FREE ESSAY ON CATCH 22--COMEDY AND TRAGEDY

CATCH 22--COMEDY AND TRAGEDY

Marie Fleurimond
Tuesday, September 12, 2000
Period 2 Shonty
AP English Composition & Language
What's So Funny...Catch 22?
Comedy and tragedy have always been separated into separate categories. Certainly most
tragedies have humorous moments, and even the craziest comedies were at times serious.
Nevertheless, even the development of tragedies left the division unharmed. That is,
until Catch-22. Joseph Heller does not deal with these issues in the normal fashion
instead he criticizes them and the society that help carry these things out. Heller in
fact goes beyond criticizing, he satirizes. Joseph Heller manages to bond humor and
terror, comedy and tragedy, and reveals in the process the stubbornness of the human
character and of society gone nuts. 
From the first chapter, we are presented with unbelievable characters whose actions and
thoughts are wildly funny, and horrifically disturbing. In fact, the manner in which the
reader recognizes the character's altar nature will serve as the first example of
Heller's combination of comedy and tragedy. Dunbar's theory of life is first received
with a burst of laughter from the audience. Life is short, and Dunbar wishes to extend it
as much as possible. If time flies when one is having fun, then conversely, time must
slow when one is bored. Dunbar actions to make his life as boring as possible, thus
increasing the length of its passing. Indeed, it is understandable why such an attitude
should produce a laugh, but the further allusions are horrific. Heller further reinforces
that idea with characters such as Doc Daneeka, who values protection and money over
responsibility and friendship, and Milo who values pride and fortune over the lives of
thousands of others. The idea that follows gives us characters that are more interested
in themselves. Though they are initially comical, their nature is ultimately revealed to
be false and appalling, arousing disgust and pity, a combination of comedy and tragedy. 
The satire of society is revealed further in a second major type of character, the
foolish. Though most serve largely as obstruction to Yossarian and his viewpoint many can
still be made. Clevinger is perhaps the best example of a mislead character. His
discussion with Yossarian serves as an insightful evaluation of their awareness. He
argues that, although everyone is trying to kill him, everyone is not trying to kill him.
The humor of the argument cannot be denied, but horror and tragedy are equally present.
The question leaves the readers struggling to decide who is crazy. Clevinger falls into
an obvious contradiction, but his argument still strikes as common sense. In face of
Yossarian's statement what difference does that make? The spectators are left with the
realization of its mistakenness, but of the reminder that they believed it. With this
revelation, the audience follows the rebellious path of Yossarian, or falls victim to the
training of society, and meets the same fate as the deceived. As the audience is attacked
with insanely comedic ironies of Catch-22, they are further aware of its horror. 
A primary example of irony is found in Milo, when he is praised for bombing his own
company when it's learned that he made a great deal of money. Again, this evokes a
decreased laugh, and then leaves the audience amazed with horror. Exaggeration makes this
funny event. The further instances of ridiculously backward behavior, Hungry Joe's
screaming, Havermeyer's disregard for life, Mc Watt's destructive flying, and so on,
further provide the audience with humorous instances of exaggeration, which prove to be
horrifying. The blend of exaggeration and truth create a terrible, though comedic,
accusation for his irony. 
Perhaps the most memorable attribute of Catch-22 is its unimaginable paradoxes, catches.
These paradoxes range from the absurd, to the disastrous. When Yossarian and his friends
begin asking clever questions to disrupt boring educational sessions, Colonel Korn
decides that only those who never ask questions may ask questions. When they want to
discuss a problem with Major Major, they are allowed into his office only when he is out.
Even when Yossarian is offered a harmless deal that would allow him to go home as a hero,
there is a catch. He must betray his friends by praising the officers who caused many of
them to die. As demonstrated, life is reduced to one frustrating paradox after another. 
The most notable instance of the paradox is Catch-22. The first solid reference is Doc
Daneeka's version, presented to Yossarian on the matter of groundings. To be grounded,
one must be insane, but one must also ask to be grounded. However, asking to be grounded
shows the desire for security, a sure sign of sanity. If one were truly insane,
independently one would fly the missions voluntarily. Thus, no one is grounded. This is
remarkable for its lack of imagination and is humor, but its allusions are equally gross.
As the novel continues, the paradoxes remain equally humorous, but their suggestions more
ugly. 
In the end, Catch-22 is the unwritten excuse that empowers authorities to revoke your
rights whenever it suits their cruel impulses. As humorous as Catch-22 is, the horror
with it is evident. Likely the most important element of Catch-22 is its irrationality.
Ridiculousness pervades the novel, creating twice the humor and terror. 
Mockery represents one of the most skillful blends of comedy and tragedy in the entire
novel. Though conflicting, horror and tragedy are combined. Heller creates situations
where the audience laughs, and then must look back in horror at what they were laughing
at. Through characterizations, irony, paradoxes, and irrationality, Heller manages humor
and terror, comedy and tragedy into a whole as Catch-22. Expressing a painful or
troubling theme or idea in a humorous or pleasurable way.