“Hierarchy means that there are the dominators and there are the dominated.” Social hierarchies can be discerned in a variety of settings, and a man's place in this predetermined structure is chosen based on his occupation in the area. This concept of a microcosm with a hierarchy of power can be seen throughout Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, where Nurse Ratched is found foremost. Through his implications of animal imagery, Kesey highlights the importance of challenging the ideals of those with superior power to free oneself from a rigid system and escape the conformities they impose. The men are depicted as weak animals, preyed upon by Nurse Ratched and the helpers, or in this case by predators. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Kesey portrays men as prey of the ward to imply their weakness and lack of virility. Patients possess virtually no power while, on the other hand, Nurse Ratched has an abundance of power over events and people. Patients are aware of their position in this microcosm and have even come to accept that they are, in fact, similar to rabbits. Harding even states that “…the rabbits accept their role in the ritual and recognize the wolf as the strong one” (Kesey 64), referring to him and the other men as rabbits. Harding also explains how a rabbit becomes "sly, scared, and elusive" (Kesey 64) and "hides when the wolf is around" (Kesey 64). These images show how men are forced to suppress their voices and themselves to avoid the wrath of the wolf, or Nurse Ratched. When humans begin to gain their independence, they evolve from rabbits to birds. Kesey implies that the birds symbolize freedom and their newfound confidence in escaping the ward. The men experience this freedom during the fishing trip, when Chief imagines himself "out of the boat, lifted out of the water and skating the wind with those black birds, high above..." (Kesey 250). The fishing trip is a way for men to escape and separate from their conformed nature, and gives them a chance to let go and regain some of their confidence and virility. Nurse Ratched does not approve of this trust and works to belittle them once again. When McMurphy and the Chief are sent to the EST, McMurphy confidently offers to go first. He assures the boss that they can't hurt him. First, as they waited their turn, the Chief illustrates the “puffy sparrows hanging on a string like brown beads” (Kesey 282), and after McMurphy receives the EST, the Chief notes “out the window the sparrows drop the smoke from the wire” (Kesey 283). The birds being burned and falling demonstrate that Nurse Ratched demolishes their newfound freedom and independence. Later, McMurphy receives a lobotomy and Nurse Ratched “could use him as an example of what could happen if you buck the system” (Kesey 322). Not only does this highlight Nurse Ratched's power and ability to abuse the system, but the application of the word "buck" reinforces the idea of ​​men becoming independent and strong. Typically, animals that oppose something are strong, difficult to control, and independent. The men recognize McMurphy as an idol and are finally able to become somewhat independent and confident in their own abilities, and are able to detach themselves from his system. Kesey compares the roles of men to that of Nurse Ratched to further illustrate his point. of a hierarchy of power within the,.