Some novels or plays seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a novel or play and not briefly the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the techniques the author uses to influence the reader’s or the audiences views.
Joseph Heller uses “Catch 22” to help advocate for change in attitudes towards the bureaucracy of the military, the treatment of soldiers mental health, and the problems with punishment in the military.
Furthermore, one of the main issues that Heller believes is wrong is the bureaucracy of the military. In many instances in “Catch 22” the men are seen as nothing more than a means to an end by the higher ranking officers, who …show more content…
Aarfy’s murder and rape of the maid goes easily unpunished. Vivid scenes of cruelty that precede this scene help add to the overall theme of cruelty and humanity’s destructive nature. This incredibly violent act and the unrepentant and unashamed Aarfy’s dismissal of the maids death helps draw a sense of horror and repulsion from the reader, making the already atrocious act seem even more inhumane. The contrast between Yossarian’s reaction to the murder and Aarfy’s heartless actions shown in the quote “‘Aarfy are you insane… Not for killing her’,” (page 479) emphasizes the contrast between Yossarian’s belief in what is right and justice against Aarfy’s knowledge that he will get away with the crime. Aarfy’s dismissal of his punishment originally seems to show the reader his hidden darkness and insanity that is not first apparent from his actions and parallels Yossarian’s own mental difficulties which adds more evidence for the argument in the paragraph before however Aarfy is correct in his assumption he will remain unpunished. When the men come to arrest Yossarian for going AWOL in Rome without acknowledging Aarfy’s crimes as anything other than the ordinary, the reader feels appalled at the insane logic of the men and the cruelty they allow. The line “They apologized to Aarfy for intruding…” (Page 480), further heightens this sense of injustice, as not only do they ignore the murder of a young innocent, they punish Yossarian for a crime that is much less important and show sympathy towards the man who committed atrocities. This inequality helps prove Heller’s point that the system of punishment and prosecution needs to be improved as the men who take Yossarian away and intend to punish him, do not have the moral ideals the upholders of law should. This suggests that any
Joseph Heller uses “Catch 22” to help advocate for change in attitudes towards the bureaucracy of the military, the treatment of soldiers mental health, and the problems with punishment in the military.
Furthermore, one of the main issues that Heller believes is wrong is the bureaucracy of the military. In many instances in “Catch 22” the men are seen as nothing more than a means to an end by the higher ranking officers, who …show more content…
Aarfy’s murder and rape of the maid goes easily unpunished. Vivid scenes of cruelty that precede this scene help add to the overall theme of cruelty and humanity’s destructive nature. This incredibly violent act and the unrepentant and unashamed Aarfy’s dismissal of the maids death helps draw a sense of horror and repulsion from the reader, making the already atrocious act seem even more inhumane. The contrast between Yossarian’s reaction to the murder and Aarfy’s heartless actions shown in the quote “‘Aarfy are you insane… Not for killing her’,” (page 479) emphasizes the contrast between Yossarian’s belief in what is right and justice against Aarfy’s knowledge that he will get away with the crime. Aarfy’s dismissal of his punishment originally seems to show the reader his hidden darkness and insanity that is not first apparent from his actions and parallels Yossarian’s own mental difficulties which adds more evidence for the argument in the paragraph before however Aarfy is correct in his assumption he will remain unpunished. When the men come to arrest Yossarian for going AWOL in Rome without acknowledging Aarfy’s crimes as anything other than the ordinary, the reader feels appalled at the insane logic of the men and the cruelty they allow. The line “They apologized to Aarfy for intruding…” (Page 480), further heightens this sense of injustice, as not only do they ignore the murder of a young innocent, they punish Yossarian for a crime that is much less important and show sympathy towards the man who committed atrocities. This inequality helps prove Heller’s point that the system of punishment and prosecution needs to be improved as the men who take Yossarian away and intend to punish him, do not have the moral ideals the upholders of law should. This suggests that any