PAGEPAGE20本科畢業(yè)設(shè)計（論文）題目:ABriefStudyonBlackHumorinCatch-22淺析《第二十二條軍規(guī)》中的黑色幽默學(xué)院：外語學(xué)院專業(yè)：英語學(xué)號：20121222學(xué)生姓名：牛筆指導(dǎo)教師：耿牛比2012年2月2日ContentsEnglishOutline………=1\*ROMANIChineseOutline……………………...…….=3\*ROMANIIEnglishAbstract…………..IIIChineseAbstract……….…I=5\*ROMANVChapter=1\*ROMANIIntroduction……………………...1Chapter=2\*ROMANIIGeneralExplanationoftheBlackHumor………...……………1Chapter=3\*ROMANIIIAnBriefIntroductiontoJosephHeller………..2Chapter=4\*ROMANIVBlackHumorinCatch-22……..6ChapterVConclusion…………………….11WorksCited……………12

目錄英文提綱=1\*ROMANI中文提綱=3\*ROMANIII英文摘要=4\*ROMANIV中文摘要=5\*ROMANV引言1黑色幽默簡介1約瑟夫.海勒簡介2黑色幽默在《第二十二條軍規(guī)》中的體現(xiàn)6結(jié)論11參考文獻(xiàn)12

OutlineThesisstatement:ThispapermakesatentativeanalysisofblackhumorinJosephHeller’scatch-22aimingatdeepeningthereader’sunderstandingoftheblackhumorandcatch-22.Chapter=1\*ROMANIIntroductionChapter=2\*ROMANIIGeneralExplanationoftheBlackHumorChapter=3\*ROMANIIIBriefIntroductiontoJosephHeller3.1Heller’sLife3.2Heller’sWritingStyleandWorks3.3Heller’sCatch-223.3.1TheBackgroundofCatch-223.3.2AGistoftheNovelChapter=4\*ROMANIVBlackHumorincatch-224.1TheDescriptionofMainCharacters4.2TheThemeoftheNovel4.3TheStructureoftheNovel4.4TheCharacteristicsoftheLanguageChapterVIConclusionWorksCited

提綱論文主旨：本文通過分析約瑟夫.海勒的作品《第二十二條軍規(guī)》中的黑色幽默加深讀者對這部作品以及黑色幽默的理解。第一章引言第二章黑色幽默簡介第三章約瑟夫簡介3.1約瑟夫.海勒的一生3.2約瑟夫.海勒的寫作風(fēng)格及作品3.3海勒的《第二十二條軍規(guī)》3.3.1《第二十二條軍規(guī)》的創(chuàng)作背景3.3.2《第二十二條軍規(guī)》的內(nèi)容梗概第四章黑色幽默在《第二十二條軍規(guī)》中的精彩體現(xiàn)4.1人物塑造4.2小說主題4.3結(jié)構(gòu)特點(diǎn)4.4語言特色第五章結(jié)論參考文獻(xiàn)

AbstractCatch-22isoneofthetypicalrepresentativebooksofblackhumor.JosephHeller,theauthorofthisnoveldescribedmanyabsurdimagesinasymbolicway.Manywords,phrases,anddialoguesinthisnovelaredisorder,repeating,dubiousandparadoxical.Itisthewonderfuldeductionofblackhumor.Theauthorofthispapermainlyanalyzedblackhumorincatch-22throughconcretediscussingtheblackhumorinportrayingthecharacters,deepeningthetheme,arrangingthestructureandselectingthewordsandsentencesinthisfiction.Allinall,catch-22isoneofthemostimportantworksofblackhumorandthispaperistomakethereadershaveabetterunderstandingofthenovelcatch-22.KeyWords:blackhumor;catch-22;absurd

摘要《二十二條軍規(guī)》是黑色幽默文學(xué)的代表作之一?！抖l軍規(guī)》的作者約瑟夫.海勒以象征主義手法創(chuàng)造了許多經(jīng)典的角色。這部著作的許多詞、短語、對話都是處于無序、重復(fù)、模棱兩可和自相矛盾中，是黑色幽默的完美演繹。這篇論文主要通過詳細(xì)探討黑色幽默在塑造人物、深化主題、安排結(jié)構(gòu)以及選詞造句上的運(yùn)用來分析黑色幽默在這部小說中的完美展現(xiàn)?？傊兜诙l軍規(guī)》是黑色幽默最重要的著作之一，這篇論文旨在加深讀者對它理解。關(guān)鍵詞：黑色幽默；第二十二條軍規(guī)；荒誕

ABriefStudyonBlackHumorinCatch-22ChapterIIntroductionCatch-22isthefirstandmostimportantlongnovelofJosephHeller.Sincecatch-22waspublishedin1961inAmerica,ithasalwaysbeenacrucialpartofmodernliterature.Withthetimepassing,thenovelhasnotbeenoutofdate.Onthecontrary,itattractswideattentionsaroundtheworldbecauseofthenovel’stheme,writingstyleandvalue.InChina,anincreasingnumberofscholarswritebooksandessaystoexpounddifferentaspectsofthenovel.Throughdetailedsearchandanalysis,itwasfoundthatatpresentthereareatleast130academicpapersaboutCatch-22ontheCDMD(ChineseDoctorandMaster’sDatabase).Amongallthesepapers,48papersfocusonitsthemeandtheauthorand66papersareconcernedwithitswritingskills.SomeothersmainlystudyontheabsurdityaswellasotherthingsrelatedwithCatch-22,forexample,WuShaohui(2006)FreeChoiceinanAbsurdWorld—AnInterpretationoftheExistentialismandWangYimei(2005)TheGradualReturntoSelf—ATentativeAnalysisofSelf-awarenessinthe20thCentury’sWesternModernistLiterature.Besides,severalpapersareaboutcharactersofCatch-22suchasWanShihua(2006)TheBlackFigureSalon—AnalysisoftheFiguresonCatch-22.Undoubtedlynomatterwhatsubjectsthescholarsstudy,theme,writingskillorothers,itisinevitableforthemtotouchontheliteraturegeneofthisnovel—blackhumor.ThispapermakesatentativestudyontherelationshipbetweenblackhumorandCatch-22.Fromtheperspectiveofblackhumor,theauthorofthispaperistryingtomakeadetailedanalysisonitsmaincharacter,theme,structureandlanguageaimstocomprehensivelydisplaythedeductionofblackhumorinCatch-22andletthereadershaveabetterunderstandingofthisnovel.

ChapterIIGeneralExplanationoftheBlackHumorBlackhumoriscreditedtotheAnthologyofBlackHumor,a1939Frenchanthologyof45writerseditedbyAndreBreton.IntheUnitedStates,blackhumorasaliterarygenrecametoprominenceinthe1950sand1960s.Later,anEnglish-languageanthologyeditedbyBruceJayFriedman,titledBlackHumor,assemblesworksof12writersofthegenre.ItisoneofthemostrepresentativegenresintheAmericanliteraturein1960s.Forinstance,theworksofsuchwritersasKurtVonnegut,ThomasPynchon,JohnBarth,JosephHeller,andPhilipRothcontainelementsofblackhumor.Itwasusuallyusedinliterature,drama,andfilm,isakindofgrotesqueormorbidhumorretainingaserioustone.Thepurposeofblackhumoristoexpresstheabsurdity,insensitivity,paradox,andcrueltyofthemodernworld.Ordinarycharactersorsituationsareusuallyexaggeratedfarbeyondthelimitsofnormalsatireorirony.Blackhumorusesdevicesoftenassociatedwithtragedyandissometimesequatedwithtragicfarce.Forexample,StanleyKubrick'sfilmDr.StrangeloveorHowILearnedtoStopWorryingandLovetheBomb(1963)isaterrifyingcomictreatmentofthecircumstancessurroundingthedroppingofanatombomb,whileJulesFeiffer'scomedyLittleMurders(1965)isadelineationofthehorrorsofmodernurbanlife,focusingparticularlyonrandomassassinations.Popularthemesofthegenreincludemurder,suicide,war,barbarism,drugabuse,terminalillness,domesticviolence,insanity,nightmare,disease,racism,disability(bothphysicalandmental),chauvinism,corruption,andcrime.Besides,somecomediansuseitasatoolforexploringvulgarissues,thusprovokingdiscomfortandseriousthoughtaswellasamusementintheiraudience.TheauthorofthispaperthinksthatblackhumorasoneoftheAmericanliteraturegenresmusthaveitsorigin.Lookingbackintothehistory,itisnotdifficulttofindthattherearetwoaspectsofreasonsfortheappearanceofblackhumor.Firstofall,thewartraumaandsocialdisturbancemakepeoplehaveaforebodingoftheendoftheworld.In1960s,theWWIIhasjustfinished,buttheeffectsofthewarlastedformanyyears.AllfactsinAmericandisclosedtheliesofso-calledjusticeandpatriotismresultinginshakingpeople’sbeliefinGod,humanitarianismandreason.Inaddition,thelopsideddevelopmentoftechnologycausedthelossofpersonality.Anincreasingnumberofpeoplewerestressedoutmateriallyandspiritually.Underthatcircumstance,blackhumorcameoutasanecessarymethodtoexpresspeople’sinnerfeelings.

ChapterIIIBriefIntroductiontoJosephHeller

3.1Heller’sLifeJosephHeller(1923-1999)wasborninConeyIslandinBrooklyn,NewYorkonMay1,1923.HeisthesonofpoorJewishparentsfromRussia.Hediedofaheartattackattheageof76yearsoldathishomeinEastHampton,onLongIsland,inDecember1999.Evenasachild,helovedtowrite;asateenager,hewroteastoryabouttheRussianinvasionofFinlandandsentittoNewYorkDailyNews,whichrejectedit.Hisworkswerefirstpublishedin1948,whentheAtlanticranoneofhisshortstories.Thatfirststorynearlywonthe“AtlanticFirst."In1953,hebegantowritehisCatch-22anditwaspublishedin1961.ShortlyafterCatch-22waspublished,Hellerthoughtofanideaforhisnextnovel,whichwouldbecomeSomethingHappened.Afterthat,hebecameaprofessionalwriterandkeptonwritinguntilthecompletionofhislastnovel,PortraitofanArtist,asanOldMan.Realityisthesettingofliterature.Heller’slifeexperienceaffectedhiswritingcareer.HewasbornintoaJewishfamily.BecauseofracialpersecutioninRussia,hisfamilyimmigratedtoAmericain1913.Whenhewasyoung,hisfamilywasverypoor.In1942,attheageof19,hejoinedtheU.S.ArmyAirCorps.Twoyearslater,hewassenttoItalianFrontasabombardier.Yossarian,themaincharacterinCatch-22issimilartohiminmanyaspects.Afterthewar,HellerstudiedEnglishattheUniversityofSouthernCaliforniaandNewYorkUniversity.Duringthatperiod,hebegantowriteshortstories.Hewasoncesufferedfromgullian-barresyndrome.HisillnessandrecoveryarerecountedatgreatlengthintheautobiographicalNoLaughingMatter(Heller1986).In1998,hereleasedamemoir,NowandThen:FromConeyIslandtoHere,inwhichherelivedhischildhoodasthesonofadeliverymanandofferedsomedetailsabouttheinspirationsforCatch-22.

3.2Heller’sWorksandWritingStyleJosephHellerbeganhiswritingcareerastheauthorofshortstoriesbutwonimmediateacclaimwithCatch-22(1961;film,1970).Aprotestnovelunderscoredwithblackhumor,Catch-22satirizesthehorrorsofwarandthepowerofmodernsociety,especiallybureaucraticinstitutions,todestroythehumanspirit.Heller'ssecondnovel,SomethingHappened(1974),anexposeofthecapacityofthebusinessworldtocrushtheindividual,isapessimisticstatementabouttheeffectsofprosperityonthehumancondition.WeBombedinNewHaven,aplayproducedonBroadwayin1967,isatragicomedysimilarinthemeandmoodtoCatch-22.GoodasGold(1979)involvesahumorousportrayalofJewishfamilylifeandasatireofnationalpolitics,includingattacksonrealpeoplesuchasHenryKissinger.GodKnows(1984)isahumorousretellingandanalysisofthebiblicalaccountofKingDavid.AmonghislaterworksarethenovelsPoetics(1987)andPictureThis(1988)ClosingTime(1994)PortraitofanArtist,asanOldMan(2000).NoLaughingMatter(1986)isachronicleofHeller'srecoveryfromGuillain-Barresyndrome,whichcontainsalternatingchaptersbyHellerandhisgoodfriendSpeedVogel.ThebookrevealstheassistanceandcompanionshipHellerreceivedduringthisperiodfromanumberofhisprominentfriends—MelBrooks,MarioPuzo,DustinHoffmanandGeorgeMandelamongthem.Heller'sworksarecharacterizedbyasatiricalsenseoftheabsurd,speakingoutagainstthemilitary-industrialcomplexandthoseorganizedinstitutionswhichseemtomanipulatepeople'slivesinthenameofreasonormorality.TheauthorofthispaperjusttakesHeller’sCatch-22andsomethingwrongasexamples.InCatch-22,theauthordiscardedthetraditionalrealism,madewholeworkswithoutacompleteplotdevelopmentclue.Therewasnotaprominentcharacterimage.Instead,itisfullofchaos,noisy,crazyatmosphere.Buttheauthorsalsostresseda"seriousabsurd",describingthewholeAmericansocietyfromitsinternaldirty,corruption,andfall,especiallythosebureaucrats.JosephHeller’ssecondnovel,SomethingWrong,writtenin1974,describedacompanystaff’smentalanguish.ItreflectsthepsychologicalstateofAmericanmiddleclass.SomethingWrongfocusedonwritingexternalforcescausingtheperson’soppressionandcorrosion.Catch-22mainlytoldthecharacters’innerspirituallife.Theauthorinthisnovelmadeuseofjokestoshowthattherewasreallysomethingwrongwiththesociety.Healsosatirizedtherealityandpoliticsthroughabsurdanddeformingdescription.3.3Heller’sCatch-22

3.3.1TheBackgroundofCatch-22AfterWWII,Americaexperiencedaperiodofunprecedentedeconomicboom.In1950s,Americabecamethebigbrotherofthecapitalismworld.TheColdWarbrokeoutbetweenAmericaandSovietUnion.WiththestrongerofSovietUnion,manyAmericanbeganbeafraidofcommunism.TheythoughtthatthelivesofAmericanwouldbeindanger.TherepublicanfromWisconsinJosephRMcCarthyspeakoutthefearoftheAmerican.McCarthyismmadetheyoungberesentfulandlimitedthedevelopmentofliterature.Besides,exhaustingallresourcestobuildupAmericanmilitarypowerarousedtheanti-warsentiment.Undersuchpoliticalcircumstances,Catch-22cameouttoexpresstheauthor’sfeelingtoachaoticAmerica.Atthebeginningof20th-century,thefamousnewhumanismcriticMorefoundthattherewasakindof“thepowerofblackness”inAmericanliterature.O.Henrymadeuseof“tearfulhumor”totellthemiserablelifeofordinarypeople.MarkTwainusedakindofhumor,whichdescribedbleedingwithpleasureandmadejokesoncorpse.ThiskindofhumorwasveryclosetoblackhumorliteraturecreatedbyMarkTwainhassignificanteffectsonthefollowingwriters.Withthetimepassing,thehumorliteraturewasdevelopedbyleapsandbounds.Somescholarspointedoutthatridiculewasoneofthecharactersin20-thcenturyliterature.In1960s,blackhumorbecameprevalent.ItwasanewperiodofhumorafterMarkTwain.Justatthattime,JosephHellerbegantowritehisCatch-22.Andafteritwaspublished,hebecametherepresentativewriterofthisperiod.TherearesocialfactorsforJosephHeller’sCatch-22.AlthoughtheWWIIendedin1945,itwasdifficultforpeopletogetridofthefearandunpeacefulfeelingscausedbywar.ThecrimeofNaziandtheusingofatomallleftaverydeepimpressiononpeople.Becauseoftheusingofatom,peopledoubtedwhethertechnologybenefithumanornot.In1950s,thesuccessofsuperatomaticexperimentsandartificialsatelliteallmadepeoplefeelpollutionmadepeopleunpeaceful.In1960s,populationexplosionanddeterioratedenvironmentpollutionmadepeoplefeelideologicalconfusion.Democracy,individualpursuitreligiousbeliefalldidnotexist.Traditionalmoralbeliefsandvaluesystemlosttheireffects.Thepeopleinmodernsocietylostconnectwithhistoryandweretappedinloneandalienation.3.3.2GistoftheNovelCatch-22isa\o"Satire"satirical,\o"Historicalfiction"historicalnovelofJosephHeller.ItwassetduringthelaterstagesofWorldWarIIfrom1944onwards,whichisfrequentlycitedasoneofthegreatliteraryworksofthetwentiethcentury.Ithasadistinctivenon-chronologicalstylewhereeventsaredescribedfromdifferentcharacters’pointsofviewandoutofsequencesothatthetimelinedevelopsalongwiththeplot.JosephHellerwrotethenovelwithoutacompleteplot.Thereare42chaptersandeverychaptertellsastoryofoneperson.ThenovelfollowsYossarian,aU.S.ArmyAirForcesB-25bombardier,andanumberofothercharacters.Mosteventsoccurwhiletheairmenofthefictional256thsquadronarebasedontheislandofPianosa,intheMediterraneanSeawestofItaly.DuringtheWWII,theprotagonistYossarianlivedinastrangeandunusualworld,whereeveryoneplacedthewarinthecenter.AsabombardierofanU.S.ArmyAirForces,hewascommittedtowaroutofjustice.Becauseofhisachievementsinwar,hewaspromotedtocaptain.However,afterhewitnessedalotofhypocritical,absurd,crazyandcruelphenomena,Yossarianbecamecynicalandantipathetictowar.Hewantedneithertobepromotednortocontribute.Hejustwantedtogohomeafterhiscompanionswerekilledoneafteranother.Sohedevisedmultiplestrategiestoavoidcombatmissions,butthemilitarybureaucracyisalwaysabletousethecatch-22tomakehimstay.Gradually,Yossariancametorealizethatcatch-22didnotactuallyexist,butbecausethepowersthatclaimeditdoes,andtheworldbelievesitdoes.Atlast,hehadtoescapetoSweden.Theauthorofthispaperthinksthatalthoughmanyeventsinthebookarerepeatedlydescribed,itisfromdifferentpointsofview.Inthatwaythereaderlearnsmoreabouteacheventfromeachpointofview,withthenewinformationoftencompletingajoke,thepunchlineofitwastoldseveralchapterspreviously.Thenoveloftendescribeseventsoutofsequence,buteventsarereferredtoasifthereaderisalreadyfamiliarwiththem,sothatthereadermustultimatelypiecetogetheratimelineofevents.ChapterIVBlackHumorinCatch-22

4.1TheCharactersinthisNovelThewriterdirectlyexposeseveryrealaspectofAmericanbureaucracysocietyafterWWIIbydepictingthosepeopleinsingleofmultipledimensions.Beingtherepresentativeoftheliteratureofblackhumor,theworkcontainstremendousstylesofutterancesandbehaviorsofvariouspersonswhichcircletheprincipleof“catch-22”.Yossarian,atypicalanti-heroiccharacterofblackhumor,istheprotagonistinCatch-22.Yossarianhadalotofheroiccharacteristics,forinstance,hewasverysmartandknewtheworldliteratureverywell.Therefore,hewasfamiliarwithvariousclassicalheroiccharacters.HewasnotlikeHenryhavingtoomanyfancies.IntheAirForceTraining,ClevingerthoughtScheisskophreallyneedsuggestionswhenheaskedforadvices,whileYossarianknewthatwasnottrue.Atthesametime,Yossarianwasadmiredandrespectedbyothers.Withouthissupport,Dobbs’splanofassassinatingColonelCathcartwasfailed.Besides,thecapitalistsMiloadmiredYossarianverymuch,forinstance,healwaysaskedYossarianforadvicestorunhisbusiness.Mostofhisbehaviorsareregardedasimmoralandcoward,forexample,hewouldpretendtobeillandthenbesenttothehospitaleverytimewhenhewasafraidofthewarorhisfriendshavebeenkilled.Hetriedmanywaystobeprovedthatheisamaniacsothathecanbeexemptedfromflyinganymission.ButInmanyaspects,Yossarianalwayslivedamorallife.Herefusedtobeaherowhenheknewthatitwasjustatransaction,whichwasdesignedbythebureaucratColonelCathcarttoconcealhisillegalbehaviors;hewouldnothavearelationshipwiththewomenhedidnotlove.Infact,Yossariancanberegardedasaherotosomeextent.Hewasopposedtothecorruptionamongsoldiers.Evennowadays,veryfewpeoplehavethecouragetodolikethat.Yossarianrejectedtoaccept“catch-22”andwantedtoescapefromthearmy,whichwerenotonlyregardedasthedemonstrationofhiscowardicebutalsoreflectedhewasahero.Inconclusion,Yossarianistherepresentativeofthecommoninthesociety,whosedestinyisdominatedbyothers.ThedifferenceisYossariancannotstandthathislifeisinotherpeople’shands.Everyoneinthisnovelisveryspecial.Theyrepresenttheattitudesofthissystem.ThecanteenMinderMiloisacalculatingentrepreneur.Hesymbolizedtheinternationalmonopoly.Heengagedinspeculationinthenameoffoodpurchasing.Heevenestablishedamultinationalcorporationinthisway.Hesmuggledgoodsthroughplanesandevenemployedtheenemy’splanestotransportforhiscompany.Whatwasmoreridiculousisthathebombedhisownairfieldwhentheenemy-Germansofferedhimanextra6%.Inordertocutthecosts,heletthesolidereatchocolateswithcottoninside.However,suchacapitalistwhoignoredthesoldiers’lives,becameaninternationalcelebrity.HeevenbecamethemayofmanyEuropeancitiesandthevicegovernorofMalta.ColonelCathcartandScheisskophsignifythebureaucraticgroup.ColonelCathcart,whokeptraisingthenumberofmissions,wasacold,ambitiouscommander.Justbecausehewantedtobethegeneralandbeappreciatedbytheseniorofficer,hekeptraisingthenumberofmissionsneglectingthelivesofthesoldiers.AtlasthetriedtomakeadirtydealwithYossariantoconcealhisillegalbehaviors.ThesecondlieutenantScheisskophgraduatedfromthereserveforce.Hewasveryhappyforthewarbecausethatmadehimhavethechancetowearthearmyuniformeverydayandgivethewordofcommandwithdignifiedandclearvoicetothosesoldierswhoaregoingtodie.Forhimself,becauseofthepoorsightandfistula,hewasnotrequiredtoriskhislifetoparticipateinthewar.Inthisfiction,Scheisskophwasobsessedwithreviewingtroops.Hewascommittedtotrainingthesoldierswiththeirownpersonalitiesintomonotonousrobot.Itwashisaddictionthatmadehimhavethechancetobepromotedandpraisedbyhisseniorofficers.Heevenwonthetitleof“militarygenius”andbecameageneral.Itisobviousthatthetoplevelrulersaimedtodestroyhuman’spersonalityandwill.Onlyinthisway,cantheybeintherulingclassforeverwithoutanyresistance.The“soldierinwhite”wasthemostmiserablecharacterinthisnovel.Hewasencasedfromheadtotoeinplasterandgauze.Hehadtwouselesslegsandarms.Hislegswerehoistedfromtheehipsandthetwostrangearmsanchoredupperpendicularly,allfourlimbspinionedstrangelyinair.Sewnintothebandagesovertheinsidesofbothelbowswaszipperedlipthroughwhichhewasfedclearfluidfromajar.Asilentzincpiperosefromthecementonhisgroinandwascoupledtoaslimrubberhosethatcarriedwastefromhiskidneysanddrippedefficientlyintoaclear,stoppedjaronthefloor.Whenthejaronthefloorwasfull,thejarfeedinghiselbowwasemptyandthetwoswitchedsothatthestaffcoulddripbacktohim.Allotherseverreallysawof“thesoldierinwhite”wasafrayedblackholeoverhismouth.NoonetalkedtohimexcepttheTexan.“Thesoldierinwhite”representthosewhosesoulandspirithavebeendestroyedbytherulers.TheotherpitiablemanwasDoc.Daneeka.Hewasalwaysafraidofbeingsenttopacific.Becauseinspiteoftellingothershewasaliveagainandagain,hewasstillregardedasdeadinaplaneaccident.Hebecameadead-aliveperson.Evenhisfamiliesforthesakeofmoneythoughtthathewaskilledintheaccidentwithoutanyevidence.Whatismore,therewerealotofotheruniquecharacters,forexample,theboringTexanwhoistheonlyonetalkingwiththe“soldierinwhite”.Dunbar,thewardmateofYossarian,alwaystoldYossariansomestrangedreamsandlikedtoshootskeettokillhistime.Clevinger,whowaslostintheclouds,wasfulloftheoriesbutwaslackofexperience.ThewoundedgunnerSnowden,thoughneverappearedwasknownbythereadersthroughYossarian’smemory.EverytimewhenYossarianrecalledhisdeath,thereadersaredeeplyaffected.HelaydyinginthetailofYossarian’splaneandatlastrevealedhisterrifyingsecret.MajorMajormajor,whosetragedyinlifeisthatheresemblesHenryFondaandMajor_deCoverley,whosefacewassoforbiddingandnoonehaseverdaredtoaskhisfirstname.

4.2TheThemeofthisNovelThemainthemeistoexposetheexposetheabsolutepowerofbureaucratism.ThemostfrighteningandmiserablethinginCatch-22isthatYossarianandhiscolleagues’liveswerenotdecidedbythemselvesindangerbutbythosesavageandterrifyingbureaucrats.Catch-22isthetypicalsymbolofbureaucratism.NonovelbeforeorsincehasmatchedCatch-22’sintensityandbrillianceindepictingthebrutalinsanityofwar.Hellersatirizesmilitarybureaucracywithbitter,stinghumor,allthewhiletellingthedarklycomicstoryofYossarian,abombardierwhorefusedtodie.AccordingtotheCatch-22,thesoldiersmustrisktheirlivestoobeytheordersinspiteofknowingthegoalwasmeaninglessordangerous.Attheendofthisnovel,thesoldierswerestillorderedtokeepfinishingtheirmissionsalthoughtheyhadknowntheirallieshavewonthewar.Thesoldiersdidtrytheireffortstoexpresstheiranger,butthebureaucratsjustneglecttheirvoices.Affectedbybureaucratism,individualismcannotexist.Justasothernovelssetinwarperiod,Catch-22showsthatthesoldierslosttheirself-esteem.Butthelossisnotonlyowingtothewarbutalsocausedbythebureaucratism.ThetypicalexampleisthatlieutenantScheisskophwassoimmersedinparadethatthesoldierswerepuppetsratherthanhuman.Heeventhoughtaboutbondingthesoldierstogethersothattheycanmarchinstepwitheachother.Inaddition,thecolonelCathcartwasalsothesame.Hekeptraisingthenumberofmissionsnotoutoftheneedsofwarbutbecausehewantedtoimprovehismilitaryprestigeamongthesoldiers.The“soldierinwhite”isadifferentexamplefortheextinguishingofindividualism.Thesoldierappearedtwiceinthenovel.EverytimeYossarianandhisfriendssawhimwasaboutplasterandgauze.Nooneknewwhowasinside.Everytimehewasinjectedthesamekindofclearfluid.Itisabsurdandobviouslyshowsthatheisnotarealperson.Bureaucratismalsoleadstothedisintegrationofmoralvalues.Milomadedealswiththeenemybombinghisownairfieldandconvincethehigherauthoritiesthatitisbeneficialforeveryone.Inthemodernmilitarybureaucratism,valuedidnotexist.Peoplefoundthattheywereinvolvedinacrazysociety.Everyonewastryingtofindsolutions.Yossariancannotfightwiththosebureaucratsfacetoface.Ifhedidthat,hewouldonlybeavictim.Asaresult,thebestwayforhimistoescape.

Oneoftheotherthemesdevelopedinthenovelisthequestionofwhatisrighttodoinabasicmoraldilemma,socialdilemma,prisoner’sdilemmawhereapersoncancooperatewithotherstotheircollectivegreaterpayofforcansellthemoutbynotcooperating,andreapevengreaterbenefitsasanindividual.Anotherthemeistheturningontheirheadsofnotionsofwhatpeoplegenerallythinkofasmorallyrightorwrong,particularlypatriotismandhonor,whichleadmostoftheairmentoacceptabusiveliesandpettyrulesofbureaucrats,thoughYossarianwhole-heartedlydisregardsallsuchnotions.WhenMajorMajoraskedwhyhewouldn'tflymoremissions,Yossarianansweredthathewasjustafraid.

4.3TheStructureofthisNovelThedevelopmentofthenovelcanbesplitintomultiplesegments.Thefirst(chapters1–11)broadlyfollowsthestoryfragmentedbetweencharacters,butinasinglechronologicaltimein1943.Thesecond(chapters12–20)flashesbacktofocusprimarilyonthe"GreatBigSiegeofBologna"beforeonceagainjumpingtothechronological"present"of1943inthethirdpart(chapter21–25).Thefourth(chapters26–28)flashesbacktotheoriginsandgrowthofMilo’ssyndicate,withthefifthpart(chapter28–32)returningagaintothenarrative"present"butkeepingtothesametoneofthepreviousfour.Inthesixthandfinalpart(chapter32