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Catch-22, a la Shmoop. WarÉ sucks. But unfortunately, sometimes
If we'd let the Nazis steamroll their way across the planet during World War Two, Hitler's
little mustache might still be a fashion trend and we'd all love Wagnerian opera instead
of Twilight.
More often, however, war just blows for pretty much everyone concerned.
Some of the most famous books of the twentieth century, fiction and non-fiction, dealt with
this topic, including Joseph Heller's satiric Catch-22.
Captain John Yosarrian and the other airmen of the 256th squadron are stationed on a Mediterranean
island during World War Two.
Sounds awesome, right? Sunshine and seafood for all!
But instead of spending their time on the beach, Yosarrian and friends are busy trying
to stay sane and survive the war so they can get home.
ThereÕs an attack on an undefended Italian mountain village, the despair felt by various
soldiers, and the deaths of many of Yosarrian's friends.
So, yeah, not a lot of positives here. But is Catch-22 really as cynical as it seems?
Heller's characters certainly don't have a lot of control over their lives, and they
often come to a sad end due to circumstances beyond their control.
Nately, for example, dies during a pointless mission, when his plane crashes into another
American plane.
So much for his dreams of marrying his *** girlfriend and sending her kid sister to an
American college.
The characters also tend to make choices and do things that negatively affect the people
around them.
While Aarfy is perfectly willing to protect well-connected women from the *** advances
of other menÉ
Éhe ends up raping and murdering Michaela because he's never had to pay for sex and
doesn't see why he should have to start.
Some stellar logic right there. But maybe what Heller's trying to say is that,
even when things are at their worst, even when men are stuck in a terrible war that
they want no part of, there's hope to be found in humor.
BecauseÉ there's a lot of absurdity in the 256th squadron.
Colonel Cathcart is so determined to become a general that he keeps raising the number
of missions his men have to fly, meaning that they can get really close to doing enough
work to get them home, but they never quite make it.
Milo Minderbender is so anxious to turn a profit that he starts contracting missions
for the Germans, going so far as to fight on both sides in the same battle and bomb
his own squadron.
The world Heller describes in Catch-22 is sad but ridiculous, and it's the utter silliness
of it all that allows Yosarrian to stay sane. Edwin Starr, the Temptations, and Bruce Springstein
and the E Street Band have all told us that war is good for absolutely nothin'É
Éand Catch-22 certainly seems to demonstrate the truth behind that extremely catchy song
lyric.
But is Heller's novel completely cynical in its take on warÉ
Éor does he think itÕs bearable as long as youÉ send in the clowns?
Shmoop amongst yourselves.