Machinery of Terror

Human's biggest fears are those induced by their own creations. By these creations I'm  referring to lifeless machines, not biological ones. They tend to be unconditionally loyal to their purpose because of their lack of empathy. Chief Bromden in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest feels constantly threatened by the presence of this machine. His paranoia however changes after the meeting on Friday when McMurphy gets things going his way. The Chief's paranoia depends on McMurphy's confidence and dominance; the more confidence the less paranoia and vice versa. 

When things in the ward had changed and where running as McMurphy wanted them, Chief Bromden and the others where released to a certain degree from the oppressiveness of the Combine. "I figured the fog machine had broke down in the walls when they turned it up too high for that meeting on Friday; so now they weren't able to circulate fog and gas and foul up the way things looked." (pg. 140)   To McMurphy, the change in the ward was a demonstration of a positive possibility of change in himself.  This opened a door for a new way of thought an lifestyle breaking the monotony. The change produced in him, is the closest to happiness  he has ever been now that he is more in touch with himself. Consequently, the fog machine that used to be his escape was no longer needed because the Chief was actually ok with reality.

"... I woke up... the dorm was full of smoke, wires in the walls... but this one night after the big meeting, I woke up and the dorm was clean and silent..." (pg 141) Bromden was not just happier in the day, but he was finally getting peace of sleep. This simple alteration in his perspective is extremely significant. Night and sleep is a very personal and relieving moment for humans. Being at ease in this intimate moment reflects the newly achieved harmony in his mind. Before he felt the threat of machines by the wires and hided by putting his head under the pillow. Now he was calm and gave him" a sudden yen to get up and do something".

The tranquility in the ward was interrupted by McMurphy's talk with the lifeguard. After McMurphy's refusal to continue with his dominance,  the machine was back on just like the fear in the Chief. "Whatever it was went wrong with the haywire in the mechanism, they've just about got it fixed again" (pg 155) In the x-ray room, when the tenssion about McMurphy's commitment peaks the x-ray machine takes life by "hissing and spitting at McMurphy"(pg 166) displaying the return of the old regime.

Nevertheless, each individual machine is part of a big and powerfull one. "It's the whole Combine, the nation-wide Combine that's the really  big force, and the nurse is just a high ranking official for them" (pg 164). The machine, the routine, the personnel is al related because just like a machine every small part matters for the functioning of the whole.