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Chief Bromden
The first thing we learn of is Chief Bromden. He is the narrator of the book and pretends to be deaf and dumb. Bromden is the narrator of the book and because of that, he can tell the reader the many secrets of the ward. The other characters are introduced as well as the everyday activities that on the ward. -
New Admission
There is a new admission on the ward and his name is Randle McMurphy. Chief Bromden immediately realizes that he is different than any other admission they have ever had. -
Group Meeting
During McMurphy's first group meeting he realizes that the men are all one big pecking group because they "let Harding have it" during their conversation about his sexual life. Afterwards the men are ashamed of themselves. McMurphy also says that he will make Nurse Ratched Lose her temper within a week. -
World Series
McMurphy wants to watch the World Series on television but he needs to change the daily schedule with a vote. During the group meeting the patients vote but McMurphy does not have a majority so Bromden raises his hand. Even though that they now have the majority Nurse Ratched says that the vote is closed. Instead of going back to the old schedule McMurphy and the other patients sit in front of the blank television screen. Nurse Ratched loses her temper and McMurphy wins the bet. -
Resisting the Fog
Bromden recalls how the ward is sometimes filled with a fog. After the arrival of McMurphy, he says how he has not noticed the fog as much. Bromden thinks that McMurphy is "pulling" the patients out of the fog by showing them that you can resist Nurse Ratched. -
The Swimming Pool
During the group trip to the swimming pool, McMurphy learns from the lifeguard that Nurse Ratched is the one who decides how long you have to stay in the hospital. McMurphy's previous belief was that he could leave after he served is work-farm sentence. After learning this from the lifeguard McMurphy does not act out against Ratched for quite some time. -
Cigarettes
Nurse Ratched and the doctor decide to punish the patients because of the World Series squabble a few weeks ago. She decides to punish them by limiting the amount of cigarettes they can have per day. At first McMurphy lets Ratched thinks that she is in charge by smiling at her and not acting out. A few minutes later he punches the glass window at the nurse's station and says that he wants his cigarettes and didn't know the glass was there. -
Fishing Trip Request
Doctor Spivey permits McMurphy and nine other patients to go on a fishing trip with two of his aunts. Nurse Ratched does not approve of this trip so she tries to scare the patients by placing scary news articles about the ocean and boats. -
Losing His Cover
McMurphy needs one more person to sign up to go on the fishing trip. He knows that Bromden is not actually deaf so he persuades Bromden to go on the trip by telling him that his aunts are actually prostitutes. Bromden is afraid that the Nurse will find out that he is not actually deaf. -
Problem with the Trip
Only one of McMurphy's "aunts" shows up to drive the men to the ocean. The the patients think that they are not going to be able to go but McMurphy persuades Doctor Spivey to drive the second car so they are able to go. -
Fishing
The patients arrive and climb aboard the boat waiting for them. George, one of the patients, drives the boat because he was a fisherman. While on the trip every single man catches a big fish and gets drunk. As they return back to the hospital everybody is happy and energetic except for McMurphy who seems very tired. -
Dislike
The other patients begin to question McMurphy's actions and start to shy away from him. They start to not talk to him or take part in his bets. When McMurphy asks Bromden why the other patients don't seem to like him all of a sudden Bromden responds by saying that it is because he is always winning things. -
Fight
All of the patients who went on the fishing trip are required to be cleaned. The captain, George, has a phobia about cleanliness so Bromden and McMurphy get into a fight with the aides that are trying to clean George. As a result of their actions they are sent to the disturbed ward. -
Punishment
While on the disturbed ward, McMurphy and Bromden are sent for electroshock therapy. This is used as a punishment for their fighting. Bromden is very afraid of the shocks and it takes him a long time to recover from their effects. McMurphy on the other hand receives many more treatments than Bromden and brushes them off like they are nothing. -
Party
McMurphy and Bromden both return from disturbed just in time for Billy's date with Candy. The night turns into a huge party for all of the patients. In the morning Nurse Ratched is furious but all the patients can do is laugh at her. -
Aftermath
After the party the hospital is in distress. Many patients transfer or leave the hospital and Billy kills himself. In the end it is only McMurphy, Bromden, and one other patient left. Bromden then suffocates McMurphy and escapes the hospital with a truck driver.