1. Catch-22 serves as an allegory where each character symbolizes a particular human trait. Identify the main characters and their allegorical meanings.

2. Yossarian, nicknamed Yo-Yo, exhibits unique behaviors such as marching backwards and clinging naked to a tree, only to be manipulated by one of Milo's schemes. Analyze how Heller uses these details to transform Yossarian into a symbol. What does Yossarian represent?

3. The names of several other characters, such as Orr, Snowden, Scheisskopf, and Mindbender, also carry symbolic weight. How do these names influence the novel's tone?

4. Is Yossarian mentally unstable? Is there a distinction between being crazy and being insane?

5. What is "black humor"? How does it enhance the themes in Catch-22?

6. Catch-22 was released in 1961, early in John Kennedy's presidency, a period marked by American optimism and idealism. Why would a novel as bleak as Catch-22 gain popularity during such a hopeful time?