Heroism In Joseph Heller's Catch-22

At the end of Joseph Heller's novel "Catch-22", Yossarian reaches a new self-awareness that allows him to wholeheartedly refuse the colonels' proposition, instead striving to escape to Sweden in order to keep his integrity. While much of Yossarian's character remains controversial, his actions on behalf of his friends and his self, herald him in whole, as a hero. Throughout the novel, Yossarian struggles to stay true to his humanity and morals as he is continuously thrust into danger by the corrupt military. Heller often blurs the lines between courage and cowardice in his novel, especially with Yossarian's actions. Courage is not simply interchangeable with heroism merely because it is one of its common qualities. If a criminal is characterized by great bravery, does this automatically signify them as a hero? Such as how heroism cannot always define actions, heroism cannot always be defined by courage. Yossarian shows a number of craven actions throughout the novel, and his escape can be labeled as his ultimate act of cowardice. In this case, how does one define a hero? The ability of Yossarian to finally break free from the amoral grip of the military and find solace in his freedom is rather in fact, his very heroism. With great irony, the colonels ask each other if Yossarian "knows there's a war going on", Cathcart asks if he "has any patriotism", and Korn asks if

Yossarian will "give his life for Cathcart and him" (Heller 422-423). The entire novel, these very colonels turn a blind eye to many dark segments of the war, instead focusing on their image and recognition. Yossarian refused to acknowledge an egocentric deal with the cold-blooded military and through this, he has signified himself as a symbol of hope and integrity for the continuously oppressed soldiers. Yossarian was one of the few characters able to see past the military's dishonorable definition of "patriotism"-he was able to escape an unethical cause that he did not, in all sincerity, have faith in. During a bombing of an innocent Italian village under the guise of causing a roadblock for the Germans, Colonel Korn plainly reveals this and states, "we don't care about the roadblock"; "Colonel Cathcart wants to come out of this mission with a good clean aerial photograph he won't be ashamed to send through channels" (328). This scene is a raw and shocking attempt to bring to the audience's attention, the inhumane actions of the armed forces by Heller and the reality of warfare. In a novel ravaged by an authoritarian military and a consuming war, is Yossarian's ability to defy the unethical regime and gain his freedom even in light of the dark consequences, not the ultimate act of heroism? Catch-22 unravels throughout a chaotic timeline that rapidly switches between past and present to explore the characters and their varying backgrounds. Yossarian's heroism and nature was heavily shaped throughout the novel, with many factors having an influence on his conviction. The required number of missions being raised by Colonel Cathcart is a recurring event that heavily sways Yossarian into developing his defiant feelings against the militia. As a result of the increased missions, by the end of the novel, most of Yossarian's close comrades have either gone missing or have perished by acts of twisted fate-and he realizes this all with a heavy heart. Snowden's gruesome death in flashbacks, is another recurring event that Yossarian always struggles to cope with, though through it, he realizes an important revelation by the end of the text-"man was matter, that was Snowden's secret", death was always present and could consume anyone, "ripeness was all" (Heller 440). With all of these events heavily weighing on Yossarian, the final push from the chaplain, one of his last remaining friends, allows him to finalize his decision to escape to Sweden, inspired and shaped by his experiences on Pianosa. This end of the novel signifies that Yossarian escaped to keep his integrity, to avoid betraying the memories of those who suffered at the hands of the military and the devastating war; his ultimate heroism in the end, was holding onto his freedom and preventing the corrupt militia from consuming him.

Catch-22 is a satirical novel that truly shines from the vast expanse of traditional war stories written in history.

Joseph Heller uses a blend of dark humor, blatant irony, and dialogue that disassembles the common perspective of war. Through his charming and quirky ensemble of characters, he explores many themes of somber reality, in the end, impacting readers in a way that they do not even realize. Catch-22 delves deeply into the truths of the war with a mixture of literary techniques, though through them, Heller delivers a masterful story that is hilarious, captivating, and serious, all at

once.