What is the significance of the title Catch-22 in the novel?
The title Catch-22 refers to a paradoxical situation in which one cannot escape
a problem because of contradictory and impossible conditions. In the novel,
the catch-22 is a military rule that prevents a soldier from being grounded on
grounds of insanity, as to be grounded, the soldier must ask for it, but asking
for it is considered a proof of sanity. The title has become a popular phrase in
modern English to describe situations in which one is trapped with no way out.
The title serves to reflect the theme of absurdity and the confusion of war,
illustrating how bureaucracy and illogical rules are detrimental to soldiers and
their mental and physical wellbeing. The characters in the novel are caught in
Catch-22 situations repeatedly, and their futile attempts to escape add humor
to the narrative while demonstrating the true horror of their situations.
Joseph Heller's novel Catch-22 has become an iconic representation of the
chaotic and absurd nature of war that holds true even today. The title is a
reflection and a reminder of the nonsensical and often cruel realities of life and
is used to describe many other situations where the people are trapped with
no way out.
References:
- Heller, J. (1961). Catch-22 (1st ed.). Simon & Schuster.
- Literary Devices. (2021, June 18). Catch-22. Retrieved from
https://literarydevices.net/catch-22/.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2021, August 30). Catch-22. Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Catch-22.