Power And Resistance In Kesey's '

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The themes of power and resistance are prevalent in the texts of McEwan, Kesey and Plath as they explore the inequality between the powerful and the powerless groups in society where the latter are cast as ‘outsiders.’ Power refers to the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others, and it can be used physically, spiritually and emotionally to change the situation. Power and resistance are intertwined into these texts as they serve to highlight the repercussions of a society that is solely reliant on dictatorial and patriarchal leadership. On the other hand, resistance denotes the act of opposing certain actions and rituals of individuals. Written during the period of great social upheaval, improvements regarding women’s rights and the sexual …show more content…

There is a clear indication that Kesey presents the patriarchal, unfeminine force through the Big Nurse who, in denying her feminine traits of sexuality, provides an internal critique for women in power. With her ‘machine-like’ authority she is able to assert the epitome of power by desexualising herself in order to retain control, an apparent difference to the women depicted in Plath’s ‘Ariel’ collection where they are mainly the object of men’s libidos. Despite the resistance Ratched delivers through emasculating the men, it is evident that she attempts to hide her femininity as her bag contains ‘no compact or lipstick.’ Seemingly then through giving Ratched a respectable, hierarchal position, Kesey tries to elevate her status which is in contrast to the woman emphasised in Plath’s ‘Elm’ who is ‘diminished’ as a consequence of societal expectation. Furthermore, Kesey’s depiction of a corrupted matriarchy further suggests that the only way Ratched can illustrate her status is through threats of ridiculing the men of their ‘sexuality, masculinity and individuality.’ Likewise, the woman demonstrated in ‘The Applicant’ becomes an ‘it’ to society thus

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