Heller, Joseph, Catch 22. New York: Simon & Schuster paperbacks, 1961
Summary of Catch 22: Catch 22 is a fictional war story set during World War II and is written In first person point of view. The narrative follows Yossarian through his attempts to resist fighting in the war. The problem is that the military group he belongs to follows “Catch 22,” a very strict, but outlandish set of rules about how to engage in war. When faced with an impossible set of options, Yossarian chooses neither and disappears altogether.
Value Graph and McKee: In “Structure and Meaning,” Robert McKee claims that any story must have a premise, a question that the story seeks to answer. For Catch 22, the premise might be “What if a soldier ordered to fight battles in a war refused to fight despite enormous pressure to do so?” There are many possible stories that could emerge to solve this premise. Catch 22 does so using dark humor as a response to the at times insane conditions posed by war and by those fighting to win war at any and all costs.
McKee argues that in order to get a story’s controlling idea, we need to look at the story’s last act and the climax there. What is the last act’s climax for Catch 22? The very end of the book when Yossarian finally jumps and takes off for Sweden. Up until that moment it is uncertain what response he will finally give to all the pressures from various people. What wins is escaping from his duty as a soldier, and what causes this to result is complete and utter refusal to do anything anyone tells him or even asks him to do. Refusal at first leads to punishment, but ultimately leads to escape and to sanity. The counter idea is that participation in acts of ignorance and evil at first leads to accomplishment but ultimately leads to evil acts, death, and insanity.
Mckee notes that to create your story’s argument you must take great care to build both sides. Compose the scenes and the sequences that build on the power of both sides. Catch 22 ends with the controlling idea wining when Yossarian finally jumps off the plane and heads to sweden. The reason the reader is able to accept this controlling idea winning is because of all the struggles Yossarian has gone through from start to finish. McKee says experience helps the reader and in this case, the truth. Knowing what came before helps the reader feel glorified in the end.
Dialectic and Aesthetic emotion: Mckee suggests that like music and dance, painting and sculpture, poetry and song, story is first, last, and always the experience of aesthetic emotion--the simultaneous encounter of thought and feeling. This feeling is hard to identify in Catch 22 because of dark humor speaking about war in a light way. The only scene I can remember when this emotion hit me is when Yossarian friend dies and he is unable to save him. This feeling is very emotional to what Mckee says is an emotional charge. It becomes more powerful; and more profound. I may forget the day i read the passage, but the emotion of scene could affect me forever. With Mckee says is that aesthetic emotion will affect you over time that will always be meaningful even if you aren't are of it, yet.
Burke and Repetitive Form: In “Lexicon Rhetoriace” Kenneth Burke says, Form is an "arousing and fulfillment of desires. A work has form in so far as one part of it leads a reader to anticipate another part, to be gratified by the sequence" In Catch 22 when Yossarian’s desire or rejection of committing himself to war he allows the reader to foresee things that weren’t present before. Such as fighting the war for your country isn’t the most important. Fighting to give one’s self carity is.
Burke says the form can be diving into one of five aspects that are syllogistic progressive form,qualitative progressive form,repetitive form, conventional form, and minor or incidental forms. The Form of Catch 22 is the repetitive form, which is is the consistent maintaining of a principle under new guises." It is restating a phrase or something else differently. In Catch 22, words or phrases are repeated in different and fascinating ways. For instance, when the word Sir is spoken in ethesis it is used to show respect.
“I didn't say you couldn't find me guilty, sir,”
“When?”
“When what sir?”
“Goddammit, are you going to start pumping me again?”
“No, Sir I’m Sorry, sir.”
“Then answer the question. When didn't you say we couldn't find you guilty?”
“When?”
“When what sir?”
“Goddammit, are you going to start pumping me again?”
“No, Sir I’m Sorry, sir.”
“Then answer the question. When didn't you say we couldn't find you guilty?”
When, Clevinger doesn’t properly address his superior officer, Lieutenant Scheisskopf finds him disrespectful. Lieutenant Scheisskopf uses the situation to his advantage to pursue Clevinger to reveal his intel. In this scenario Lieutenant Scheisskopf is using the meaning of Sir to either confuse or direct one topic from one to another. Within Catch 22, Repetition form is used the double phrases like Major, Major . Repeating Major twice reveals both his position and his name. In both cases the word used can range from one moment to the next giving it a better purpose
Semiotic code: In catch 22 the semiotic code which defines the characters, objects, and places through repetitively grouping a number of words and phrases around a proper name. The semic code sets up relationships of power that often used to reinforce cultural codes. Semiotic code in catch 22 is structured in a way, that shows more then one obvious moment where the code can be interpreted. The semiotic codes is repeated emphasis of words or thoughts around such an idea or thought. Yossarian’s name is repeated though Colonel Cathcart frustration other him and the mere presence of him.
Yossarian! The Mere sound of the execrable, ugly name made his blood run cold and his breath come in labored gasps. The chaplain’s first mention of the name Yossarian had tolled deep in his memory like a portentous gong. As soon as the latch of the door had clicked shut, the whole humiliating recollection of the naked man in formation came cascading down upon him in a mortifying, chocking flood of singing details.
How the semantic code is used properly within Catch 22 is how Yossarian name is repeated with extra epthesis. What I believe the text is trying to allow the reading audience to understand is by placing Yossarian’s name in italics and placing an explanation mark after it, not only states its importance, but it one of action. What is really important is every sound, image and description colonel Catheart does is related to him. By studying these words I have come to the conclusion that the book itself is a semantic code. Connecting with the method that everything is repeated in Catch 22. Also every situation is contracted. The narrator quite, often speaks to the reading audience about real life issues
Narrator addressing addressee: Narration theory is to attend to the rhetorical dimension of narrative, which is complex and sophisticated. Within the rhetorical there are many levels of audience and voice; sophisticated in that the many levels are all working at once to contribute to the experience of reading a narrative. The question is WHAT? This narration theory or rhetorical dimension is speaking about narrator, who at a certain time and place, addresses another. When someone addresses another either they be a person or thing , there must be a purpose to the address, which purpose is to impact the "addressee," In Catch 22 the author clearly wants to address those who commit crimes or may have already done so. He also wants the audience to believe that Colonel Cathcart wants to Kill Yossarian and questioning it as it may happen. According to James Seitz, All readings are themselves narratives, consisting of characters (that is, virtual readers) who work to persuade the reader that the text should be read in the light of a particular set of values" This is particularly true when the author is trying question our morals is it good to follow a natural wrong path or fight against? . The narrator through unconventional methods tell his audience that attempting a murder or committing one will get you caught. The author seemingly wanted his audience underneath the surface of this silly novel see real issues that people experience every day.
“All right,” he said. “Let’s Kill Colonel Cathcart.
We’ll do it together.” Dobbs sprang forward off his cot with a look of wildest terror.
“Shush! He roared “Kill Colonel Cathcart? What are you talking about?”
“Be quiet, damn it,” Yossarian snarled. “The whole island will hear. Have still got the gun?”
“Are you crazy or something?” shouted Dobbs.
“Why should I want to kill Colonel Cathcart?” p.306
We’ll do it together.” Dobbs sprang forward off his cot with a look of wildest terror.
“Shush! He roared “Kill Colonel Cathcart? What are you talking about?”
“Be quiet, damn it,” Yossarian snarled. “The whole island will hear. Have still got the gun?”
“Are you crazy or something?” shouted Dobbs.
“Why should I want to kill Colonel Cathcart?” p.306
Reading through this text ables that person to become either a capable reader or restant reader. Are they agreeing with the text? They may want or relate to situation or refuse entirely.
Reflection: Reading through Catch 22 was a fun and entertaining read. It was much easier to follow than the, soap drama Great Gatsby. What I also noticed when reading Catch 22 has made my reading expectations to change. Usually, I read for reading or pleasure, but Catch 22 has changed my viewpoint. This rhetorical dimension has made me aware of where I stand as a restant reader, who when things become complicated I move on. I must become what James Savitz says is the virtual reader , but i’m not there quite yet. I am however starting to understand how the use of words can have different meaning either they be symbolic or thematic. Also, I liked in Catch 22 how the author uses contractions to showcase himself full of humor and complexity. Overall, I say this is a fascinating read and probably one of the best war stories out there that makes the reader really think. What I really enjoyed most of all about Catch 22 was the flow of the story. I was easily able to follow the narrative from start to finish.