Catch 22. Review on Catch-22 - Joseph Heller

''Catch 22'' is universal and omnipresent. But to simplify - Catch 22 is what we call no way out situation. And to explain it, what better than a funny and fictional plot designed by Joseph Heller.

My reading of the book began with a bit of tumbling and grumbling. The initial read was difficult because the author skipped introductions to the characters involved in the plot. The characters are boldly presented as vulnerable, insane and unpredictable. To make sense of the story and understand the characters I had to ignore this innateness and continue reading. Once the plot grew on me, the context and essence of the story became clearer.

The novel is set against the backdrop of the second world war. Yossarian, the central character feels threatened for life as a pilot in the US airforce. He thinks people around him are conspiring to kill him and wants to dump of the duties of the airforce life hook or crook and return back to his former life as a civilian. He seems a misfit for war life but holds on due to his adamant and stubborn nature. His insanity saves him till the last when other intelligent men lose it out.

As for Yossarian, the safety of his life is more important than winning a war.

However, he is always being convinced against it by powerful men in his contingent with the use of Catch 22 - an all familiar but obscure phrase. The reasoning is always tailored to fit each improbable situation in his life -against his wishes- and leaves Yossarian in a confused state about its authenticity. Although he has fulfilled his prescribed limit for the mandatory number of flights to be undertaken, his senior -Colonel Cathcart- increases them time and again for his own personal glories. At any point of time when he seeks a plausible reason, the excuse involves the Catch 22.

In the end, he gets tired and weary about this excuse and revolts not to fly anymore missions. This causes a stir in the higher ranks who fear his posture will encourage others to follow suit. A contingency plan is formulated by the men to make sure that no damage is done to them as well as to Yossarian. But Yossarian's beliefs and morals prompts him otherwise and he risks to run away from the missions following the path of Orr-his tent mate and friend.

In this novel, the phrase is used and manipulated by different people in power to satisfy their crave and greed for power. All this ends up making the phrase as an excuse to force men like Yossarian to war although they have qualified for a home return.

Heller, uses the phrase and plot beautifully to highlight the politics of war and the plight of the low ranked men in them. He drives home the point with his unique kind of humor that a war can be representative of the civilian life of corruption and exploitation. That it too cannot remained untouched by basic human instincts of power and control.

The kind of humor used in the novel takes time to get used to but is adored by the end of the read. It also distracts and pacifies the reader during hopeless situations which otherwise is hard to accept by a sane mind. It also tells us that the real world is not ideal and in many ways insane. It teaches us to take a leaf out of the book to handle such situations by being indifferent and to see the humor in them.

Heller's confidence in his weird characters stem from the fact that one can find them in one's day to day life. So a sane view to the characterizations will most likely turn you off - except for the enterprise by Milo Minderbinder and nobility of the chamberlain.

A book that is a must-keep for everybody.