The 1950s seemed like a perfect decade. The rise of out-of-town suburbs led to an expansion of the middle class, allowing more Americans to enjoy the luxuries of life. The rise of these suburbs has also allowed the middle class to purchase homes with land that was once owned only by the wealthiest residents. Towns like Levittown, an early suburb, were divided so that every house looked the same (“Family Structures”). Any imperfections were considered unfavorable to the community as a whole. Because of these values, people today think of the 1950s as a stark, model decade. This is a simplistic perception because, beneath the surface, events outside the United States have actually had a direct effect on our country's history. The rise of communism in Russia struck fear into the hearts of the American people because it seemed to call into question their supposedly superior way of life. In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey argued that this supposed model of society was actually quite the opposite. Kesey supported this through the use of characters from the novel. Nurse Ratched was a character who symbolized communist rule in Russia and displayed absolute power over the patients in the ward. She was depicted as what was wrong with society, and patients feared her as Americans feared communists. Randle McMurphy took revenge against Nurse Ratched to challenge her control, just as Americans fought against communism during the Cold War. Although there seemed to be some positive aspects to domestic life in the 1950s, Ken Kesey argued that American society at the time was tainted due to fear, rejection of those who were different, and… . middle of sheet ......int.Parker, Richard. "Richard Parker." Richard Parker. Np, ndWeb. May 17, 2014."Space race." Home page of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Network. 9 May 2014. “The effects of the Second World War” 1950s vol. 4. Danbury: Grolier, Scholastic Library Publishing, 2005.120-121. Print.“The 'Red Scare'” 1950s vol. 3. Danbury: Grolier, Scholastic Library Publishing, 2005. 173-174. Print."Welcome to Bikini Atoll." Welcome to Bikini Atoll. Network. May 7, 2014.Whissen, Thomas Reed. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: Ken Kesey (1962)." Classic CultFiction: A companion to popular cult literature. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1992.164-69. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Jeffrey W. Hunter. vol. 341. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Artemis Literary Sources. Network. May 5 2014.