A Comparison of Joseph Heller's Catch-22 and Arthur Miller's The Crucible

1882 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Arthur miller the crucible criticism

All members of society are subject to sociological rules and regulations that are often hypocritical. These hypocrisies, both concrete and unspoken, are the subject of criticism by authors the world over, utilizing various methods and styles to ridicule society's many fables.

Joseph Heller's Catch-22 and Arthur Miller's The Crucible present two stylistically dissimilar literary works that criticize hypocritical functions and conventions within society through equally contrasting methods. Hypocrisy in Heller's novel revolves around an erroneous rule called Catch-22, a twisted logic that infinitely contradicts itself and prevents deviation from its decree. In The Crucible, Miller uses puritans as paragons for hypocrisy, as they live by a set of ethics that many do not follow.

In Catch-22, opposite Miller's The Crucible, Joseph Heller utilizes his uncanny wit to present a novel fraught with dark, satiric comedy tied up in a relatively formless plot. The character of Nately acts as a focal point for many of the humorous oxymoronic criticisms contained within Catch-22, as "Nately had a bad start. He came from a good family" (Heller 34), and he ".was the finest, least dedicated man in the whole world" (35). Proliferating Catch-22, satirical dark comedy appears in every chapter, even in the depiction of death (Cockburn 179): ".McWatt turned again, dipped his wings in salute, decided, oh, what the hell, and flew into a mountain"(Heller 157). Furthermore, the plot of Catch-22 follows a cyclical structure in that repetitions of particular events recur in a planned randomness, an oxymoron that pays tribute to Catch-22 itself (Merrill 205-209). A recurring structure within Heller's novel defining his ...

... middle of paper ...

...ible are two stylistically dissimilar literary works that criticize hypocritical functions and conventions within society through equally contrasting methods of presentation.

I. Method of presentation in Catch-22

A. Dark comedy/satire

B. Roundabout plot

II. Method of presentation in The Crucible

A. Historical drama/satire

B. Demonstrative Plot

III. Bureaucratic and sociological denigration in Catch-22

A. Bureaucracy and unjust legal proceedings

B. Milo Minderbinder and Capitalism

IV. Bureaucratic and sociological denigration in The Crucible

A. Unjust legal proceedings

B. Witch trials and McCarthyism

V. Writing Style in Catch-22

A. Ambiguous language

B. Modern diction

VI. Writing style in The Crucible

A. Anachronous language

B. Archaic diction

Show More
Related

  • Catch 22 Journal Entry Essay

    832 Words  | 2 Pages

    Catch-22 follows the protagonist, Yossarian’s experience during WWII. However, the book is nowhere near chronological and jumps from different time periods of Yossarian’s service in the military. The novel depicts many events of where Yossarian

    Read More

  • Catch-22: “The Last Good War” in All Its Absurdity

    1012 Words  | 3 Pages

    Catch-22’s nonlinearity not only forms this piece of literature into a higher-level novel with its intricate plots and timelines, but Heller’s style also accompanies the satirical comedy of the book, leading it to be a classic example of a satirical novel, and the term “catch-22” is still used today. Without the unique chronology, Heller’s most famous novel, often regarded as one of the greatest literary works of the twentieth century, would just be another war novel. The web of events, characters, and settings envelops the reader throughout the novel, providing a unique experience unlike many other books. Albeit somewhat confusing, Catch-22 is a masterpiece of comedy, a complex satire of war, and a criticism of bureaucracy that makes exquisite use of its bewildering nature. Do not steal.

    Read More

  • Betrayal And Deception In Joseph Yossarian's Catch-22

    875 Words  | 2 Pages

    The concept of betrayal and deception is as old as humanity itself, and has been appearing in literature since humans first began to write. From the Bible itself to modern fiction, deception has been a major theme in literature, appearing in countless classic and important poems and novels. In the novel Catch-22 by Joseph Heller deception is everywhere, on both minor and grand scales carried out by countless characters, however the most important deception comes from the protagonist of the story, Yossarian.

    Read More

  • Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle and the Pure Food and Drug Act

    1672 Words  | 4 Pages

    prevent further problems. Thus the Food and Drug Act of 1906 was passed to fix the

    Read More

  • A Test of Character in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    1488 Words  | 3 Pages

    A crucible refers to a harsh test, and in The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, each person is challenged in a severe test of his or her character or morals. Many more people fail than pass, but three notable characters stand out. Reverend John Hale, Elizabeth Proctor, and John Proctor all significantly change over the course of the play.

    Read More

  • The Parallels Between Arthur Miller's Life and His Play, The Crucible

    1501 Words  | 4 Pages

    Few people are willing to stand up to the overwhelming power of authority, especially during a time like the Red scare. Hardly any authors are able to recognize meaningful similarities between the present times and an event that happened many years ago—and write about it effectively. Only one has had the courage and intelligence to do both. Arthur Miller was an American author who wrote plays, essays, and stories and has published works dating from to 1936 through 2004. The Crucible, one of his most famous plays, premiered in New York on January 22, 1953 (InfoTrac). It is a historical-fiction story set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The witch hunt described in this play is similar to the Red Scare, an anti-communist movement led by Senator Joseph McCarthy that lasted from the late 1940s to the late 1950s (Broudin). During both time periods, most people respected high authority while a few dissenters challenged conformist views. The public was censored in what they could say because of the fear of being accused of witchcraft or communism. The hysteria of the times triggered a mob-mentality to emerge among the citizens, which influenced nearly everyone to join the terrible movements. Miller presents all of these ideas in The Crucible using his own experiences as influences. He incorporated many of his own traits into the characters’ dispositions. He also described many situations in the play that were similar to the ones he was in, including how he was censored by the Red Scare. Many people will often conform while only a few will challenge authority, will use censorship to prevent others from expressing their views, and are easily affected by hysteria; these characteristics influenced Miller’s life and are reflected by him in Th...

    Read More

  • The Many Challenges in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible

    1080 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the drama, The Crucible, the characters are faced with chilling choices as they maneuver through a world that has lost its moral compass. The crucibles, the serious tests, of their dearly held values put them in the position of having to figure out what is right and true in a world turned upside down. The value of truth is tested when lies are rewarded and truth brings suffering, shame and the scaffold of the gallows. The value of justice is challenged by a system that comes to be based on coerced confessions, unsubstantiated charges and self-serving political scheming. The value of love, be it of husband and wife or of friends and community, is put to the test where true love is exemplified by fatal choices.

    Read More

  • Human Motives Exposed in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    1463 Words  | 3 Pages

    Life as a human is dictated by an inborn hunger or purpose, and people, in general, will act on this hunger for their own personal gain in their individual ways. This hunger, be it for wealth, land, love, power, revenge, or pride, can, and will be the undoing or failing of all mankind as Miller so clearly points out in his play 'The Crucible';. This essay will explore the motives of characters within the play and even the motives of Arthur Miller himself and therefore show how conflict stems from certain recognisable human failings including those mentioned above, fear, and hysteria.

    Read More

  • Balancing Act: The Crucible, Its Characters, and the Lessons It Teaches

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to the Oxford Dictionary, a crucible can be defined several ways. One of these definitions is “a place or occasion of severe test or trial.” All characters in this play have some kind of test they must face. The morals of each character are also tested in this play- their goodness, their evil, and even their ignorance of the truth behind unfolding events. The roles of victim and prosecutor in this play are twisted to depict a theme of perspective and the finding of truth. Abigail Williams is the character who does the most to twist these roles, and it is at her hands that the people of the town die.

    Read More

  • Arthur Miller's The Crucible

    546 Words  | 2 Pages

    Persecution has been a round for sometime and can be traced historically from the time of Jesus to the present time. Early Christians were persecuted for their faith in the hands of the Jews. Many Christians have been persecuted in history for their allegiance to Christ and forced to denounce Christ and others have been persecuted for failing to follow the laws of the land. The act of persecution is on the basis of religion, gender, race, differing beliefs and sex orientation. Persecution is a cruel and inhumane act that should not be supported since people are tortured to death. In the crucible, people were persecuted because of alleged witchcraft.

    Read More

  • Social and Political Causes of the Civil War

    838 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Civil War was, by far, one of the bloodiest events in American history. Such an event devastated the nation, yet it did not happen on its own accord. A country divided politically, socially, economically, and geographically, each unfolding event drove America toward the brink of the Civil War. Prior to the war – the 1800s – many issues over politics, status of slaves, and the economy plagued the country. The North and South were divided upon these issues and continued to drift further apart with every compromise, movement, and legal decision, increasing violence and hostility on both sides. Although there existed many causes of the Civil War, in the end, the two most important causes of the Civil War were political and social.

    Read More

  • FDA: A Necessary Evil

    1151 Words  | 3 Pages

    was designed to avoid mislabeled food and drug products and was the start of making sure every

    Read More

  • Medicinal Marijuana in Texas

    1717 Words  | 4 Pages

    "Regulatory Information." Federal Food and Drugs Act of 1906. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 20 May 2009. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. .

    Read More

  • The Impact of the American Civil War

    858 Words  | 2 Pages

    The American civil war was an important event in the history of United States. It changed the internal structure of American society and had a greater impact than the revolution. The basis of the civil war was due to slavery. It overthrew the once dominated planter elite politically and its slaveholding class. During early decades of the nineteen-century the planters of American south were not about to follow the path of gradual emancipation that the northern states had raged. The economies of the south and north, continues to go in opposing directs.

    Read More

  • American History

    434 Words  | 1 Pages

    United States (History), story of how the republic developed from colonial beginnings in the 16th century, when the first European explorers arrived, until modern times. As the nation developed, it expanded westward from small settlements along the Atlantic Coast, eventually including all the territory between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the middle of the North American continent, as well as two noncontiguous states and a number of territories. At the same time, the population and the economy of the United States grew and changed dramatically. The population diversified as immigrants arrived from all countries of the world. From its beginnings as a remote English colony, the United States has developed the largest economy in the world. Throughout its history, the United States has faced struggles, both within the country—between various ethnic, religious, political, and economic groups—and with other nations. The efforts to deal with and resolve these struggles have shaped the United States of America into the 21st century.

    Read More

More about A Comparison of Joseph Heller's Catch-22 and Arthur Miller's The Crucible

Open Document