Morality In Joseph Heller's Catch-22
Catch-22 is a classic American novel by Joseph Heller, known for its satirical representation of the military’s bureaucracy during World War Two. The narrative follows Yossarian, a bombardier in the 256th Air Force Squadron, who is determined to survive by any means. However, it seems that as soon as he completes his missions, his reputation-obsessed commanding officers increase the amount of flights that one must complete in order to be released from duty. Yossarian wants to get out of the way, but he finds himself constantly entangled in the bureaucratic red tape known as Catch-22. This catch, called “the best there is” (Heller 46), is a backwards, contradictory rule that forces one into having only one true result, and serves only those who made it. These catches are riddled throughout the book, both large and small. Three of the most prominent Catch-22s are the catch about being sent home, the catch pertaining to the government, and the catch of Yossarian’s own morality. The first catch is arguably the most famous catch in the book. When Yossarian asks to be relieved of duty, he finds that he cannot, due to a mysterious rule known as Catch-22. This rule states that if a soldier is insane, they may be relieved of duty. However, if a soldier asks to be relieved of duty, this
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He first encounters it as a paradoxical regulation that forces all men to fly their missions, regardless of their mental state. Then, he encounters it in Rome, as an unwritten law the military police use to assert total control over the populace, and as a plague that allows people to get away with heinous crimes. Finally, his own mortality becomes a Catch-22 as he is forced to decide between his life and his conscience. In the end, though, he is able to escape the illogical power of the bureaucracy by making a third option, setting him free from the influence of the
He first encounters it as a paradoxical regulation that forces all men to fly their missions, regardless of their mental state. Then, he encounters it in Rome, as an unwritten law the military police use to assert total control over the populace, and as a plague that allows people to get away with heinous crimes. Finally, his own mortality becomes a Catch-22 as he is forced to decide between his life and his conscience. In the end, though, he is able to escape the illogical power of the bureaucracy by making a third option, setting him free from the influence of the