11/15/09 Catch 22

Heller seems to be going rouge on his own story. He seems to want to tell 2o different short stories instead of actually writing one long one. Much of the time he spends on the story actually is spent on describing the side characters' past experiences that sometimes don't even relate to Yossarian (main character). For example, Heller spends many pages describing how Captain Black tried a moral crusade for his regiment. However, Heller adds humor none the less. When Captain Black did not get his desired position, and Major Major did, Captain Black asserted that since Major Major looked like Henry Fonda, "that Major Major really was Henry Fonda; and when they remarked that Major Major was somewhat odd, Captain Black announced that he was a communist." (116). Cleary using the humor of his time to make fun of a large portion of people, Heller was able to make a social/cultural connection. This is something he does often as his plot finally comes to surface that Yossarian is crazy because he is the only sane person left. While everyone else is apparently insane because they have little resent towards going into a dangerous mission, Yossarian is sane because he does everything he can to prevent the mission from happening. Heller has a great plot and the humor to back it up but he seems not to be abel to stay focused long enough.