Plot Overview

Briefly, but using the entire space, discuss the plot,

conflict, and rising action to summarize the plot.
Use your own words.

The novel introduces the main character, Captain

John Yossarian. He lies in a bed in a hospital
claiming that he has liver ailments when he is only
pretending. He is on the island Pionasa where he is
stationed in the hospital with some of his crew
members. They include Dunbar, a man who is in a
full body cast, and a Texan that Yossarian doesnt
like that much. After he leaves from the hospital he
goes back to his camp. In the camp we learn about
his crewmates. Nately is a young co-pilot who had
fallen in love with a prostitute from Rome. Doc
Daneeka explains to Yossarian that a Catch 22 is a
paradox where there is no outcome or escape from
a dilemma due to contradictory rules. Yossarian was
so terrified of going on a mission that he postponed
it by moving the bombing line off the map to
confuse the troops. In the story the timeline goes
back and forth because Yossarian thinks and has
flashbacks of previous wars and battles hes been
in. When he tries to go home, the general keeps
raising the number of battles he has to fight in so he
cant leave. He figures out a way to leave by saying
he is insane and crazy. When he tells someone he
is crazy he isnt believed because he is sane
enough to realize he is crazy. Yossarian needs to
come up with a way to leave, but how?

About the Author

Include important information about the author. You
may want to include what inspired them, other
works they have written, significant life events, what
time period he or she wrote in, and how the time
period influenced the writing.
Joseph Heller was born on May 1, 1923 in New
York. Hellers parents were Jewish immigrants from
Russia. As a young child, Heller enjoyed writing. In
1942, he joined the military as an officer and a
bombardier in the Air Force. World War II gave
Heller many experiences that he used for Catch 22.
Something Happened and Closing Time are some
of his major literary works. He wrote an
autobiography that was titled No Laughing Matter
and in 1999 after he wrote Portrait of an Artist,As an
Old Man he had a heart attack and passed away.

Novel Notes
Catch 22
Joseph Heller
Noah Rodriguez
3/29/16

Essential Quotes
Add two quotes that capture the essence of the
novel. Be sure to cite the quotations properly.

Insanity is contagious(Heller
14).
Historical Context
Include information on the time period, social,
economical, cultural, and other significant
influences that characterize this novel.
Heller wrote the book in 1953 so the story takes
place in this World War II era where they started to
use bombings. Catch 22 was published in 1964.

Youre inches away from

death every time you go on a
mission (39).
Add Work Cited Here:
Heller, Joseph. Catch-22. New York, NY: Simon &
Schuster/Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1996. Print.

Character Analysis

Themes

Identify each major character in the novel.

Describe the most import traits that characterize
this person. (Speech, Thoughts, Effects on other,
Action, Looks)

Identify and analyze some of the significant themes

in the novel.

Yossarian- Captain John Yossarian is the main

protagonist in the novel. He is a bombardier who
hates his job. He constantly has flashbacks of
battles he has been in. One moment that haunts
him is one of his crew dying in his arms. He focuses
on himself and wants to escape the military by
claiming he is crazy but they dont believe him
because if he was insane he wouldnt know. He
avoids going on missions by claiming he is very sick
and must be bedridden.

The Absolute Power of BureaucracyThroughout the novel, troops are sent to do

missions that out their own lives at risk even
the mission is pointless. The troops decisions
are governed by a bureaucracy. Bureaucrats
defy logic at every turn.

Nately- Yossarians young pilot, Nately, is only

nineteen years old. While he is in Rome he falls in
love with a prostitute. She just wants him for his
money but he is blinded by love. He takes on extra
missions to exceed the amount of missions till he
can leave so he can be with her. After the prostitute
falls in love with Nately, he is killed in one of his
missions.

Milo Minderbinder- Milo seems innocent at first

because he shares his profits. He runs a black
market service that has a wide arrange of items. He
turns out to be a villain when he agrees with the
Germans to bomb his own squadron for more profit.

Loss of Faith- As Yossarian fights in battles

after battles, he starts to question God and his
faith. He has seen people die and people go
insane because of war. Why is there all this
violence when there is a good Lord up above?
Death- Yossarian has witnessed someone die
in his arms and it haunts him. He starts to
appreciate life more. He starts to realize how
precious life is and his number one goal is to
stay alive or die trying.

Motifs and Symbols

Identify and interpret some of the major motifs and
symbols in the novel.

Catch 22- A catch 22 is a paradox. It is defined

as a paradox where nobody can escape due to
strict and contradictory rules.
Soldier in White- A lifeless soldier covered in a
full body cast that only has an open hole for a
mouth. This describes how war is like and how
much the military cares for its soldiers.