The Combine

    Chief often refers to "the Combine" in his thoughts about the patients in comparison to the ward. The combine is simply the social status quo that the patients are eventually conformed into. In the Chief's mind, most patients , with the exception of McMurphy, have been cut down to their modest personalities that the staff sees as favorable. Although McMurphy is still himself and continues to protest against ward policy, he is about just as vulnerable as the other patients were when they were introduced into the psych ward. This is because McMurphy stands alone in his rebellion and has been put into an environment full of people that have already been cut down and have little hope of becoming independently rebellious. Furthermore, the ward staff works so well in keeping its policies intact that even McMurphy can't avoid succumbing to the ward's policies, thus making him a target for the combine. The combine hasn't gotten to him quite yet because he continues to be loud and rebellious and expresses his own ideas to live by in the ward.

    It can be argued that most, if not all, institutions are some sort of combine. The school is a simple example of a combine-like institution. These institutions contain some sort of policy that is meant to cut down people's personalities. I agree that most institutions act as combines towards the people inside as long as the people remain inside. In school, we are meant to remain somewhat disciplined and perform our daily tasks. However, these institutions, fortunately, do not limit its people while the people are not within the institution's boundaries. As long as one remains inside one such institution, the institution will act as a combine to cut down one's complete individuality to create some sort of conformist personality. In our case, our state of conformity is known as being every-day students.