"Cuckoo's Nest" is concerned principally with the place of the individual in society and the means by which certain elements of society seek to impose order and exercise control, sometimes at the expense of the individual's (mental) health, but certainly at the expense of independence and freedom.
The hospital in the film is society in microcosm, with the patients displaying (or representing) problems in coping h life and the pressures they feel in the exercise of their social functions. However, it also represents the ways (discreet and quite indiscreet) in which "society" applies pressure on the individual to conform to what is regarded as the "norm" in terms of behaviour and attitude.
An essential point to note is that the story is not concerned with so-called "lunatics". These men have not lost their minds they are simply having difficulty in coping with the problems and pressures thrown at them by society. As such they inspire pathos, sympathy and compassion. More......
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