Examples Of Contradictions In Catch 22

The Use and Effect of Contradictions in Catch-22

Joseph Heller uses a unique style of writing to introduce and examine numerous themes throughout his stories. These themes often alter the mindset of the characters and vastly affect the plot. His story Catch-22 contains many themes and main ideas that follow this pattern. One of these themes is contradictions. Early on in the story, the reader is introduced to the concept of a Catch-22. This idea often controls the numerous characters’ actions and especially keeps Yossarian, the main character, in fighting for his country even though he did not have the desire to. In Catch-22, Joseph Heller expands the theme of contradictions to keep his characters in a cycle of fear or inability to experience

This device is used to keep many characters in the war, notably, the main character Yossarian. Oftentimes, these contradictions are created as a way to enforce rules and allow some to exercise more control than they are given, for example Colonel Cathcart. Even though the air-force doesn't require any more missions the colonel does, and they are required to follow his orders:

“But they don't say you have to go home. And regulations do say you have to obey every order. That's the catch. Even if the colonel were disobeying a Twenty-seventh Air Force order by making you fly more missions, you'd still have to fly them, or you'd be guilty of disobeying an order of his. And then Twenty-seventh Air Force Headquarters would really jump on you.’

Yossarian slumped with disappointment. ‘Then I really do have to fly the fifty missions, don't I?’ he

He meets an old lady who tells Yossarian what happened. She mentions a Catch-22 which surprises Yossarian as he had no clue where the woman would have learned the term: “Catch-22. Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can’t stop them from doing” (Heller 416). Yossarian comes to realize that this lady had probably learned the term from someone in his squadron, but he did not know what they were referring to when they told her it. He then realizes that it is an all-encompassing term. Catch-22 is the ultimate paradox of the story. It is the term that keeps everyone in their place and is the whole reason for the war. It keeps all the soldiers going and prevents them from acting up. It makes the war happen. The whole war is a