Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Rachel | Academy of Allied Health and Science, Grade 9

Rating: *****

Set at the height of World War II, Catch-22 follows Yossarian, an enigmatic bombardier on the island of Pianosa just off the Italian coastline. Blinded by patriotism and possibly lunacy, his fellow bombardiers were prepared to sacrifice their own lives for the cause of the war. Yossarian was willing to make no such sacrifice. The prospect of returning home became decreasingly tangible as the minimum number of missions to fly before being allowed home was raised by the generals whenever a bombardier approached the minimum. Upon noting this, Yossarian first encountered Catch-22, stating that a bombardier would be considered insane if he willingly placed himself in danger and sane if he objected. However, those who were sane would be forced to fly more missions. The novel follows Yossarian through his humorous yet disturbingly realistic attempts to avoid the inevitable fate of Catch-22.

The satirical representation of harsh reality was beautifully written by Heller. What I found to be the best part of the book is how relatable it was. Whereas a mere civilian like myself could never possibly grasp how our nation’s men and women of service surrender their lives, the utter “sanity” of the protagonist was a perspective more fitting of my own. With each amusing encounter, I grew appreciative of Heller’s sheer genius in noting a psychological paradox of humanity. Contradictory rules and limitations confine us, and to be champions of justice we must start with realizing this.