Mr. McMurphy... my friend... I'm not a chicken, I'm a rabbit. The doctor is a rabbit. Cheswick there is a rabbit. Billy Bibbit is a rabbit. All of us in here are rabbits of varying ages and degrees, hippity-hopping through our Walt Disney world. Oh, don't misunderstand me, we're not in here because we are rabbitsーwe'd be rabbits wherever we wereーwe're all in here because we can't adjust to our rabbithood. We need a good strong wolf like the nurse to teach us our place.
In Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Mr. McMurphy uses the metaphor of rabbits to describe the patients in the mental hospital. He believes that they are all vulnerable and feeling lost, similar to rabbits in a whimsical world, highlighting their struggles with societal norms and expectations. Despite their situation, he suggests that their true nature remains unchanged; they would still be "rabbits" even outside the hospital.
McMurphy seeks to challenge the oppressive environment controlled by the nurse, who represents a predatory wolf. He believes that the patients need a strong figure to help them confront their fears and accept their identities. This statement reflects not only their personal battles but also a broader critique of how society often drives individuals to conform, leaving them feeling powerless and detached.