is Chief Bromden, who goes from a weak and insecure person to a powerful one. 

From the very beginning of the text the reader thinks Chief is completely insane. Kesey tricks us into believing that he is deaf and dumb just like everyone else does in the ward. In fact, it is all an act. Chief only fakes being deaf and dumb to be able to ease drop on the private conversations that take place in the ward. Being so insecure about himself and his abilities, Bromden is terrified to show his true self. He feels the only way to keep safe from Nurse Ratched and the wicked ways of the ward is by keeping out of everyones way. Bromden's fictional character allows him to get information about the ward and know exactly what to do, to not get in trouble. This is his life. Just coasting on by, avoiding all interaction with other patients and doctors. 

Then, McMurhy arrives. His arrival brings a sort of freedom from Nurse Ratched's oppressing power on the ward. When McMurphy wants to watch the baseball game, he convinces Bromden to vote in favor. Instead of being his normal quiet self and not interfering with anybody and definitely not voting against Nurse Ratched, he does something for his own benefit. This is the first time we see Bromden take a step for himself and come out from his hiding spot. This is all because the sense that Nurse watched is the boss is gone because of McMurphy's powerful opposition. 

When Chief Bromden feels acting deaf and dumb isn't keeping him safe enough he see's a sort of fog roll in that blinds everyones sight. At the beginning of the novel there were many more encounters with Bromden's imaginary fog. Towards the end its almost as if he stops seeing it, because he feels much more comfortable and in control of the situations he is put into in the ward. Nurse Ratched does not look like a ferocious monster anymore but just a regular women with the title "nurse" front of her name. 

When McMurphy comes back a chronic after nearly chocking Nurse watched to death, McMurphy realizes how he has been changing and how much more he can change if he leaves the ward. He now is making his own decisions and he smothers McMurphy with a pillow to put him out of his misery. Then he uses his size and strength to rip the control panel and throw it through the window, allowing him to escape. Free at last. He is back to the original Chief Bromden that doesn't have to hide and can be himself and is now strong enough to protect himself using both physical and mental power and not have to hide to stay safe.