Drive the Soldiers to the Point of Insanity

War can be difficult. It can drive the soldiers to the point of insanity. It can leave soldiers in a desperate fight to get home and to get away from the killing. However, the experiences that occur for the soldiers can sometimes be very funny when looked back on. In Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, this funniness is captured through Heller's use of satire. He is able to show the absurdities of war while still showing the horrors that it causes through the use of symbols, diction, and the very title of the book: Catch-22.

One of the most present factors in the story is symbols which seem to be found in mostly anything the story says. One example can be found in the character Milo Minderbinder, who serves as a symbol for both greed and capitalism through his business skills and his action of betraying his own country just to increase profits. Another symbol is the hospital which serves as a symbol of safety and protection but also as symbol of false hope. Throughout the story Yossarian is constantly trying to return to the hospital which he comments can let men die with dignity. However, the hospital is still full of the madness and corruption that exist outside in the battlefield despite the safety it brings. The most recurring symbol is the extending of the amount of mission the soldiers must serve before they can head home. The never ending extensions of service seem to highlight Heller's idea on the ridiculousness of war as well as show it cruelty towards the soldiers serving in it.

Another thing Heller uses to get his point across is the way that Yossarian talks. Yossarian is constantly repeating words, catchphrases, and events over and over again. This helps show the poor state of Yossarian's mind but also gives us more and more insight to what has happened to him. Heller does this through each repetition by giving the reader deeper information about the situation and what followed it. It's this repetition that also helps solidify the main ideas of the book. It also helps the readers find some order in the book which is not very consistent much like Yossarian trying to find order in his life.

The greatest example of the absurdity and horror of war can be found in the characters ever present discussion of the horrible "Catch-22". According to Yossarian, "there was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind" (46). Throughout the book it serves as a paradox that seems to apply to life in wartime. It is sort of an idea that the person must do as told, however, despite the choice they make, they are doomed for failure. Yossarian has to deal with his own Catch-22 seeing that he's caught in life threatening situations, but he can't find a way out of them.

Within Catch-22, Joseph Heller illustrates just how absurd being in war can be.