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Ima Student #1
Ms. Nordsiek
Honors American Lit
4 April 2011
Joseph Heller: Institutions that make up a corrupt society
“PEOPLE ARE HELPLESS TO FATE, VICTIMS OF TIME—THEIR OWN
EMOTIONS UNDO THEM, AND SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS OF ALL KINDS FAIL THEM”
(Irving 458). The control that society and its institutions have over humans feature prominently
in the novels of Joseph Heller. In Heller’s Catch-22, the protagonist John Yossarian, a
bombardier for the US Air Force during World War I, displays a strong desire to live and will go
any distance to preserve his life. However, war and the corruption of the military as an institution
push Yossarian beyond his limits to remain sane. Bob Slocum, the protagonist in Something
Happened, lives the perfect of example of the “American dream.” He has a well-paying job, a
family, and a beautiful home, yet he is extremely unhappy. Controlled by the corruption of “big
business” and let down by the institution of family, Slocum fails to find the happiness he hoped
to achieve in life. In Good as Gold, Bruce Gold, a Jewish college professor in New York,
struggles to attain his dream job in the White House as Secretary of State. Yet in the end, the
corruption of government and the failure of the institution of family drive Gold away from his
life goal, and he returns to his unsatisfying job as a college professor. Society’s institutions of
military, corporations, government, and family reflect a failing commonality in Heller’s novels.
Such failure of these institutions for Heller’s protagonists causes them to display a common trait
of lack of heroism. Through the protagonists Yossarian, Slocum, and Gold, Heller shows the
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failure and corruption of society’s institutions in twentieth century America and the lack of
heroic qualities that such institutions cause.
Society’s institution of the military reflects John Yossarian's corruption in Catch-22. In
order for Air Force officers to return home from the war, they must fly a certain amount of
missions. But once an officer flies his missions, in particularly Yossarian, Colonel Cathcart, the
officer in charge of Yossarian’s squadron, raises the number of missions so no one may return
home. This idea of endless trickery is called Catch-22. Heller explains Catch-22, “There was
only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s own safety in the
face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind” (52). Heller
describes the institution of the military as a trap. The creation of Catch-22 prevents soldiers from
returning home from the war, in particularly those who have flown their missions and have
earned their right to leave. Furthermore, the Air Force’s mess officer, Milo Minderbinder’s
chocolate covered cotton balls symbolize Heller’s view of the military. After a deal in Cairo to
trade cotton balls for food items fails to go through, Milo Minderbinder is left with a massive
supply of cotton balls. In attempts to get rid of them, Milo covers the cotton balls in chocolate in
hopes to feed them to the army. Heller writes, “He unwrapped tissue paper from something soft,
round and brown and handed it out to Yossarian. […] Yossarian gagged convulsively and
sprayed his big mouthful of chocolate-covered cotton right out into Milo’s face” (245). The
chocolate covered cotton balls symbolize the army in that they appear good on the outside (the
chocolate), but are bad on the inside (the cotton). Literary critic Darren Felty states, “His satire
targets not just the military but all regimental institutions that treat individuals as cogs in a
machine. His central character, Yossarian, recognizes the insanity of social institutions that
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devalue human life” (106). Yossarian and his involvement with such a fraudulent military reflect
Heller’s negative view of society.
The institution of big business illustrates corruption in society as shown by the
protagonist Bob Slocum in Something Happened. Slocum’s co-worker, Phillip Reeves, confides
in Slocum about their boss, Jack Green. Slocum’s corrupt nature convinces Reeves to trust him.
Slocum narrates, “Reeves confides in me because he thinks I am capable, honest, and
unpretentious; he knows I drink and lie and whore around a lot, and he therefore feels he can
trust me” (44). Such corruption viewed in a positive manner implies that drinking, lying, and
sleeping around commonly happen in the office. Reeves’s trust in Slocum because of Slocum’s
lack of morality reflects Heller’s view of dishonesty in institutions. In addition, Slocum speaks of
adultery in the office as if it were the norm. Slocum explains, “The company has a policy about
getting laid. It’s okay. […] But getting laid with somebody else’s wife is very okay, and so is
talking about it, provided the husband is not with the company or somebody anybody knows and
likes” (66). Slocum’s simple statement of the “rules” of sleeping around further reflect adultery
in the office, or any setting, to be as ordinary as conversing with another person. Adultery or
“getting laid” seems to be the main topic of conversation whenever Slocum is in the office.
Heller shows such distraction from work to further stress corruption in society’s institutions.
Felty says, “Rules of such large institutions, Heller suggests, often exist for their own sake, not
for a good reason” (98). The institution of big business exists in Heller’s novel not for the good
of society, but for personal gain or mere amusement of its workers.
The institution of government demonstrates corruption and failure in society through the
character Bruce Gold in Good as Gold. Gold’s friend in the White House, Ralph Newsome,
wants to help Gold find the job of his dreams as Secretary of State. Even though Gold is well-
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educated, he feels insecure about getting the job because he feels he has not had enough
government experience. Ralph responds to Gold’s question of needing enough experience to be
Secretary of State, “‘Absolutely not,’ Ralph answered, and appeared shocked that Gold should
even ask. ‘In government, Bruce, experience doesn’t count and knowledge isn’t important’”
(118). Such neglect in the selection of a country’s own government representatives gives the
government as an institution a poor reputation in society. Moreover, the President of the United
States in the novel never appears to be performing his proper duties as Commander in Chief.
Heller writes, “The appointment was cancelled. The President was asleep. […] ‘The President,’
Ralph explained, is a very early riser. He is up at five every morning, takes two sleeping pills and
a tranquilizer, and goes right back to bed for as long as he can sleep’” (203). Heller further
mocks the government by having a dormant and completely inactive President. Such a poor and
negative attitude towards the government contributes to Heller’s belief of corruption in society.
Literary critic Walker Rutledge says, “With Good as Gold, Heller initially seems to be
scrutinizing the world of Washington in the same way he examined the military and the business
community in his first two novels.” Just like in Catch-22 and Something Happened, Heller
places his protagonist in Good as Gold in a specific institution, the government, to emphasize his
perception of a fraudulent society.
The failure of the institution of family for Bob Slocum in Something Happened portrays
further corruption in society in contemporary America. Slocum and his family symbolize
Heller’s view of the typical family of twentieth century America. Slocum’s wife says, “Let’s try
not to fight tonight. Let’s see if we can’t get through just one meal without anybody yelling and
screaming and getting angry. That shouldn’t be too hard, should it?” (109). The constantly
quarrelling Slocum family lacks the love and protection an ordinary family would normally have.
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Through the state of the Slocum family, Heller shows that the world associates "families" with
conflict and anger, no longer love and protection. Furthermore, Slocum’s constant battle with his
daughter contributes to Heller’s representation of the no longer loving family. Slocum and his
daughter have the most argumentative relationship in the Slocum family. Slocum narrates, “As
[my daughter and I] go through the formalities of pretending to be still related. […] I talk to her,
buy her things, and will continue to profess to be interested in her until she is old enough to go
away to college or move away somewhere else, as she never ceases stressing she wishes to do”
(184). Slocum shows no protest to his daughter's impending departure. The poor relationships in
the Slocum family further support Heller’s view of the corrupt family, which, in turn, maintain
Heller’s negative outlook on society.
The institution of family suggests corruption in society as portrayed through Bruce Gold
and his family in Good as Gold. Gold has an unhealthy relationship with his father for almost all
of Gold’s life. Gold’s father is ashamed of Gold and always criticizes Gold, which sparks
constant conflict between the two. Heller writes, “It was no secret to anyone that his father
considered Gold a schmuck. It would be unfair to say his father was disappointed in him, for he
had always considered Gold a schmuck” (31). The father-son relationship is often very strong,
and Heller criticizes the family by contradicting this relationship. At a certain point Gold’s father
stopped loving Gold, representing the loss of love in twentieth century families. In addition,
Gold’s twelve-year-old daughter talks disrespectfully to her father with no sense of authority.
Gold’s daughter says to Gold, “Balls, Dad. Listen, you better be goddamned careful what you
put in any more articles you write. That crap on child rearing you had in the Ladies’ Home
Journal last year didn’t do me no good” (131). By already showing the loss of love in the family,
Heller further mocks the family with his total lack of respect between Gold and his daughter.
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The corruption of society’s institutions drives Heller’s protagonists to anti-heroism,
evident in Yossarian in Catch-22. Yossarian’s reluctance to fight in the war comes from his
strong desire to live and his unhappiness in the army. Felty states, “Yossarian is certainly not
courageous: he will do anything to get out of the combat, even fake illness. He’s not selfless; in
fact, he’s obsessed with saving himself from danger” (99-100). Yossarian rebels against fighting
for a just cause in World War II against the evil empire of Nazi Germany. His desire to survive is
stronger than his willingness to fight for the wellbeing of others. Moreover, the insanity and
corruption of the military makes Yossarian flee a fraudulent society instead of trying to fix it.
Felty states, “Heller portrays life for the men in the squadron as completely crazy. They are at
the mercy of ambitious commanders who care more about their own careers than the men’s
lives” (99). Yossarian, a weak protagonist in a harsh and crooked institution, emphasizes the
corruption in society and non-heroic qualities that emerge from such an institution.
The protagonist Slocum in Something Happened indicates Heller’s use of anti-heroism as
a result of corrupt institutions. Slocum has a decent family, a nice house, and a well-paying job,
but ungratefulness strains him from being happy. Such ungratefulness, originates from Slocum’s
corrupt family, which drives Slocum to the corruption of business to avoid returning home.
Slocum narrates, “My wife is the only wife I could have had till now (I had no choice) till death,
divorce, or adultery do us part” (403). Slocum stays at work in order to avoid his wife and
children. At work, he has naught but adultery to resort to keep him “happy.” Such weakness and
disloyalty, which the corruptions of the institutions of family and business have caused, display a
non-heroic commonality in Slocum. Furthermore, Slocum’s inability to accept imperfection in
society contributes to Heller’s view of anti-heroism. Slocum’s youngest son, Derek, is mentally
retarded. For this reason, Slocum (nor the rest of the Slocum family) can accept him. Slocum
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narrates, “I no longer think of Derek as one of my children. […] the children don’t care for him,
either. No one really cares for him” (131). Such inability to accept imperfection in society
branches from the corruption of society in general. Heller shows that society no longer has room
for imperfect ideas or beings, reflecting its long-standing corruption.
Heller’s protagonist Gold in Good as Gold displays anti-heroic qualities as a result of the
failure of societal institutions. Gold desperately wants to be the only Jew (other than Henry
Kissinger) to be the U.S. Secretary of State, and he willingly goes to high limits to achieve his
goal. Rutledge from Twentieth Century Young Adult Writers says, “Heller’s purpose is to satirize
those individuals, Jews and Gentiles alike, who renounce their cultural and religious heritage in
order to be assimilated into the power elite.” The corruption of the government pushes Gold to
relinquish his own cultural identity to gain more power. Gold is power-hungry, just like all of the
other members of government, according to Heller. In addition, as a college professor, Gold fails
to be a good mentor for his students. He is unhappy as a college professor seeing as his dream
job is to work for the White House. The government and what it has to offer Gold personally
blind him, and he completely disregards his duties as a college professor. Gold talks to one of his
students, “‘You were mislead,’ said Gold. ‘If I were your adviser I would have forewarned you.’
‘You are my adviser,’ said the boy, ‘and you’re never in your office’” (134-135). Gold, a teacher
and a mentor, is not supportive of his students. Heller uses Gold’s position as a college professor
to stress the corruption in school systems as well.
The protagonists Yossarian, Slocum, and Gold reflect Heller’s portrayal of the failure and
corruption of society’s institutions, and the non-heroic qualities they cause, in twentieth century
America. Heller’s reflection of the fraudulence of the military, the deceitfulness of businesses,
the dishonesty of the government, and the unfaithfulness of the family contribute to society’s
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corruption. Heller emphasizes the tragic flaws of society’s institutions by giving his protagonists
anti-heroic qualities caused by the corrupt institutions. Mariana Cook in the Critical Survey of
Long Fiction says, “the means by which institutions in the modern world coerce the individual
and the way in which individuals—such as Slocum and, until his turnabout, Gold become coconspirators in their own demise.” The interaction between Heller’s protagonists and their
respective institutions lead them to their own downfall. The commonality of Heller’s
protagonists and their involvement with demoralized institutions reflects his negative viewpoint
towards American society. Every society is like a jig-saw puzzle where each individual piece,
the institutions themselves, creates one big picture, the society as a whole. The backward
institutions that function within American society in the twentieth century create a foundation of
an extremely dishonest and corrupt society.
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Works Cited
Cook, Mariana. “Joseph Heller.” Critical Survey of Long Fiction, Second Revised Edition.
Literary Reference Center. EBSCO, 2007. Web. 30 Jan 2011.
Felty, Darren. "Joseph Heller Overview." Novels for Students. Ed. Sara Constantakis. Vol. 29.
Detroit: Gale, 1997. 97-108. Print.
Heller, Joseph. As Good As Gold. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. Print.
---. Catch-22. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. Print.
---. Something Happened. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. Print
Rutledge, Walker. “Joseph Heller: Overview.” Twentieth Century Young Adult Writers, 1st ed.
1994. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Web. 07 Feb 2011.
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