Characters
Captain John Yossarian
Captain John Yossarian is a United States Air Force bombardier who grapples with the absurdities of World War II in "Catch-22." His efforts to escape the war are perpetually thwarted by the madness and irony surrounding him, particularly exemplified by the rule of Catch-22: a paradox where anyone can be grounded for insanity, but requesting grounding signifies sanity. Yossarian is characterized by his determination, intelligence, and complex nature. Physically robust at twenty-eight, he is respected by his fellow bombardiers and admired by the Chaplain, who even covers for his forged documents. Although he has friendships and is sought for advice by characters like Dobbs and Milo, Yossarian considers himself a loner. He possesses an off-beat sense of humor to cope with the perpetual increase of missions imposed by his superiors, and he struggles with the inability to escape combat duty. Yossarian's moral integrity is profound; he cannot reconcile himself with the blind obedience demanded by the military, as demonstrated by his decision to bomb the ocean rather than a defenseless Italian town. Haunted by Snowden's tragic death, Yossarian ultimately finds an escape by following Orr to Sweden, thereby staying true to his conscience.
Colonel Cathcart
Colonel Chuck Cathcart is the ambitious and self-absorbed commander of the squadron, driven by a desire for promotion to general. He continually raises the number of missions required for the men to be rotated out, prioritizing his career over their safety. Cathcart's absurdity is evident in his desire for publicity, such as when he considers having the Chaplain lead pre-mission prayers to garner attention from the Saturday Evening Post. Obsessed with his image, he focuses more on creating impressive bombing patterns than on the welfare of his pilots. He symbolically represents military corruption and ambition gone awry, as he collaborates with Milo Minderbinder and engages in personal interests like skeet shooting. Despite his insecurities, Cathcart relies heavily on Lieutenant Colonel Korn, who is smarter and more cunning. He harbors a particular dislike for Yossarian, who challenges his authority and values.
Major Major Major
Major Major Major Major, humorously named by his father, is the commander of the 256th Squadron. Promoted by a computer error, Major Major finds himself in a position of authority that he is ill-equipped to handle. Resembling actor Henry Fonda, he remains elusive, deliberately avoiding his office to escape responsibilities. His quiet rebellion includes signing orders with pseudonyms like "Washington Irving." Despite his rank, Major Major yearns for camaraderie with the enlisted men but finds himself isolated due to his position.
Lieutenant Milo Minderbinder
Lieutenant Milo Minderbinder, the squadron's mess officer, epitomizes the ultimate capitalist. His black market operations evolve into a powerful syndicate, unabashedly engaging with the enemy if it ensures profit. Milo's ventures include trading the squadron's essential supplies, under the guise that it's for everyone's benefit since all hold "shares" in his enterprise. His dealings reach a controversial peak when he organizes a bombing of his own base by the Americans, highlighting the pervasive corruption in his pursuit of wealth.
Captain Black
Captain Black serves as the squadron intelligence officer, but his primary focus is his quest for power. Frustrated by Major Major’s unexpected promotion, he initiates the Glorious Loyalty Oath Crusade to undermine him. Captain Black denies Major Major the opportunity to sign the oath, a petty act ultimately halted by Major de Coverley. His manipulative and vindictive nature is evident as he prioritizes his ambitions over duty.
Doc Daneeka
Doc Daneeka, the self-preserving flight surgeon, introduces Yossarian to the complexities and twisted logic of Catch-22. More interested in his own welfare, Doc feigns...
(This entire section contains 1256 words.)
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flying missions to claim extra pay, ironically leading to the belief that he is deceased after a crash. While he is described as warm and compassionate, Doc's primary focus is his own health and the grievances of his previous private practice, rather than the plight of his patients like Yossarian.
Captain R. O. Shipman
Captain R. O. Shipman, the chaplain known as "Father," is a timid and sweet-natured Anabaptist, uncomfortable among the officers and struggling to keep up with military expectations. Despite his gentle nature, he stands firm on important issues, such as challenging Colonel Cathcart on mission limits and opposing impersonal condolence letters. His acts of kindness and moral integrity make him a respected figure among the men.
General Dreedle
General Dreedle, a traditional military man, commands the wing with a laid-back approach, allowing his subordinates to "do their work" without excessive oversight. His constant power struggles with General Peckem are overshadowed by his preference for simplicity and directness. Dreedle is accompanied by his nurse-mistress and is constantly annoyed by his son-in-law, Colonel Moodus. Although he is generally more lenient than other authority figures, his hands-off management style indirectly enables Cathcart's reckless escalation of missions.
General Peckem
General P. P. Peckem, head of Special Services, is fixated on appearances rather than actual military strategy. He issues bizarre orders emphasizing hierarchy and pomp, such as the demand for men to face the Washington Monument. His ambition borders on absurdity as he schematically attempts to usurp control from General Dreedle. His name subtly alludes to "pecking order," capturing his preoccupation with rank and status.
Clevinger
Clevinger, a squadron member, embodies a lack of cleverness contrary to what his name implies. He argues against Yossarian's cynical worldview, calling him crazy, but holds no sway with Doc Daneeka regarding Yossarian's release from duty. Clevinger's perspective on the war is simplistic, advocating for black-and-white morality. His disappearance during the Parma mission underscores the unpredictable and perilous nature of war.
Orr
Orr, Yossarian's inventive and resourceful roommate, is often underestimated due to his constant plane crashes. His mechanical tinkering is a source of irritation for Yossarian, yet Orr's apparent misfortune conceals a calculated escape plan. His eventual successful escape to Sweden underscores his resilience and strategic thinking, serving as a poignant reflection on the choices available in dire circumstances.
Kid Sampson
Kid Sampson is a young pilot whose life is tragically cut short during an accident involving McWatt. Standing on a raft in the ocean, he is killed in a collision, illustrating the unforeseen dangers faced by squadron members.
McWatt
McWatt is a daring and audacious pilot who enjoys buzzing low over people for amusement. Despite his antics, he is deeply affected by the accidental death of Kid Sampson and chooses to crash his plane deliberately. McWatt, described as the "craziest combat man of them all" for maintaining sanity amidst chaos, represents a complex blend of recklessness and conscientiousness.
Aardvark
Aardvark, Yossarian's navigator, feigns deafness to ignore commands and derives sadistic pleasure from others' distress. His well-mannered facade masks a darker side, as demonstrated by his heinous act of murder. Aardvark's callous question about the value of a girl's life is a chilling reminder of war's brutal dehumanization.
Hungry Joe
Hungry Joe, another squadron member, is plagued by nightmares unless he is scheduled for a bombing run, indicating a twisted comfort in routine danger. Obsessed with women, he poses as a photographer, recalling his civilian job, to lure them. Joe's unpredictable fate unfolds when he is smothered by Huple's cat, a bizarre yet fitting end for a character defined by anxiety and pursuit.
Nately
Lieutenant Nately, a sensitive and sheltered nineteen-year-old from a wealthy background, is infatuated with a prostitute he aims to save. His idealistic nature is challenged by the pragmatic old man in the whorehouse, representing a clash between romanticism and harsh reality. Nately's untimely death amplifies the tragedy of youthful naivety lost to the brutal whims of war.
Themes and Characters
The main character of Catch-22, Captain John Yossarian, is driven by two interconnected goals: undermining the oppressive military system and staying alive. His frantic efforts to evade death and uphold a moral code symbolize the perpetual human fight against powerful and often deadly forces or institutions. Convinced that an unknown "they" are out to kill him, Yossarian pretends to be insane, seeks shelter in the hospital, contaminates his squadron with soap powder, and alters a bomb line on a map. When he does fly combat missions, "Yo-Yo" maneuvers erratically in the sky, dodging flak from all directions. Although many characters consider him mad, Yossarian is rational in fearing for his life—whether threatened by officers like Cathcart, who prioritize their promotions over their men's safety, by Milo Mindbender and his corrupt business ventures, or by Nately's knife-wielding prostitute.
Vivid reminders of human mortality are scattered throughout the novel. Heller powerfully illustrates scenes of war: B-25s dodging flak, the claustrophobic bombardier's compartment, and Yossarian's grim realization that "[t]he spirit gone, man is garbage," as he witnesses his injured gunner Snowden's entrails spilling onto the floor. The tragic loss of life extends beyond the battlefield. Chief Halfoat succumbs to pneumonia, Hungry Joe is smothered in his sleep by a cat, McWatt accidentally kills Kid Sampson with his plane's propeller and then commits suicide out of guilt, and Aarfy throws a servant girl out of a window to her death on the pavement below. The blending of military and civilian, rational and irrational worlds constantly threatens to annihilate the individual.
One of the primary dangers to the individual in Catch-22 is the military bureaucracy. Power leads to corruption, and Heller showcases a series of callous officers who exploit their men for personal gain. Milo Mindbender, the mess officer turned syndicate leader, epitomizes capitalism gone wrong when he arranges for German planes to bomb his own base for profit. The nefarious Colonel Cathcart continually increases the number of required combat missions and plots to get his photo in the Saturday Evening Post. Heller portrays the trivial power struggles between Generals Dreedle and Peckem, Lieutenant Scheisskopf's mechanical obsession with perfect parade formations, Captain Black's bureaucratic Glorious Loyalty Oath Crusade, ex-P.F.C. Wintergreen's godlike control over communication, and the relentless interrogations of Clevinger and Chaplain Tappman, two of the novel's most innocent characters. Heller is skeptical of systems—whether military establishments, hospitals, psychiatry, farm support legislation, or corporate monopolies—and is concerned about the illogical "logic" they create.
Orr, a character who initially appears to be simple-minded, provides guidance to Yossarian in his fight against oppressive systems and authorities. Orr hones his survival skills and initially struggles to teach Yossarian to do the same. However, at the novel's conclusion, Yossarian discovers that Orr has successfully escaped to Sweden, which inspires him. Balancing self-interest with a sense of duty, Yossarian declines an offer to return home with pro-military propaganda and instead heads to Rome to rescue Nately's prostitute's younger sister.
Ultimately, Catch-22 is not a hopeless novel. Its central theme is that, even in a nonsensical universe, individuals can uphold honor, integrity, and compassion. Yossarian, as the existentialist hero, ultimately finds redemption by pursuing freedom and embracing responsibility.
