Catch 22: Book Analysis
"Catch-22," by Joseph Heller, is a darkly comic novel that was originally published in 1961. It is set during WWII and chronicles the narrative of Yossarian, a U.S. soldier. Army Air Force bombardier attempting to survive the war and the bureaucratic insanity that surrounds him. The title alludes to the core notion of a "catch-22" predicament, in which an apparently unreasonable and contradictory law makes it hard for someone to escape a bad circumstance. This dilemma shows itself in the novel as a military law stating that a soldier is deemed mad if they are prepared to fly risky missions, but if they seek to be withdrawn from the missions, they are regarded as sane and hence ineligible to be removed. The work is recognized for its use of sarcasm and comedy to attack the absurdity and senselessness of war and bureaucracy. Heller brilliantly combines comedy and sadness throughout the novel, making the reader laugh one minute and shake their head in amazement the nex...
