Catch-22

“You wouldn’t be normal if you were never afraid. Even the bravest men experience fear. One of the biggest jobs we all face in combat is to overcome fear.”(ch. 9)

In times where desperate times call for desperate measures, the novel Catch-22, writing by Joseph Heller, follows the life of a B-25 fighter pilot named John Yossarian, in addition to other members of his squadron. Yossarian is the key protagonist of the novel who finds a more important mission than the one assigned to him while in the air force, and this is to preserve his own life at all costs. Over the course of this novel, this young man finds himself stationed on a small island of Pianosa, off the west coast of Italy, in the Mediterranean Sea. Placed under the command of Major Major, and Major De-Coverley, as well as General Dreedle, Yossarian now finds himself faced with the predicaments of an overbearing and abusing bureaucracy, as well as the contemplation of sanity vs. insanity as his ticket out of this station. The theme to be best directed with Catch-22 is the unknowing between truth and falsehood. In addition to that, is the blind sight between who are really your friends, and your enemies. Joseph Heller presents a vast arrangement of symbolism in the novel. First and foremost being the man in the white cast at the start of the novel. When he was brought to the hospital, the other men viewed him in such a way that it was ignored that he was a man, but was seen more as a viewing specimen. In time, the first man in the white cast was removed and then again another man took his place in the white cast. This is set to symbolize the way men of higher authority viewed the mere fighter pilots. These pilots were set in the background of decisions that were being made, and had no opinion over what would be done with themselves, and just like the man in the white cast, they were constantly being replaced. Giving respect to this novel being set in a narrative third person point of view, we, as readers, have a stronger ability to create our own unbiased view of each side in such a situation. We see a clear train of thought amongst the fighter pilots, as well as their clear opposition to the necessity of them being stationed in a deserted area with a large decrease in the amount of action that is taking place. Very little, if not at all in this novel, does the primary enemy of the Americans, being the Germans, make an appearance. This leads to the core theme being, what an enemy is, is someone that will intentionally put you into harms way. With that rationalization, the only true enemies of these fighter pilots, are their own superiors, who continue to assign the men to un-necessary missions. Relationships are made out to be a very important controversy in Catch-22. The main conflict found in the novel also happens to be a major irony set in the theme. Due to an overpowering bureaucracy, the men stationed under the governing power of Major Major, and Major De-Coverly are unable to find a way out of a situation that is in fact dangering their own lives. The attitudes shown by the men further enhance their dislike towards the catch that they are in, and at one point it is stated by the author, the main topic of conflict, “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. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle."-"That's some catch, that catch-22," he [Yossarian] observed.” (Chapter 5, page 46.) With this statement alone, the reader is tied into the complete synopsis of all the issues that are being faced by the brave men in this one station. The ambitions set by high leaders of authority have a strong consequence on those who serve faithfully under them. A major way that a system like this will backfire on the authority is when the men, such as Yossarian, completely begin to lose the initiative to fight. They see that what they are supposed to be laying their lives on the line for, is not a good enough of a reason. In the end, when power is taken for granted and then abused by authority, it is soon realized that the only real power of force that they had going for them, is lost.