"What does the fish remind you of?" (Catch 22 - Joseph Heller)

Member Name: Smile

Product:	Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
Date:	27/02/01 (288 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: "Other fish."

Disadvantages: None

... "This fish you dream about. Let's talk about that. It's always the same fish, isn't it?"
"I don't know," Yossarian replied. "I have trouble recognizing fish."
"What does the fish remind you of?"
"Other fish."

Read Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22” and have someone ask you what it reminds you of; your answer is likely to be: “nothing at all”. Because this is unique and can only remind you of how to laugh, if indeed you have forgotten! It might make you cry too! This one is really crazy! Nuts!

Heller’s masterpiece is truly a magnificent literary achievement, and is so well put together it is like the careful assembly of an ICBM (Inter-continental Ballistic Missile), which, of course did not exist in World War II. Nevertheless, “Catch-22” has been so well crafted, readers could imagine Heller carefully designing the novel in diagrammatic form prior to placing pen to paper (or fingers to typewriter as the case may be!).

There are large number of characters whose lives are closely intertwined and a veritable myriad of highly amusing situations in which they find themselves. And each chapter is funnier than the previous one; until the last few, which are utilised to make a poignant observation regarding the cruelties of war.

Based on Pianosa, a fictional island just off the southern cost of Italy, the story follows the wartime career of Yossarian (whose name, I understand, has an Armenian origin), and his legitimate desire to leave the war behind. A quintessential wartime story theme, one which has been used frequently and depressingly to show how soldiers do not have an inbred urge to kill and destroy, but in fact how they feel the need to escape the horrors of battle.

However, Yossarian, who spends the majority of his time attempting to be forcefully ejected from the air force or at least tryi
ng to be grounded, is hardly a depressing character at all. He is not alone, because excluding one or two of the other members of his squadron, they all crave the same thing – everyone wants to go home. And all of them are crazy in one way or another.

Crazy leads nicely on to the catch! Although I attempted to resist, the temptation to briefly explain the catch, which is “Catch-22”, is too great! Pilots, navigators and bombardiers can only be sent home if they are medically certified as being crazy, which means it should not be too difficult for anyone to get sent back. However, to prove they are crazy, they have to ask the doctor to send them back because they are crazy; in doing so, they prove they are actually not crazy, because to have concerns after ones own safety is the action of a sane man. Sane men have to fly more missions! So, they are caught ... in “Catch-22”!

Nuts!

Whilst this explains the catch, which is “Catch-22” (indicating a no-win situation), this is not the only manner in which it bestows itself upon the characters or in the minds of the readers. Each member of the squadron is faced with a number of hilarious “Catch-22” situations, and Yossarian more than most!

The trials and tribulations he endures, make Yossarian a cynic, a realist, a pessimist, an occasional optimist, and a sceptic all rolled into one. And he has a twisted sense of logic which is all too real in Heller’s fictional world as well as in the reader’s reality! For example, he has the opinion that everyone is trying to kill him; and indeed they are – after all, he is involved in World War II and the opposition has only one objective: seek and destroy!

So with irrationally rational viewpoints and snappy conversations to back them up, Heller’s squadron really is a funny bunch. If I had to go to war, I’d spend half my time wishing I had colleagues
like those in “Catch-22” and the other half of my time praying I came nowhere near them! Sometimes the reader will think that with friends or colleagues like these, there needn’t be an enemy!

Some readers find it difficult to navigate through the first few chapters of “Catch-22” as a result of the many characters who are presented at the outset; but soon into the novel, they take on a life of their own and become individuals. And as their lives are so closely intertwined the story becomes quite easy to follow, especially since there is a chapter devoted to each person.

As a result of their strange insanely sane manner of looking at life, readers will find it easy to sympathise with characters and fully understand why they act in certain manners in certain situations. Even those who do not venture into deep character analysis will end-up believing in these amazing people because they are in a weird and wonderful sense, believable (please note, they are actually fictional!).

“Catch-22” is written with a nimble literary agility, the words glide and it is very easily readable. Even the snappy conversations, which have the reader watching a verbal doubles tennis match (quickly back and forth between characters), speed by with an obscene clarity given that the participants are all nuts!

Heller’s style is unparalleled and can really only be compared to his other work. “God Knows” is a fitting example, and “Closing Time” (the follow-up to “Catch-22”) is also quite good, but pales in comparison to the original. The sad thing is his subsequent novels never received the same welcome as his first, and critics were not as full of praise. Of course, Heller’s crowning achievement was actually coining the phrase “Catch-22” – which is widely used in the English and has its equivalents in other languages through the world.

As
his style is unique and the story too, readers will find “Catch-22” pleasing in its originality even if they are unable to enjoy the plot or storyline. The other endearing quality of the novel is the level of frustration many readers feel with respect to the majority of the characters. At so many points I felt like grabbing hold of one the squadron members and shaking him shouting (with an amusing but wry smile), “Look, it’s so obvious! What’s wrong with you!” – and this only proves how well Heller writes.

The sensation of reality, despite the absurdity of the plot and characters, places “Catch-22” into a genre of its own. It is not really a novel about war, but about people who are (coincidentally) in a war, and because readers like myself achieve a sense of being involved it becomes less of a novel and more of an experience with each turning page. If you haven’t read “Catch-22”, I must reiterate: these characters are fictional!

The portrayal of many episodes are repeated as they told from the perspectives of different characters. However, despite the obvious comment that this is far too repetitive to hold the interest of potential readers, it is not the case. Because everyone is crazy, each interpretation of each event is hilariously enjoyable.

In a sense “Catch-22” is nonsensical (ain’t that a paradoxical statement!): it is filled with a countless little contradictions which all happen to be true, or as close to truth as you’re likely to find even from deeply philosophical works. So readers can learn something here and whilst it is not likely to change lives or alter destinies, I can guarantee you’re outlook on existence will never be the same again!

Regardless of what Yossarian does, his attempts to be relieved from the war effort are thwarted, and eventually whilst almost on the point of resigning himself to the fact
he will have to fly more missions, he has a revelation. This comes towards the close of the novel and provides a fitting ending to the story, unfortunately many believe this to be a rather unworthy climax because it does not have the same excitement of previous chapters. I beg to differ – after all, “Catch-22” whilst entertainingly comical also makes a valid point pertaining to the tragedy of war. And in his final act, Yossarian proves he actually is sane!

The build up to the novel’s climax is slow, but interestingly and engagingly so; each character and every situation leads carefully up to a finale which can not be anticipated by the reader. All the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle fit together in the last few pages, which makes the effort of reading “Catch-22” all the more worthwhile (even though it is not much of an effort anyway!).

It will hold the reader because each page has a wonderfully ridiculous situation or conversation, and each chapter is a short story built up of this craziness! And throughout, there are a number of powerful observations and extraordinarily touching moments. All this adds up to a side-splittingly riotous story tinged with tear-jerking wisdom.

These nuggets of wisdom are reflected in certain incidents, which occur sporadically throughout “Catch-22”. They are poignant and often graphically described in a manner which makes them more appropriate in relating the horrors of war than any novel which claims to be of the wartime genre. As if subscribing to the philosophy that one can only believe in God if he/she believes in the Devil (or acceptance of light requires acceptance in darkness), Heller illustrates that unless one sees the playful and funny side of life he/she will not be able to appreciate its terrors (and we should be able to see both if we are to be balanced individuals).

Perhaps, it wasn’t Heller’s intention to make such agonizin
gly truthful observations, but somehow he managed to do so; maybe he only wanted to produce a farcical analysis of a fictional bunch of lunatics! And perhaps this review has dissected his work too much, but as there is so much in “Catch-22” there is so much to write about it.

It comes highly recommended to everyone regardless of his or her literary tendencies. If it is not on your reading list, it should be! And do not borrow it ... buy it, because you will most definitely want to read it again. You will laugh!

Crazy!

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