Register to read the introduction…
As Rivers comes into contact with other characters displaying symptoms of having been impacted by war, Barker is then able to follow individual cases fully exploring the lasting impression that war has left. This also allows her to provide a historical structure as Rivers has extensive knowledge about the war and particularly its psychological effects, which he communicates throughout the novel. Rivers then provides a historical structure in another sense. Inevitably, in war literature there is an element of realism due to historical basis, but Pat Barker emphasises this though intertextuality. She interviews historical context such as Rivers's character, who is drawn from Dr. W.H. Rivers who conducted experiments on nerve regeneration in the early twentieth century, integrating him with her fictional characters. The inspiration for Rivers came from her husband who was a neurologist familiar with Rivers's work. Indeed, the immediate inspiration for Regeneration came from Barker's husband. Barker then links directly with WWI through the use of famous persons or institutes associated with WWI such as Sassoon, Owen and
…show more content…
Heller completed his sixty missions and was awarded an Air Medal as well as a Presidential Unit Citation with his honourable discharge. 'Honour' and integrity feature heavily in Catch-22, as Heller reflects on the psychological and moral process upon those impacted by war. It is not as easy for those in Catch-22 to leave their service as it had been for Heller, particularly for Yossarian. Yossarian struggles throughout the novel to rid himself of his duties to his country and is finally presented an opportunity by Colonel Korn. Yossarian has refused to fly any more missions and the Officers are worried that others will follow his example, but if they send him home it will look like a reward. So Colonel Korn proposes that Yossarian be made a Major and sent home as a hero, (provided that Yossarian tells the other men how wonderful he generals are), or they will court-martial him. Yossarian initially thinks that it's 'a pretty scummy trick', as it's not really giving him any choice, to which Colonel Korn replies 'Odious'. Here Yossarian is faced with a moral dilemma; in order to save himself he might 'serve as an inspiration to them to fly more missions'. Yossarian caves, deciding that the others can stand up for themselves and agrees to
Heller completed his sixty missions and was awarded an Air Medal as well as a Presidential Unit Citation with his honourable discharge. 'Honour' and integrity feature heavily in Catch-22, as Heller reflects on the psychological and moral process upon those impacted by war. It is not as easy for those in Catch-22 to leave their service as it had been for Heller, particularly for Yossarian. Yossarian struggles throughout the novel to rid himself of his duties to his country and is finally presented an opportunity by Colonel Korn. Yossarian has refused to fly any more missions and the Officers are worried that others will follow his example, but if they send him home it will look like a reward. So Colonel Korn proposes that Yossarian be made a Major and sent home as a hero, (provided that Yossarian tells the other men how wonderful he generals are), or they will court-martial him. Yossarian initially thinks that it's 'a pretty scummy trick', as it's not really giving him any choice, to which Colonel Korn replies 'Odious'. Here Yossarian is faced with a moral dilemma; in order to save himself he might 'serve as an inspiration to them to fly more missions'. Yossarian caves, deciding that the others can stand up for themselves and agrees to