Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Description

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller is a unique and funny book about the chaos and absurdity of war. The story follows Captain John Yossarian, a bomber pilot during World War II, who just wants to survive. The problem? He’s caught in a strange rule, “Catch-22,” which says that if a pilot is crazy, he can be grounded and not fly. But if he tries to avoid flying, that proves he’s sane, so he’s forced to keep flying. This impossible rule traps Yossarian and becomes the book’s core joke about how ridiculous military life can be.

What the Story’s About

Yossarian is surrounded by soldiers who each have their own crazy ways of dealing with the war. His friends, like the profit-driven Milo Minderbinder and the odd Major Major Major, all bring humor to the story, but they also show how unfair and random the military rules are. As Yossarian sees people around him dying, he grows more desperate to escape. But the officers keep raising the number of missions he has to fly, making him feel even more trapped.

Big Ideas in Catch-22

The book tackles a few important ideas in a way that’s both funny and sad:

1. Bureaucracy and Ridiculous Rules: The military is full of confusing, senseless rules, like “Catch-22.” These rules often end up hurting the soldiers instead of helping them.
2. The Cost of War: Heller shows the true cost of war on individuals. The soldiers in Catch-22 are not really heroes—they’re just trying to survive a situation that feels meaningless.
3. Trying to Stay Alive: Yossarian constantly tries to save himself, which the military sees as selfish. But the story makes us think about whether survival is really selfish or just natural.

Why People Still Love Catch-22

Catch-22 became famous because it makes people laugh while showing how unfair life can be, especially in war. The term “Catch-22” has even entered regular language to describe any situation where you’re trapped by crazy rules.

This book has stuck around because it captures the frustration of dealing with systems that don’t make sense, something people still feel today. Heller’s story encourages readers to think about the cost of blindly following orders and shows how humor can help deal with even the hardest situations.