Themes in Catch-22
In the novel Catch-22, why does Yossarian turn down the colonels' offer to go home from the war when that's what he's desired throughout the book? This question is interesting because Yossarian's attitude towards World War II is always one of fear and horror, and he's constantly thinking about how to get out of flying more missions. Upon further consideration of the aforementioned question, I have decided upon a possible solution. The author explains himself in the second to last chapter in restating and expanding on what he had earlier written about the incident on the plane involving Snowden. On the bombing run, a piece of shrapnel flies inside Yossarian's bomber hitting Snowden. Snowden is cut badly and Yossarian nobly attempts to save the poor Snowden and give him comfort in what Yossarian knows are S
He is made afraid and indignant by each and every scene of abuse and crime he is confronted with in the Roman night. All three agreed the deal was "odious," but Yossarian self-centeredly agrees to the deal. It shows us another side of Yossarian, the compassionate Yossarian. Keep in mind that Yossarian originally was going to go along with the deal struck him by Colonel Korn and Colonel Cathcart: Be court-martialed or like us and go home. During his recovery from the stab wounds he realizes that certain people have been his true friends like the chaplain who visits him in the hospital and the affable Orr and then he has superficial "friends" like Korn and Cathcart. This leads me to the question, what is Heller possibly saying about following personal morality in an amoral world?. Also upon his final return to Rome on his unapproved mission to help the kid sister of "Nately's whore" he is struck by the extreme malice and evil in the world. When the MP's come to the apartment, Yossarian is certain they're coming for Aarfy, but instead in an odd twist of justice they arrest Yossarian for being off the military base without papers, leaving Aarfy an apology for disturbing his room. Yossarian is often in the book portrayed as being somewhat self-centered, but towards the end of the novel Yossarian starts to realize his obligation to the rest of humanity. The climax of the night is when he confronts an unrepentant Aarfy after the said Aarfy pushed a girl out of a window to her death. He decides he can no longer go along with the plan and hence will be court-martialed. And in that case he might as well flee Pianosa because if Orr could do it, he can do it. He sees it as being true to the people who've cared for him the most.
Common topics in this essay:
Yossarian Yossarian,
War II,
Aarfy Aarfy,
Colonel Cathcart,
Korn Cathcart,
Pianosa Orr,
Catch-22 Yossarian,
Korn's Cathcart's,
Snowden Snowden,
Yossarian Snowden's,
nately's whore,
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Acceptance Essays
