Chief Bromden is the story's narrator and is a patient in a mental ward. At the start of the novel, he is mopping the floors early in the morning. The only other people on the ward who are awake are three black orderlies. They taunt and mock Bromden, because they think he is deaf and dumb. The Big Nurse is a stern woman in her fifties who enters the ward at that time.The Big …showed first 75 words of 334 total…

…showed last 75 words of 334 total…loony". McMurphy talks to Harding. He tells Harding that the session reminded him of a pecking party, where a group of hens, seeing a spot of blood on one of their number, will peck that hen to death. Harding explains that they are all, essentially, cowards, rabbits who don't have the strength of will to show resistance. McMurphy offers a bet: he will get the best of the Nurse by the end of the week.