Catch 22 The Themes

Author Joseph Heller's satirical Catch 22 was published in 1961. Cited as one of the greatest novels of all time it has sold millions upon millions of copies. It is topical again of late because of Hulu (US)/Channel 4's six part adaptation having already streamed in the UK and currently showing in the UK.

Jon Rudnitsky and Christopher Abbott - Catch 22

A WWII story during the Italian Campaign, so set in Italy where the squadron are supplying aerial support for US troops fighting on the ground. Bombardier, John Yossarian (Christopher Abbott), his comrades and commanders, are all trapped in the tangled web of war. Yossarian is the embodiment of someone who is cracking under the pressure from being part of a system that is largely corrupt and non-supportive. He, as most serving men were, is a non-combatant person by nature and so war is turning him neurotic and depressive. Yossarian finds the phrase Catch-22 keeps cropping up and it catches his attention. 

THEMES

Comedic – includes dark comedy, absurd comedy, deadpan humour

Dramatic– air raids – bombing missions, aircraft rumblings. Death, blood (and guts), medical emergencies and mental breakdown. Frustration. Criminal investigation.

Spiritual – God, Religion and Atheism, Funeral and Burial.  Friendship bonds and comradeship are explored. Remembrance is a significant theme, as is human suffering and strife. The story is largely about the feeling of being duty bound and setting this against doing what one believes to be right.

Violence – fighting/bombing scenes from the bomber aircraft and below. Men are battle scarred and battle weary. Conflict happens between personalities. Guns and knives feature. Note: Despite the war theme characters are often in non-combative circumstances. 

Rape 

Prostitution

Sexual – yes, there is sexual content

Nudity – yes, male and female.

Note: Catch-22 is an idiom of the English Language and originated from the book