Catch 22 Comparison
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel Tender is the Night and Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 may have been written approximately thirty years apart, but the two novels are similar in ways more than just a century of publishing. Tender is the Night and Catch-22 have a common theme of war throughout their stories. While Catch-22 takes place during World War II, Tender is the Night takes place after World War I and has allusions to other wars in America’s history via the character of Dick Diver. These two novels contain a theme of war throughout their plots, but the story of Catch-22 more directly confronts war than Tender is the Night. In Tender is the Night, the theme of war and its references is used to add depth to characters like Abe North and establish
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a proper Western setting for the novel, one that is breaking just like Dick’s relationship with Nicole. Dick claims to have Mad Anthony Wayne as an ancestor and suffer from ‘“non-combatant’s shell-shock’” after having a dream of war (Fitzgerald 158, 179). Likewise, the conversations Dick has with Abe North in the novel involve war, or more specifically, the western front, when they visit some WWI trenches between Beaumont Hamel and Thiepval accompanied by Rosemary. Dick explains the history of those trenches to Rosemary, saying that “it took the British a month to walk to [that little stream]—a whole empire walking very slowly, dying in front and pushing forward behind…No Europeans will ever do that again in this generation” (Fitzgerald 56-57, Stern 104). Therefore, not only did WWI have massive casualties, but it also changed warfare, and Dick acknowledges this. In that same section, Abe North goes on to debate with Dick about the war, and Dick shares his knowledge of WWI and other wars by referencing General Ulysses S. Grant (Fitzgerald 57). Abe North’s character, arguably, actually stands for the American history of war, for he dressed up one night as General Pershing and was sung to by the waiters of the Ritz (Fitzgerald 78). Thus, with Abe’s death, the old concepts and pre-war beliefs of war fall away to be replaced by Dick’s post-war beliefs (Stern 105). The most underlying usage of the theme of war that Fitzgerald wrote into Tender is the Night, though, is with the word ‘battle’. ‘Battle’ is used to convey an inner struggle or heightened efforts in ones thoughts (Fitzgerald 155, 184, 302), but in reference to Nicole’s relationship with Dick. In the beginning of their relationship, this allusion to war originally was used in the context of heightened efforts. Fitzgerald writes during one of Dick and Nicole’s first physical encounters that Nicole “was up in her head now, cool as cool, as deliberate as a man getting drunk after battle” because she was manipulating Dick so as to gain control over him (Fitzgerald 155). This use of ‘battle’, changed, though, as their relationship progressed, for their relationship became a battle of sorts in Book Three. Dick knew he loved her, and part of Nicole still loved Dick, but they both knew they could not and should not be together. Thus, they struggled to become independent instead of dependent and fought “inner battle[s]” (Fitzgerald 302). Toward the end of their relationship and the end of the novel, Nicole fought with Dick how he was acting closed off and demeaning toward her. In response, Dick stated he was “trying to save [him]self [from her]…questionable company,” and Fitzgerald narrates that Nicole fought him in an inner battle “with her small, fine eyes…with her money and her faith that her sister disliked him…with her quick guile…[with] her health and beauty against his physical deterioration, [with] her unscrupulousness against his moralities” (Fitzgerald 301-302). According to Milton R. Stern, this scene “is a summation of all the wars and major motifs [of war] in the book: between past and present..the sexes…wealth and dependence…new irresponsible freedom and old responsibilities…[etc.]” (109). Thus, through the course of the novel, Fitzgerald’s allusions to the theme of war became less direct and literal through the character of Abe North and more figurative toward Dick and Nicole’s relationship. In addition, this battle scene between Dick and Nicole seems to allow the reader to come to an understanding and possibly have an inner battle for him/herself regarding who lost/won in their relationship and what sides won the figurative wars Stern referred to. The theme of war in Joseph Heller’s novel, Catch-22, is immersed in its setting of U.S.
air raids during World War II and a bureaucracy that is absurd and foolish to the main character, Yossarian. This context for the theme of war serves as a method of commentary for Heller, but nonetheless, he does not spare imagery of the war in the midst of the satire and humor. One such example of the gruesome effect of war is the death of Snowden in his self-titled chapter. The scene moves from satire about Hungry Joe dying with a cat on his face to the recollection of Snowden’s death in the side gunport (Heller 436). The narrator informs the reader through detail that Yossarian remembers the scene as if it was yesterday: Snowden was lying on his back on the floor with his legs stretched out…[with a wound] in the outside of [his] thigh, as large and deep as a football…It was impossible to tell where the shreds of his saturated overalls ended and the ragged flesh began…” and all Snowden could say was, “I’m cold” in a “frail, childlike voice” (Heller 436-437). According to Nibir Ghosh, with scenes such as this of Snowden’s death, the novel “demonstrates the impersonality and callous inhumanity of modern warfare” and allows the reality of war to be exposed in the midst of the novel’s humor and irony (52). The novel also intermingles with the absurdity and gruesomeness of war through satirical conversations where characters repeat each other to scenes such as the death of Snowden. Through this duality, Heller offers his comments on the war as if the mode of Catch-22 acts as a shadow over the exposure of war’s
reality. Yossarian’s struggle with the bureaucracy of the war is a second element as to how Heller uses war thematically in his novel. One of the problems that ties the scattered events together is Yossarian’s desire to be dismissed and the consistent denial of this request. Of course, the premise of the novel, catch-22, is illogical and restrictive, but Yossarian nonetheless obeys his superiors (as one in war is supposed to do). It is this obedience, Ghosh explains, that “indicates the necessity of discipline in war” in order for a war to continue and one side to be victorious (54). This obedience to the war’s bureaucracy is something that Yossarian constantly wrestles with, and it is by means of this struggle that Heller critiques the modern bureaucracy of war. What Heller critiques in Catch-22 through his theme of war is of importance in understanding the novel. Heller offers his opinion mostly through the character of Yossarian, and Ghosh clarifies that Yossarian, and so too, Heller, “does not despise war as such but does not hesitate either in showing his contempt for people who thrive on the sordid business of war” (Ghosh 60). An example of this type of person who thrives on the business of war in Catch-22 is Milo Minderbinder, the squadron’s cook. There are many instances in the novel where Yossarian disagrees with Milo’s methods of “capitalizing out of the war effort” (Ghosh 58). One such instance is when Yossarian blames Milo for killing Mudd at Orvieto, asking him rhetorically, “But you organized the whole thing, didn’t you?” and attempting to make Milo feel guilty that he “‘…got a thousand extra dollars…’” for alerting the German antiaircraft gunners because he wanted to make some “profit out of the mission” (Heller 255). Thus, by writing Yossarian as critical of Milo, who represents those who capitalize on war, Heller critiques the capitalism in addition to the bureaucracy of war through his thematic use of war in the novel. Heller’s thematic use of war in Catch-22 differs in this commentary and dual meanings to Fitzgerald’s thematic use of war in Tender is the Night. Whereas Fitzgerald uses the war and possibility of another war as a backdrop for which the plot occurs and interplays it through language about Dick and Nicole’s relationship, the theme of war is central to Heller’s novel more than just as a backdrop; it directly influences the plot. In addition, their methods of approaching the theme are also different. Heller approaches the theme with satire and thus offers his commentary through the characters, but Fitzgerald seems to offer no commentary on war, be it WWI or the possibility (at that time) of a WWII. With this comparison in mind after analyzing the theme of war in both novels, it is clear that Heller and Fitzgerald both use war as an important theme, but Heller gives war a more crucial role in his novel in such a way where it is known as one of the best war novels of all time.
a proper Western setting for the novel, one that is breaking just like Dick’s relationship with Nicole. Dick claims to have Mad Anthony Wayne as an ancestor and suffer from ‘“non-combatant’s shell-shock’” after having a dream of war (Fitzgerald 158, 179). Likewise, the conversations Dick has with Abe North in the novel involve war, or more specifically, the western front, when they visit some WWI trenches between Beaumont Hamel and Thiepval accompanied by Rosemary. Dick explains the history of those trenches to Rosemary, saying that “it took the British a month to walk to [that little stream]—a whole empire walking very slowly, dying in front and pushing forward behind…No Europeans will ever do that again in this generation” (Fitzgerald 56-57, Stern 104). Therefore, not only did WWI have massive casualties, but it also changed warfare, and Dick acknowledges this. In that same section, Abe North goes on to debate with Dick about the war, and Dick shares his knowledge of WWI and other wars by referencing General Ulysses S. Grant (Fitzgerald 57). Abe North’s character, arguably, actually stands for the American history of war, for he dressed up one night as General Pershing and was sung to by the waiters of the Ritz (Fitzgerald 78). Thus, with Abe’s death, the old concepts and pre-war beliefs of war fall away to be replaced by Dick’s post-war beliefs (Stern 105). The most underlying usage of the theme of war that Fitzgerald wrote into Tender is the Night, though, is with the word ‘battle’. ‘Battle’ is used to convey an inner struggle or heightened efforts in ones thoughts (Fitzgerald 155, 184, 302), but in reference to Nicole’s relationship with Dick. In the beginning of their relationship, this allusion to war originally was used in the context of heightened efforts. Fitzgerald writes during one of Dick and Nicole’s first physical encounters that Nicole “was up in her head now, cool as cool, as deliberate as a man getting drunk after battle” because she was manipulating Dick so as to gain control over him (Fitzgerald 155). This use of ‘battle’, changed, though, as their relationship progressed, for their relationship became a battle of sorts in Book Three. Dick knew he loved her, and part of Nicole still loved Dick, but they both knew they could not and should not be together. Thus, they struggled to become independent instead of dependent and fought “inner battle[s]” (Fitzgerald 302). Toward the end of their relationship and the end of the novel, Nicole fought with Dick how he was acting closed off and demeaning toward her. In response, Dick stated he was “trying to save [him]self [from her]…questionable company,” and Fitzgerald narrates that Nicole fought him in an inner battle “with her small, fine eyes…with her money and her faith that her sister disliked him…with her quick guile…[with] her health and beauty against his physical deterioration, [with] her unscrupulousness against his moralities” (Fitzgerald 301-302). According to Milton R. Stern, this scene “is a summation of all the wars and major motifs [of war] in the book: between past and present..the sexes…wealth and dependence…new irresponsible freedom and old responsibilities…[etc.]” (109). Thus, through the course of the novel, Fitzgerald’s allusions to the theme of war became less direct and literal through the character of Abe North and more figurative toward Dick and Nicole’s relationship. In addition, this battle scene between Dick and Nicole seems to allow the reader to come to an understanding and possibly have an inner battle for him/herself regarding who lost/won in their relationship and what sides won the figurative wars Stern referred to. The theme of war in Joseph Heller’s novel, Catch-22, is immersed in its setting of U.S.
air raids during World War II and a bureaucracy that is absurd and foolish to the main character, Yossarian. This context for the theme of war serves as a method of commentary for Heller, but nonetheless, he does not spare imagery of the war in the midst of the satire and humor. One such example of the gruesome effect of war is the death of Snowden in his self-titled chapter. The scene moves from satire about Hungry Joe dying with a cat on his face to the recollection of Snowden’s death in the side gunport (Heller 436). The narrator informs the reader through detail that Yossarian remembers the scene as if it was yesterday: Snowden was lying on his back on the floor with his legs stretched out…[with a wound] in the outside of [his] thigh, as large and deep as a football…It was impossible to tell where the shreds of his saturated overalls ended and the ragged flesh began…” and all Snowden could say was, “I’m cold” in a “frail, childlike voice” (Heller 436-437). According to Nibir Ghosh, with scenes such as this of Snowden’s death, the novel “demonstrates the impersonality and callous inhumanity of modern warfare” and allows the reality of war to be exposed in the midst of the novel’s humor and irony (52). The novel also intermingles with the absurdity and gruesomeness of war through satirical conversations where characters repeat each other to scenes such as the death of Snowden. Through this duality, Heller offers his comments on the war as if the mode of Catch-22 acts as a shadow over the exposure of war’s
reality. Yossarian’s struggle with the bureaucracy of the war is a second element as to how Heller uses war thematically in his novel. One of the problems that ties the scattered events together is Yossarian’s desire to be dismissed and the consistent denial of this request. Of course, the premise of the novel, catch-22, is illogical and restrictive, but Yossarian nonetheless obeys his superiors (as one in war is supposed to do). It is this obedience, Ghosh explains, that “indicates the necessity of discipline in war” in order for a war to continue and one side to be victorious (54). This obedience to the war’s bureaucracy is something that Yossarian constantly wrestles with, and it is by means of this struggle that Heller critiques the modern bureaucracy of war. What Heller critiques in Catch-22 through his theme of war is of importance in understanding the novel. Heller offers his opinion mostly through the character of Yossarian, and Ghosh clarifies that Yossarian, and so too, Heller, “does not despise war as such but does not hesitate either in showing his contempt for people who thrive on the sordid business of war” (Ghosh 60). An example of this type of person who thrives on the business of war in Catch-22 is Milo Minderbinder, the squadron’s cook. There are many instances in the novel where Yossarian disagrees with Milo’s methods of “capitalizing out of the war effort” (Ghosh 58). One such instance is when Yossarian blames Milo for killing Mudd at Orvieto, asking him rhetorically, “But you organized the whole thing, didn’t you?” and attempting to make Milo feel guilty that he “‘…got a thousand extra dollars…’” for alerting the German antiaircraft gunners because he wanted to make some “profit out of the mission” (Heller 255). Thus, by writing Yossarian as critical of Milo, who represents those who capitalize on war, Heller critiques the capitalism in addition to the bureaucracy of war through his thematic use of war in the novel. Heller’s thematic use of war in Catch-22 differs in this commentary and dual meanings to Fitzgerald’s thematic use of war in Tender is the Night. Whereas Fitzgerald uses the war and possibility of another war as a backdrop for which the plot occurs and interplays it through language about Dick and Nicole’s relationship, the theme of war is central to Heller’s novel more than just as a backdrop; it directly influences the plot. In addition, their methods of approaching the theme are also different. Heller approaches the theme with satire and thus offers his commentary through the characters, but Fitzgerald seems to offer no commentary on war, be it WWI or the possibility (at that time) of a WWII. With this comparison in mind after analyzing the theme of war in both novels, it is clear that Heller and Fitzgerald both use war as an important theme, but Heller gives war a more crucial role in his novel in such a way where it is known as one of the best war novels of all time.