Unit16-Catch-22.ppt

1、Joseph Heller (1923-1999),an American satirical novelist, short story writer and playwright. He wrote the influential novel Catch-22 about American servicemen during World War II. Catch-22 is the archetypal example of black humor,Life story (1),Joseph Heller was born in Brooklyn in 1923. He served a

2、s an Air Force bombardier(投弹手） in World War II and enjoyed a long career as a writer and a teacher. His best-selling books include Something Happened, Good as Gold, Picture This, God Knows, and Closing Time, but his first novel, Catch-22, remains his most famous and acclaimed work. He died of a hear

3、t attack in December 1999.,Life story (2),The title of this work (Catch-22)entered the English lexicon to refer to absurd, no-win choices, particularly in situations in which the desired outcome of the choice is an impossibility, and regardless of choice, the same negative outcome is a certainty /an

4、y illogical or paradoxical problem or situation is widely regarded as one of the best post-World War II satirists.,Anti-war Black humor Serious Absurd “People go to fight wars because they dont understand the seriousness of what theyre doing. Joseph Heller,Thematic Concern,Institutionalized Absurdit

5、y of the Society Vs. Integrity of the Individual Anti-hero,Catch - 22,Catch-22,One of the most influential book in modern literature . Huge impact on popular culture and literary circles It introduced the post war world to the concept of Black Humor, also the archetypal example of black humor This b

6、ook also gives us the first true anti-hero.,Black Humor,It is a term applied to a large group of American novels beginning in the 1950s. Although the writers of black humor did not intentionally form a school or literary movement, there is in their novels a common core of satire which is directed ag

7、ainst hypocrisy, materialism, racial prejudice, and above all, the dehumanization of individual by a modern society.,Black Humor,In their opinion, the society is full of institutionalized absurdity. Therefore, all of them hold a cynical attitude toward society and the conventional moral values which

8、 support that society. This despondency is reflected in their novels, not by angry protest, but by the use of exaggeration as a vehicle for satire. The satire is based on the exposition and exaggeration of the abnormal and the seamy side of both people and society to the point of ridiculousness and

9、absurdity. It is humor out of despair and laughter out of tears.,Black Humor,In literature, drama, and film, grotesque or morbid humor used to express the absurdity, insensitivity, paradox, and cruelty of the modern world. Ordinary characters or situations are usually exaggerated far beyond the limi

10、ts of normal satire or irony. Black humor uses devices often associated with tragedy and is sometimes equated with tragic farce.,Black Humor,A kind of humor in which disturbing or sinister subjects such as death, disease, or warfare, are treated with bitter amusement, usually in a manner calculated

11、to offend and shock. It is strongly evident in modern American fiction from Nathanael Wests A Cool Million (1934) to Joseph Hellers Catch-22 (1961) and Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five (1969).,A central character in a dramatic or narrative work who lacks the quality of nobility and magnanimity exp

12、ected of traditional heroes and heroines in romances and epics. Unheroic characters of this kind have been an important feature of the Western novel, which has subjected heroism to parody since Cervantess Don Quixote (1605). Flauberts Emma Bovary (in Madame Bovary, 1857) and Joyces Leopold Bloom (in

13、 Ulysses, 1922) are outstanding examples of this antiheroic ordinariness and inadequacy.,Anti-hero,The anti-hero is also an important figure in modern drama, both in the theatre of the absurd and in the tragedies of Arthur Miller, notably Death of a Salesman (1949). In these days, as in many modern

14、novels, the protagonist is an ineffectual failure who succumbs to the pressure of circumstances. The anti-hero should not be confused with the antagonist or the villain.,Anti-hero,Catch-22-plot,It is about the story of Captain Joseph Yossarian and his attempt to avoid serving in World War II by feig

15、ning insanity. However, Yossarian is thwarted by the doctors argument that if he were truly mad then he would endanger his life and seek to fight more missions. On the other hand, if he were sane, then he would be capable to following orders to fight more missions. Thus the phrase catch-22 came to m

16、ean a proviso（限制性条款） that trips one up（绊倒） no matter which way one turns.,Catch-22,“There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for ones own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be gr

17、ounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didnt, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didnt have to; but if he didnt want to he wa

18、s sane and had to.,第二十二条军规,疯子才能获准免于飞行，但必须由本人提出申请； 同时又规定，凡能意识到飞行有危险而提出免飞申请的，属于头脑清醒着，应继续执行飞行任务。因为如果一个人真的神志不清，他会主动执行飞行任务，因此便没有人能获准免于飞行。 第二十二条军规还规定，飞行员飞满上级规定的次数就能回国，但它又说，你必须绝对服从命令，要不就不准回国。因此上级可以不断给飞行员增加飞行次数，而你不得违抗。如此反复，永无休止。,Catch-22-Characters,Yossarian Colonel Cathcart Milo Minderbinder Orr Chaplain A

19、. T. Tappman Dunbar Nately Snowden,Yossarian,The protagonist and hero of the novel. Yossarian is a captain in the Air Force and a lead bombardier（投弹手） in his squadron（空军中队）, but he hates the war. His powerful desire to live has led him to the conclusion that millions of people are trying to kill him

20、, and he has decided either to live forever or, ironically, die trying.,He avoids flying combat missions by all means possible: by moving the bomb line on the map of Italy preceding the Bologna mission, by poisoning the squadrons potatoes, by dismantling his intercom and ordering his plane to turn b

21、ack, and by feigning a liver condition to pass the time safely in the hospital.,Yossarian,Colonel Cathcart,The ambitious, unintelligent officer in charge of Yossarians squadron. Colonel Cathcart wants to be a general, and he tries to impress his superiors by bravely volunteering his men for dangerou

22、s combat duty whenever he gets the chance. As he tries to scheme his way ahead, he considers successful actions “feathers in his cap”（功绩） and unsuccessful ones “blackeyes.” （失败）,Milo Minderbinder,A fantastically powerful mess officer, Milo controls an international black-market syndicate（辛迪加 /财团） an

23、d is revered in obscure corners all over the world. He ruthlessly chases after profit and bombs his own men as part of a contract with Germany. Milo insists that everyone in the squadron will benefit from being part of the syndicate and that “everyone has a share.” He also takes his job as mess offi

24、cer very, very seriously; as a result, the troops in Yossarians division eat better than any others.,Orr,Yossarians often-maddening roommate. Orr is a gifted fix-it（故障检修员） man who is always constructing little improvements to the tent that he shares with Yossarian. He almost always crashes his plane

25、 or is shot down on combat missions, but he always manages to survive. He asks Yossarian to fly with him, but Yossarian refuses. Everyone things Orr is simple-minded because he stuffs his fat cheeks with apples. His pretend ignorance is actually a cover and the frequent crashes are really practice for his escape to Sweden. He wanted Yossarian to join him, but his roommate never took the hint.,Yossarian：anti-hero,The hero of Catch-22, bombardier Y