Satirical Themes In Catch-22

Chapters 28-35 embody the overlying satirical theme of Catch-22. These chapters accurately reflect the circular nature of the plot and how Catch-22 was designed to ensure all the soldiers remained on duty. The result of their so called captivity, concealed by the stereotypical beliefs of military bureaucrats such as Colonel Cathcart, is a life being lived without any meaningful purpose or moral objective. Yossarian is a prime example of this, serving as the lovable protagonist of the novel, and having the plot revolve mainly around him. He is characterized as a womanizer early on in the novel, and focuses on surviving the horrors of warfare. From that point on his encounters with many prostitutes, which he claims to fall deeply in love with, as well as Nurse Duckett, are described.

This specific portrayal of the military was displayed in the mission that was assigned in chapter 28, when Colonel Cathcart requests the bombing of a defenseless Italian village, in order to block a supply road. The objective behind the mission being a cover up for the colonel’s desire to obtain aerial photographs that will impress his superior. Instead of keeping in mind the best interest of the nation, Colonel Cathcart deliberately creates missions that will promote him in rank. He completely neglects the moral foundations upon which the military is established: leadership, integrity, courage, and commitment. The lives of the soldiers are devoid of true self-understanding and identification due to the circumstances they are under. Reflective of the circular nature of Catch-22, their lives are shaped in a similar fashion, centering on recurring events or themes dependent only upon the