《第二十二条军规》 中的“黑色幽默”

-1-ChapterOneIntroduction1.1WritingBackgroundBeforethestartofWorldWarII,theU.S.governmentencouragedyoungpeopletofight,sayingitwasforfreedom,peace,gloryandhonor.Theyoungsoldiers,fullofenthusiasmandlovefortheircountry,joinedtheso-calledgloriouswar.Thevictimsofthiswarareinnocentcivilians,butthebeneficiariesaretherulingclassandprofiteeringbusinessmen.Americanlifeinthe1950swasfundamentallytaintedanddamagedbyMcCarthyismhysteria,whichiscoveredinChapter21ofCatch-22.ThecivilrightsmovementintheUnitedStatesandtheVietnamWarfurtheraggravatedthedomesticturmoil.Moreimportantly,moreandmorepeoplebegantodoubtandlosefaithineverything.Inaddition,thedevelopmentandbreakthroughofnewscienceandtechnology,althoughgivingpeopleasenseofincreasedpower,hasstrippedlifeitselfofitslasttraceofmystery,andfurtheralienatedpeoplefromhumannature.Allthesehavefundamentallyshakenpeople’sfirmfaithinGodandtheuniverse,andpeoplecannolongerfindspiritualcomfortinChristianity.Catch-22wasborninthisparticularcontext:GodandChristianityareincreasinglylosingthecornerstonerolethatwasoncewidelyrecognizedasamoralandspiritualguide.1.2Author’sWorksandBriefIntroductionJosephHeller,1923-1999,anAmericanwriter.HewasborninConeyIsland,Brooklyn,NewYorkin1923.Hisfatherdiedattheageof5.Duetohispoorfamily,hedroppedoutofschoolattheageof13tomakealivingindependently.Fromtheageof10to19,HellerjoinedtheMutualLoyaltySociety,acivicorganizationthatlocalscallBrooklyn’sConeyIslandRenaissance.WhenWorldWarIIbrokeout,HellerenlistedintheArmyandservedasabomberataU.S.airForcebaseontheMediterraneanislandofCorsica,completingmultiplemissionsinthreeyearsandachievingtherankoflieutenant.AfterWorldWarII,HellerattendedNewYorkUniversityundertheMilitaryEducationAct.RepresentativeworksincludeCatch-22,SomethingHappened,andGoodasGold.Catch-22Introduce:TheendofthesecondWorldwar,intheItalianislandofElbaeightmilessouthoftheMediterraneanofanAmericanairforcebase,thatis,onthesmallislandofPianosa,CaptainYossarian,thebomberlikeafrightenedbird,inamess,absurdandfear,setallauthority,doctrineindisregard,inordertosavehisownlifeandcarryonallefforts.Hissolepurposeinlifeonthisislandwastoescapecombatflight.Sohepretendedtobesickagainandagainandwenttothehospitalbecausehefounditwasthebestplacetobe.Intheend,hewasreadytofleetoneutralSweden,wherehewouldspendhishappylife.Catch-22isaclassicworkofBlackHumorinpostmodernliterature,oneofthemanifestationsofwhichistheuncertaintyinthethemeofcreation.Catch-22choosesthewarthemesetduringtheSecondWorldWar,butthenoveldoesnotdirectlydescribethewar,andthenarratedeventsaredeviatedfromthewartheme.Andthewarknowledgeisusedasthebackgroundormaterialtoassistthestorynarrative.Therealthemeisaconsiderationofhumanrelationsandtheirnatureinthemilitaryinthecontextofwar.TheauthorcriticizestheunfairproblemsorphenomenaunderthecentralizationoftheAmericanmilitarywithblackhumorandsatire.Atthesametime,duetotheuncertaintyofthethemeofcreation,theauthortakestheinitiativetoformananti-conventionalcharacterinthenarrative,whichmakesthethemeofthisworkfullymanifestedandpublicized.TheCatch-22actuallyimpliestheColdWardiscourseunderthecontroloftheUSgovernmentandthemonopolybourgeoisie.Therefore,the“survival,theonlyhopeistolive”revealedinthebookistoexpresssympathyforthesenselesssacrificeofsoldiersintheColdWar.BecausethesacrificeofsoldiersintheColdWarwassolelyforthebenefitofthemonopolybourgeoisie.InWorldWarII,thesacrificeofeverysoldierwasforthetruefreedomofallmankind,anditisworthremembering.Therefore,Catch-22canbecalledathoroughanti-ColdWarfilm,tellingpeople’sdesireforfreedom.

ChapterTwoBlackHumor2.1DefinitionBlackHumorisoftenreferredtoasakindofComedyofDespair,alsoknownasPervertHumororImpendingHumor,evenaGallowsHumor.BlackHumorisacomedythatjuxtaposespainandjoy,whimsicalfactsandunevenlycalmresponses,crueltyandtenderness.However,nomatterwhatthenameis,BlackHumornovelsarethemostcharacteristicofthetimes.LiketheabsurdistdramasappearinginBritainandFranceatthesametime,theyrevealtheessenceoflifeinanunconventionalway.Theirthemesarebasicallyseriousanddescriptionsofreallifealsohaveacertaincharm.BlackHumorwriterscreatearidiculousandterribleworldaccordingtothereallivingenvironmenttoexposetheabsurdityanduglinessoftherealworld.Theyfeelsadandhopelessabouttherealworldandhavenochoice,buttoventtheirpainanddespairthroughcynicalsatire.BlackHumoristhecombinationofblackandhumor,theunityofformandcontent,thebasicprincipleofliteraryaestheticmechanismandtheembodimentofwriter’sideologicalconnotation,itisalsotheorganiccombinationofliteraryinternalaestheticsanditsexternalrelatedconnections.Forexample,intherelationshipbetweenliteraturelanguageandpolitics,AmericanscholarSeillatonbelievesthat“somescholarsarebiasedaboutthecombinationofliteratureandpoliticalsciencewithoutthelossofeitherside,buttheinterventionofpublicdiscourseinlanguageisindeedconducivetotheimprovementofthedegreeofdemocracy”.Inthehistoryofliterature,humorasanarrativestrategyhasalonghistory.Asarhetoricalmethodofliterarycreation,writersoftenuseinnuendo,mockery,metaphor,puns,ironyandotherrhetoricalmeansintheprocessofcreation,thatis,inanindirect,teasingway,deliberatelyblockingtheoriginallinearlogicofthings,sothatreaderscanachievethepurposeofexposingandcriticizingincorrectorunjustreallifephenomenainthefriendlylaughter.Mockeryisamajortoolinthisprocess.“Youmustuseaverbalsatireorironyinsuchawaythatthewordsyouusearecontrarytotheirintendedmeaning”,“thefirstrequirementofsarcasmorironyisthatthecontentisunderstoodbyboththeauthorandthereader”,“theauthorchoosestopicsofpublicinterest”,“pretendstobeself-importantandshort-sighted,Itisasiftheknowledgeofthetopicissoshallowandmisunderstoodthatonecannotevenseethefullmeaningofone’swords”,“Gesturetoexpresspositionsthatareopposedtoyourtrueviews,atthesametimeexpressingone’srealopinionclearly”.WhendiscussingthedefinitionofBlackHumor,literarycriticshavenotbeenabletofindauniversallyrecognizedandacceptedanswerontheexactdefinition.BecauseBlackHumorasaformofliteraryexpression,isneitheraliteraryschoolwithaspecificmanifestooraunifiedexpressionmethod,noraliterarymovementwithitsowndistinctivecharacteristicsthatcanbedeterminedanddividedinacertaincountryorregioninthehistoryofliterature.However,intheopinionofmanyliterarycritics,thefollowingtwopointsofconsensusarecertain:First,therearehumorouselementsinthecreationofthemes,plotSettingsorcharactersintheworksofBlackHumor;Second,theabsurdorfunnyhumorelementsinblackhumorworksaremostlydespairandaccusationexpressedbytheprotagonistsinblackhumorworksinlanguageorbehaviorwhentheycannotgetridofthetragicfateinthecruelreality.2.2DevelopmentBlackHumorisagenreofmodernAmericanliterature.Popularinthemid-to-late1960s,in1965Friedmancompiledtheworksof12writersintoashortstorycollectionentitledBlackHumor,hencethegenre’sname.BlackHumornovelsstrivetohighlighttheabsurdityandruthlessnessoflivingenvironment,satirizeandattacktraditionalvaluesandaestheticconcepts,andexpressthealienationoftheworld,thedeclineofhumannatureandthebreakingofemotions.SomecriticscalleditGallowsHumororDoomsdayJoke.BlackHumorisanti-rationalandanti-idealisticliterature.AftertheemergenceofBlackHumorliteratureintheearly1960s,itsoonbecameoneoftheimportantliterarygenresintheUnitedStatesandeventheentireWest.Thereasonwhyitcangettheattentionofthesocietyisnotonlyitsprofoundideologicalconnotationandaestheticvalue,butalsobecauseitisuniqueinthewayofcreation.ChapterThreeTheEmbodimentofBlackHumorinCatch-223.1EmbodiedfromAbsurdity3.1.1AbsurdLanguageDescriptionThelanguageinthenovelisalmostabsurdandsomesentencesevencontradicteachother.Forexample,Dunbarlikesflyingsaucershootingbecausehehatesthesport“Dunbarlikesflyingsaucershootingbecausehehateseveryminuteofit.”[1]1185Sowhenheplaysflyingsaucershooting,hefeelsthattimepassesslowly.Heoncecalculatedthataslongashestaysintheflyingsaucershootingrangeforanhour,itfeelslikehehaslivedthrough186years;AsdescribedbyDanica:“Dr.DanicaisafriendofYusolinandwillnotdoanythingwithinhispowertohelphim;”[1]116ThereisalsoadescriptionofKnightley:“Thisdirty,greedyandviciousoldmanremindsKnightleyofhisfatherbecausethereisnosimilaritybetweenthetwo;”[1]847Milosaid,“Ineverlie,Ionlyliewhenneeded.”[1]902Alltheseillogicalandillogicalsentencesmakereadersconfusedorunabletoresistlaughter.Itispreciselyinthiswaythattheauthorpresentsuswithaworldofinvertedvalues.Theseambiguousandcontradictorymatchingsentencesorvocabularydescribeaabsurdandirrationalworld.3.1.2AbsurdRamblingPlotCatch-22doesnothaveacompletecentralstoryorplot,thetraditionalbeginning,climaxandendingofanovel.Ithasnocohesivecontinuityfromchaptertochapter,thenarrativeisfragmented,theplotisloose,theplotgoesbackwardsandforth,andeverychaptercanbethefirstchapter.Onfirstreading,itisfeelslikeabizarreandoff-topicjumbleofwords,withoutacompleteplotorevenlikeabook.Inthenovel,thechronologicalorderisinvertedandchaotic,andthenarrationofmanyplotsisbrokenandmessy.Atthebeginningofthestory,itisonlylightlybrushedover,butrepeatedinthefutureplots,untilthefinalunderstandingofthewholeprocessofevents.Thiswayoftellingthestoryisalsodifferentfromthetraditionalflashbacksortellthiswithasighsomewhereagesandageshence.Instead,briefdescriptionsofthepastaresuddenlyinsertedintothedevelopingstorysothatitleavesasmallandvagueimpressioninthereader’smind.Andmoreandmorearerevealedinthesubsequentnarrativeuntilthewholestoryispresentedtothereader.Thisspecialwayofnarrationenablesthereadertoconstantlyhavethefeelingof“reliving”andfinallyunderstandthemeaningoftheauthor.Hellerusesthisstructuralarrangementtopresentuswithagrotesquelyfunnyworld.Milo’spracticeof“movingmoneyfromoneplacetoanother”tohisfinalgreatfortuneandSloden’sdeathareallgoodexamplesoftheauthor’srepetitionoftheplot.Theauthortriestodiscardthestructureformofthetraditionalnovel,andreappearsthechaotic,cruelandirrationalworldwithanotherstructureconsistentwiththecontentofthenovel,settingofftheabsurdatmosphere.Thenovel’sseeminglychaoticstructureisactuallyHeller’selaboratedeviceforcreatingabsurdconcepts.3.1.3AbsurdInvisibleRulesandLogicDisciplineinthearmyitselfismandatoryanddisciplinary.HoweverinCatch-22,theoppositeistrue.Catch-22isarbitraryandself-contradictory.Atthesametime,Catch-22ismorelikeamilitarytoolusedbyseniorofficerstocontrolsoldiers.Anditisalsothecoreexpressionofabsurdsituationandexistentialcrisisinthework.Theso-calledCatch-22doesn’texist.ThebadthingisthattheU.S.militarythinksitdoes.Yossarian’sbossesthinkitdoes.ButitistheinvisibleCatch-22thatdefinesthemaddening,contradictorythinkingandmilitary-runlifestyle.Itdoesn’texist,butitisagainajustificationfortheweak,theabstractmechanismattheheartofCatch-22,themechanismbywhichthemilitarycanforcehumanstoliveinendless,dehumanizingsituationsinwhichtheymightbekilled.Catch-22isjustasymbolofthetyrannyandtyrannythatiseverywhereandeverywhere.Itisatoolofgovernmenttoshapepeople’sminds.Itisadehumanizingbureaucracy.Catch-22isitselfaparadoxicalparadox,andthenoveldescribeshowthesoldiersimprisonedbyCatch-22takethisparadoxinward,theirownpursuitsrenderedmeaninglessandanachronism,asiftheyhadnothingtodowiththeworld.Whenthesemengoonbombingmissions,theyoftenfindthattherealpurposeofthemissionissimplytocreateanexplosion,andthatthosebeautifulaerialphotographs,inthiscase,symbolizethatthemilitarybureaucracyatthetopofthearmyhasbeendetachedfromthetragedyofwar.Allsoldiersenduretheswampatnight,anabsurdexistencedefinedbybureaucracyandviolence:theyareaninhumanresourceintheeyesofseniorofficerswithblindambition.Forsquadronmembers,capturinggoodaerialphotosoftheexplosionwasmoreimportantthandestroyingtheirtargets.Inthenovel,theauthordescribesanunorderedandirrationalworldinwhichabsurdthingshappenalmostallthetime.Therearemanydetailsinthetextthatsupportthisidea:asoldierseenbyadoctorinahospitalwhoseesdoubleimagesisfinallydeterminedbyaconsultationofseveralspecialiststohavemeningitis,onthegroundsthatdoctorsonlytreatmeningitisandnothingelse.YossarianwasstabbedbyKnightley’sprostituteandonlyneededstitches,butthedoctorinsistedonoperatingonhimbecausehehadneverdonesurgery.Yossariancan'tcontrolhisowndestinyhere,sodoctorsputhimundergeneralanesthesiaanddowhatevertheywant.Milo’smonopolyspreadallovertheworld,sohewaspopulareverywhere,forhebroughtScotchtoSicily,andhebecamemayorofPalermoandnearbycities;ForbringingtheeggtradetoMalta,hewasknightedandmadelieutenantgovernor;HewasalsoaninfluentialfigureinOran,Baghdad,Damascus,Arabiaandelsewhere.EverywhereMilowent,peoplepraisedhim.Unmoralandself-serving,Miloistheperfectexampleofcapitalism,goodatservingitselfattheexpenseofothers.TherewasnomarketforthecottonhehadboughtinEgyptanditwasonthevergeofbankruptcy,soMilomadechocolatemarshmallowcandies,whichwerecoveredwithrealcotton,forthesoldiersinhissquadrontoeat.Miloeventookapairofcarbondioxideinflationcylinderfromthelifejacket’sinflatablechambertomakestrawberryandcrushedpineappleicecreamsodafortheofficers’mess,leavingsoldierswithoutlifejackets;Miloalsostealsthemorphineneedlesfromthemedicinecabinet,preventingYossarianfromrelievingthepainoftheshotSnowden.InMilo’seyes,nothingismoreimportantthanmoney,andhecanputotherpeople’slivesatriskforprofit.Similarly,inMilo’sconception,thereisnostate,sohecanabandonitforprofit.ThefamilyofWarrantOfficerWhiteyHalfordhadspecialpowers.Theyhadanaturalaffinitywiththeoilmines.Everytimetheysetupatent,theoilmenwereabletodrillanoilwellinthatplace.CorporalSnucksmasheduphundredsofbarsofmilitarysoapandmixedthemintothesweetpotatoes,justtoprovethatthesquadronwasaPhilistinewhodidn’tknowthedifferencebetweengoodandbad,butevenaftereatingafullplateofsuchfood,thesoldiersclamoredformore.Heller’stongue-in-cheekportrayalofaworldofabsurdity,wherepeopleandeventsareunconventional,absurdandincomprehensible,andwherehisownexperiencesintheSecondworldwararebroughttolight.Hellernotonlywrotetheabsurdityofwar,butalsohighlightedtheabsurdityofthisworld.IntermsofitsBlackHumor,Catch-22hasaverydifferentnarrativestrategy:Insteadofalinearplot,ittakesanasymmetricapproach,resultinginaparadoxicallogicthatmakesitdifficultforthereadertofindthedirectionoftheplot.Atthebeginningofthenovel,theauthor’snarrativebeginswiththisparadoxicalway:Yossarianishospitalizedbecauseofliverdisease,butthedoctorcan’tdetectjaundice,sohecan’ttreatit.Ifhedevelopsjaundiceandtheliverpaindisappears,thehospitalcandischargehim.Infact,evenYossarian’sliverpainhaddisappeared,buthehadnotsaidso,andthedoctordidnotsuspect.Thedoctorsuspectedthathehadalreadydefecatedandhadnottoldanyone.Dunbar’swayofextendinglifespanistocultivateboredom.ColonelCathcartwassentbytheFlyingBattalionCommandtostopthequestions.Heestablishedtheruleforthetrainingclassthat“onlythosewhohaveneveraskedquestionsareallowedtoaskquestions.”WhenClevinger,indictedforconspiringagainstcadetofficersappointedbyLieutenantSchaiskopf,wasbroughttotrial,“thefactsofthechargesagainstClevingerwereveryclear,buttheonlythingmissingwaswhathewasaccusedof.”Planecrash,didnotboardthisplanedoctorDanicawasonthelistofthedead,Mrs.Danicabecameawidow,butshegotisanumberofpenbecauseofthedeathofherhusbandandhergirlfriendhusbandtoherflirtation,andatthistime,Danicacanonlyrelyonthecharityofotherstoliveandnotappearinpublic,otherwisewillbecrematedonthespot.Ontherelationshipbetweengoodandevil,theprotectivereasoningthatthechaplainhaslearnedisevilasgood,rumorastruth,impotenceasabstinence,arroganceasmodesty,robberyascharity,theftascourtesy,blasphemyaswisdom,andbarbarismaspatriotism.Thearmy’scentralizedclasscolludedwithMilo,thecafeteriaadministratoroftheflyingbrigade,andsetupM&McompanyundertheguiseofPatriotism.Theyevenusedmilitaryaircrafttodointernationalspeculation,andtheywerecaughtonthespotrobbingtheircompatriots.Theresultisanunprecedentedlevelofpopularity.Thesearejustafewexamplesofthenovel’sdarkhumor.Infact,thisdarkhumorrunsthroughthewholenovel.Theasymmetricparadoxmakesitimpossibleforreaderstoformtheforward-lookingdevelopmentofthestory,sotheycannotpredicttheendingofthestory,whichmakestheuncertaintyofpostmodernliteraturereflectedagain.3.2EmbodiedinIrony3.2.1IronyofWarTheCatch-22saysthatasoldiercan’tstopuntilhehascompletedaspecifiedtask.ButtheCatch-22statesthatatalltimesyoumustcarryouttheordersofyourcommander,andevenafteryouhavecompletedthecolonel’sassignment,whenthecolonelasksyoutodoitagain,youmustcontinuetodoit.Otherwise,you’reguiltyofdisobeyingthecolonel,andyou’reinviolationofCatch-22.ThesourceoftheabsurdityistheCatch-22rulethatonlyaderangedlunaticcanbeallowedtostopamission.Butcanamentallyillpersonasktoleave,unlessheisanormalperson,isalogicalparadoxoutofwhichthereisnoescape.Officershavehijackedthegoodlifeofsoldierswithacatch-22,banishingthetimeofrelaxationandrestintheirlivesandmakingitakindofappendage.Catch-22takesthesoulsofsoldiersandturnsthemintoslavery.ThisisthetruefaceofCatch-22.3.2.2SatireontheDesireforPowerandProfitByCatch-22,theauthormercilesslyridiculesthebureaucracyandignoranceoftheAmericanmilitaryandshowstheabsurdlivingconditionsofmodernpeopleandthecruelabsurdityofthewarmachine,thusreflectingtheabsurdityoftheworld.Throughthenoisy,wildandchaoticatmosphere,throughthecold,humorousandcomicstylesatire.wecanrecognizeaserioustheme:intheactualsocietyoftheUnitedStates,thereisCatch-22everywhere,atyrannyandbrutalitythatmakespeoplelaughandaridiculing,torturing,andinescapableabsurdities.3.2.3IronyofChaosNovelsoftenfeatureonepersoncallinganotherperson“crazy.”Yossarianevensaidthattheofficersweremad,thattheywantedhimtodie;However,theofficersbelievedthatYossarian’sheadwasbroken,becausehewasnotsatisfiedwitheverything,andfanciedthatallasaneyoungmanlikehimselfcoulddowastomaintainhimselfinthemidstofchaosandabsurdity.Yossarianwasalsocalled“crazy”bymanybecauseofhisreluctancetoflymissions.Dr.DanicacalledORR“crazy”because“hecheateddeathsomanytimes,andhekeptflyingandfighting,andhe'dbecrazyifhewasn’t.”Who’ssaneandwho’scrazy?Inthesetwocompletelyoppositeconcepts,acrazysocietyofconfusingandconfusingideasispresented.Ironymixesrealityandfantasy,andvividlyexpressestheabsurdityandanomalyofmodernsociety.Throughthisnovel,JosephHellerbringshisvisionofAmericansocietytothereaders’eyes.Thissocietyisinakindoforganizedchaos,akindofinstitutionalizedmadness,andeverythinginthissocietyissubjectonlytotheabsurdlogicoftheCatch-22.

ChapterFourThePracticalSignificanceofBlackHumor4.1DesperateResistanceYossarianwasfurious,alittlemanwhowasbeingmanipulatedbybigpeople,sohepretendedtobesickagainandagainandwenttothehospital,becausehefoundthatitwastheonlyplacetotakerefuge.Intheend,hechoseanotherwayout,decidedtoabandonthearmyandfleetoneutralSweden,abandonedthecontrolofthearmyasadehumanizingcoldmachine,rejectedCatch-22,andfoughtforhisfuture.Inreality,thereareoftensuchpeopleorsystems,inthenameofnobilityandCatch-22,abusethegoodwillofothersfortheirownpersonalgain.But,likeYossarian,fewhavethecouragetocomeforward.JosephHelleralsohadthistosayaboutthisphenomenon:Everyvictimisacriminal,everyperpetratorisavictim,andsomeoneatsomepointhastostepforwardandtrytobreakthehatefulchainthatendangersthetraditionsofall.4.2FreeChoiceTheconceptoffreechoiceisthecoreofSartre’sexistentialism.Hethoughttheworldwasabsurd,butindividualfreedomofchoicewasmoreimportant.Ashumanbeings,weshouldnotonlyfacetheabsurdworldbravely,butalsoobtainvaluableselfthroughfreechoice,whichisthepositivesignificanceofexistentialism.Ofcourse,Sartre’sFreeChoicedoesnotmeanthatonecanmakeanychoicewithoutconsequenceorconsiderationofothers’interests,butthatonceonemakesachoice,onemustbearalltheresponsibilitiesbelongingtohimself.IfYossarianandhismenresist,ColonelCathcartandhismenwillsay,“Won’tyoufightforyourcountry?”[1]714Yossariansaid,“WhatdoesColonelCathcarthavetodowithmycountry?You'renotthesamething.”[1]714ButColonelCathcartreplied:“Youeitherfightforusoragainstus(againstyourcountry),thereisnootherchoice.”[1]714Thegeneralsbelievedthattheyoungsoldierswhotookordersfromhimshouldbewillingtolaydowntheirlivesfortheideals,ambitions,andpersonalqualitiesoftheoldersoldierswhotookordersfromhim.Anurseinthebooksays:“YourlegbelongstotheUnitedStatesgovernment.Itisnodifferentfromapieceofequipmentorabedpan.TheYou.s.Armyhasspentalotofmoneymakingyouapilot.It’sallevidenceofthesoldiers’inabilitytomakefreechoices.”[1]1059However,inordertosurviveandescapetheabsurdworlddescribedinCatch-22,soldiersmusthavethecouragetomakefreechoicesandassumetheirresponsibilities.Onlyinthiswaycanwerealizeourtrueself.Yossarian,theheroofthenovel,madeafreechoiceafterseeingthroughtheabsurdnatureoftheworld,andbravelytookresponsibilityforhimselfandothers.Yossarian’sincreasingnumberofflightswiththesquadronmadehimconstantlywonderhowtogethome.Thepressureofthehigh-pressureenvironmentkeptYossarianinahighstateofmentaltension,healwaysfeltthatsomeonewastryingtokillhim.InYossarian’smind,thepeoplearoundhimwerecrazy,andhewassurroundedbymadness,sohehadtobeonthealerttoavoidbeinghurt.Unlikeotherswhowantedtomakeadifference,Yossarianwasdeterminedthattolivealonglife,hecouldnotdieinthestruggletosurvive.Hisonlyrequirementwastolive.Yossarianwasnotwillingtobeavictimofhiscircumstancesinthisdirtywar,andhissobrietyisolatedhimfromthecrowd.Inordertosurvive,Yossariantookvariousmeasurestoavoidflying,includingfakingillnessandgoingtothehospital;PlanningthemurderofColonelCathcart;MovethebombinglinesinBologna;Puttinglaundrysoapinthefood,causingdiarrheaintheentiresquadron,delayingbombingmissions,etc.Yossarianthoughtrationallyandfoughtbravelyagainstabsurdcircumstances.Hechosetopretendtobeinsaneandwanderaroundthebarracksnaked,refusingtoflybombingmissionsorderedbyhissuperiors.Tosettlethecontroversy,ColonelCathcartandLieutenantColonelCohenconspiretosendYossarianhome,butthereisacatch.ItisCatch-22.Yossarianwouldaccepttheirdemandsandspeakwellofthemwhereverandwhenevertheywanted;Orhe’llbecourt-marshalandstandtrial.ButYossarianrefusedtogoalongwiththemandmadetheethicalandresponsiblechoice.Finally,inspiredbyAuer,hefledtoSweden.Inthefaceofabsurdsituations,Yossarianconstantlymadefreechoicesandtriedtofightagainstthem,whilehealsotookresponsibilityforotherswhenmakingchoices,whichistheembodimentofSartre'sviewoffreechoice.4.3ThePursuitofPeaceandLoveDeathisthesubjectofanotherpartofthebook.OneofYossarian’snewcomradeswaskilledinabombingmissiontwohoursafterarrivingatthetenttounpackhisbelongings.ThereisalsotherecurringSnowden,whowashitbyacannonball.Yossarianrunstothetailoftheplane.HeputsatourniquetonSnowden’sinjuredleg,feedshimaspirinandappliessulfanilamidepowder.Theoriginaltextsaysthis：“Heopenedthesnapofthebulletproofvestandscreamedwildly.Snowden’sentrailspouredout,slidontothedeckandpiledupapileofthem,andtheywerestillflowingout.Athreeinchpieceofshrapnelshotrightunderhisotherarmandwentthrough,blastingahugeholeinhisribs,bringingoutallthemiscellaneousthingsinhisstomach...liver,lungs,kidneys,ribs,stomach,andsomestewedtomatoesSnowdenhadforlunchthatday.”[1]1538Snowden,ontheotherhand,keptrepeatingonewor