The mid-20th century was a time of change for many women and African-Americans. The typical home life was no longer the only option for women thanks to the greater work freedom that allowed them to have a professional life. At the same time, African Americans had more freedom after the civil rights movements paved the way for more opportunities. Around the same time, a movement of extremist feminist and African rights groups, such as Black Power and radical feminist movements that were gaining power at the time, were also highly controversial in their push for a society dominated by women or African Americans. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest portrays through the reversal of traditional roles the corruption due to power over all and the need for equality in power. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the role reversal puts a woman, Nurse Ratched, in control of the ward. , which is important to create a contrast with traditional power. Within the ward Ratched has supreme power by “simply [insinuating]” (p. 63) wrongdoing and has control of the doctors. Immediately after the first confrontation with Randle McMurphy (Mack), his power is demonstrated through the submissive and obedient ways of everyone present (152). Ratched is shown as having great power inside and outside the department, despite the constraints of that time as a woman, showing an important contrast with traditional power structures. This is reflected in the power of black assistants in the department, with the non-traditional role of power. In the ward they have a position of power due to their ability to govern the lives of patients in the ward. While their power often comes from terrorizing and sexually harassing patients on the ward through "sexual acts" and intimidation of "sexual acts", their role is... middle of paper... of that era. He saw that everyone can be corrupted by power and that no group should therefore be better than another. Kesey, by changing the power structure in a society, showed the similarity between the oppressed and the oppressors. This was a demonstration of the corruption of power and a throwback to the era. It symbolized an era of radical thinking aimed at changing the structure of power, but he argued that everyone was equal. It also exemplified the communist views of the time and the oppressive regime of those in absolute control. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest advocates the pursuit of equality in a time when power inequality was great. Works Cited Acton, John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton. Essays on freedom and power. Boston: Beacon Press, 1948. Print. Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a novel. New York: Viking Press, 1962. Print.