CATCH-22
Yossarian and the members of his squadron try to reach the number of required
Air Force missions so they may be released from duty. However, the squadron’s
commander continually increases the number of required missions so that the pilots
must keep fighting and cannot go home. On his end, Yossarian does not feel any
reason to risk his life just to kill enemies of his country. He has lost many friends in the
Second World War and knows his commander does not value his life. He feigns an
array of health problems, most notably insanity, in order to stay in hospital and off duty.
Interestingly, in trying to prove he is insane, Yossarian proves he is in fact sane. His
desire to remain alive and not fight against enemies who wish to kill him reveal that he
is capable of reason and discernment. This paradox is famously named “Catch-22” after
the law which prevents pilots from being released from the military. Yossarian refuses
to fight as the death of his pilot friend Nately begins to overwhelm him. He leaves his
position and wanders in the streets until he is sent back to his military superiors.
Yossarian’s learns he can either face a court- martial or finish eighty pilot missions and
then be released from the army. Nevertheless, he finds a way to escape Catch-22 by
deserting the army and fleeing to Sweden.
CHARACTERS
Yossarian- The novel's protagonist who feigns a number of health
problems, most notably mental illness, to avoid being sent into
combat. To Yossarian, the enemy is anyone trying to get him killed
(this broad definition includes Yossarian's military superiors who are
sending him into combat).
Colonel Cathart- Cathart is the officer responsible for Yossarian's
squadron. He is motivated by advancing his military career rather
than the good of his subordinates.
Nately- A young man in Yossarian's squadron.
Milo Minderbinder- Milo is a corrupt officer in the military, motivated
by anything that will result in him becoming richer.
Doc Daneeka- The medical officer who explains Catch-22 to
Yossarian.
Snowden- A soldier whose death traumatizes Yossarian and causes
him to lose his will to fight.
QUOTATIONS
"He was going to live forever or die in the attempt."
Catch-22 is a complex novel, rife with paradoxes. The
novel presents many contradictions and nonsensical ideas
to parallel Yossarian's struggle to understand the war that
is putting his life on the line.
"Anything worth dying for...is certainly worth living for."
Yossarian has no interest in fighting for his country or
killing men he has never met. Rather than sacrificing
himself for his nation, Yossarian wants to escape the
army, overcome catch-22 and live his own life.
"The enemy is anyone trying to get you killed, no matter
which side he is on."
After Yossarian witnesses Snowden's death, his view of
the war changes completely and irrevocably. Yossarian
comes to understand that his military superiors are leading
many of his countrymen to their demise, and he certainly
does not not want to end up among those killed in action.
"What is a country? A country is a piece of land
surrounded on all sides by boundaries, usually unnatural.
Englishmen are dying for England, Americans are dying
for America, Germans are dying for Germany, Russians
are dying for Russia. There are now fifty or sixty countries
fighting in this war. Surely so many countries can't all be
worth dying for."
Catch-22 presents military officials who use and sacrifice
their subordinates in order to advance their own careers.
Rather than be presented as honorable and heroic, war is
plagued by corruption and vested interests.
"They agreed it was neither possible nor necessary to
educate people who never questioned anything,"
People who are quick to raise arms in their country's
"defense" are easy prey for manipulators . It is very difficult
to educate them because they do not think for themselves
and readily accept any stance taken by their country.
CONTEXT
Joseph Heller was an American pilot in World War II, and
this experience had a strong impact on his writing. The
novel Catch-22 presents an anti-romantic view of the war,
strongly implying that it worked to the benefit of selfinterested bureaucrats. The Heller presents military
officers who value the advancement of their careers more
than the lives of their subordinates. The war is absurd
rather than heroic and insanity is the central theme of the
novel. It is only by escaping the madness of Catch-22 that
an individual can be released from a vicious cycle of
dehumanization.
THEMES
The Illusion of Honor
In Catch-22 fighter pilots do not govern their own lives.
Soldiers fighting in the war are expendable; they are
pawns used by a bureaucracy that will ultimately
determine their fate. Soldiers are dehumanized because
their lives are not valued by those who press them onto
the battlefield.
The Cost of Free Will
Snowden's horrific death haunts Yossarian, causing him to
realize the meaninglessness of the war. Yossarian
consequently vows to live as long as possible even if it
means disobeying orders and potentially being courtmartialed.