One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Scene 5 Summary

  • We're back inside the hospital. It's nighttime and there's classical music playing. McMurphy is leading a game of black jack, using cigarettes as chips.
  • He quickly realizes that trying to play cards with the other patients is total chaos.
  • McMurphy walks behind the nurse's window to change the record that's playing. But a nurse screams when she sees him and Nurse Ratched calmly tells him that patients aren't allowed in the nurses' station.
  • The nurses start giving out people's evening medications. McMurphy cuts the line to ask if the music could be turned down so people wouldn't have to shout at each other.
  • But Nurse Ratched explains that the older patients can't hear the music if it's turned down. She tells McMurphy that he needs to be considerate toward everyone.
  • The nurse hands McMurphy some medication for him to take, but he refuses. Nurse Ratched says that if he doesn't take it willingly, they'll find another way to give it to him, if you catch her drift.
  • McMurphy walks back to a table and spits out the pill Nurse Ratched gave him. Mr. Harding (another patient) tells him he'd better be careful, but McMurphy says he isn't scared of Ratched.
  • McMurphy bets another patient one dollar that he can destroy Nurse Ratched's mind in a single week.