Catch 22 Essay, Research Paper

Heller wrote this book to satirize institutions and how these institutions do not service the

constitutions of which it is composed, but they undermine them.

The American citizens which fought for the United States during World War Two showed

the values within current America. On the home front, in the newspapers, and through statistics,

the United States had been victorious in Europe and US soldiers were seen as defenders of

American culture and values. Thousands of American troops took on the responsibility of

protecting the American way of life. Author and war veteran Joseph Heller showed that certain

parts of the U.S Army did not prove to be as patriotic as many believed. Through the actions and

attitudes of certain characters, Heller displayed the chaos and negative aspects of the American

soldier at war. Whether motivated by greed or differences, he proved that many of the troops

fighting did not live up to the romantic Hollywood images that many Americans saw as truthful.

His claim was that in actuality, survival of the self dominated the outlook of many in combat. In

his work Catch-22, Joseph Heller showed the shift in values of the American soldiers through his

characters Milo, General Cathcart, and Yossarian. Each man created a portrait of a soldier who,

through his actions and attitudes, did not live up to the American ideal of morality and patriotism.

Colonel Cathcart was a man who, when examined, did not conduct himself with the high

moral character that many Americans felt was necessary among men of power and authority. “He

could measure his own progress only in relationship to others, and his idea of excellence was to

do something at least as well as all the men his own age who were doing the same thing even

better.” (Pg. 192) Though patriotic and concerned with victory for the United States and the

Allies, he used the war to promote himself within the ranks. He felt that if his own squadron

could accomplish and set records for themselves, perhaps he would be acknowledged at home in

the Saturday Evening Post as a great leader and become promoted to general. Cathcart employed

religion, held sacred by so many, in order to pray to a higher power to become general. He

displayed little concern for the safety or well being of his own men and showed special privileges

for Milo and punished Yossarian when he had the chance. Going back on his promises often,

Cathcart would raise the number of missions his pilots must fly every time they came close to his

own goals. Colonel Cathcart sought to make no blemish on his records. “He was complacent and

insecure, daring in the administrative stratagems he employed to bring himself to the attention of

his superiors.” (Pg. 191) The true personality of characters such as Cathcart was not seen by

everyday citizens and Americans held their war heroes in high esteem.

Some profited from the war in ways that were not accepted by the American cultural

standards. Milo Minderbinder used his economic skills to run “M & M Enterprises”. He took

advantage of his access to planes and connections concerning the food market to make a profit off

the war. Milo claimed “I didn’t start this was I’m just trying to put it in a businesslike basis.”

(Pg. 262) He dealt with countries from all over the globe, including Germany. His planes had

freedom everywhere. Milo’s enterprises raised prices to such an extreme that food in the mess

halls required officers to turn over all pay in order to eat. He believed the alternative to paying

the outrageous fees was to starve. Eventually “Milo had been caught red-handed in the act of

plundering his countrymen, and, as a result, his stock had never been higher.” (Pg. 378). Milo

would go to great lengths to ensure that his profits were not lost and that all surpluses were used.

He displayed limited moral integrity according to American ethics, and cared little for the true

purpose of the United State’s invasion of Europe. Milo Minderbinder’s role profiting from World

War Two was a perfect example given by Heller to show how soldiers were not loyal and did not

care about brotherhood.

Colonel Cathcart and Milo, both were individuals that did not possess the moral standards

American society sought for them to uphold when engaged in war. Cathcart wished to elevate

himself, and would do so at the expense of many other’s lives. He did not perform with the

interest of his unit first and foremost. Cathcart showed little compassion and righteousness. Milo

and his war profiteering led him to converse with the enemy and work for his personal interests

alone. He made a business out of the market available during the war. Each man did not

correspond with the values in the United States for warfare. Americans were to be patriotic and

loyal to their country. They were to put their own interests aside and take on the responsibility of

protecting their way of life. Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 showed the possibilities that World War

Two saw a decline in the traditional American set of morals and values upheld during wartime.