Closing

How is the futility and hypocrisy of war and bureaucracy explored by Joseph Heller and Francis Ford Coppola in Catch-22 and Apocalypse Now respectively? Catch-22 authored by Joseph Heller and Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Ford Coppola are critically considered two of the finest examples of contemporary anti-war literature and cinema, despite neither being explicitly against the concept of combat as such, but rather, both opposing the bureaucratic absurdity that war inevitably entails.…

Catch-22 Review and Insight Catch 22 is often a phrase used to describe difficult situations when frustration builds. Merriam Webster defines a catch 22 as “A difficult situation for which there is no easy or possible solution“ (Merriam-Webster). In the book Catch-22 many characters face these difficult situations as they fight in World War II under harsh command of their leaders. Catch-22 has been challenged many times throughout the years as most books have been but with with the topics…

Shirley Cards were used by photo labs to calibrate skin tone, shadows and light during the printing process of a picture (npr.com). Shirley cards date back to the mid- 1950s, when Kodak was the primary company for color film (npr.com). What would happen is a customer would bring in their film to a shop or lab and they would then print the pictures for them In order to maintain clean and precise photos, a Shirley Card would be used to eliminate anything out of the ordinary. So where did the name…

The novel Catch-22 tells the story of life at war, focusing on a solider named Yossarian. Throughout the novel, different characters and aspects of war are introduced that do not fit the “normal” image of a soldier. This satire conveys characters as being insane, while they are in truth the only sane people there. Joseph Heller redefines the word sanity through his satirical war novel. Yossarian's character embodies the stereotype of mental issues during wartime. The army sees Yossarian as a…

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller is a novel set during World War II on Pianosa, an island off the coast of Italy. Heller exhibits a type of writing style that features elements such as strange imagery, which was prevalent in the 20th century during the literary movement known as surrealism. He uses some specific techniques of this writing style, such as black humor and absurdity, to help make Catch-22 a refreshing and exciting novel.Throughout the novel, Yossarian, the protagonist, is an antihero to…

In the depths of World War II on a tiny Italian island called Pianosa, a squadron of United States air force bombers struggles to survive the war long enough to go home. Despite the differences in the colorful characters represented in the novel, there is a series of common desires among them, the most pertinent of which being the desire to stay alive, even if they die trying. Everyone in Catch-22 wants to make something of themselves, whether it is to seem intelligent, to become famous, or…

There is usually a fine line between humor and seriousness in most literature that Joseph Heller breaks in his novel Catch-22. Heller blends together comedy with frightening truths and criticisms about the military during World War II. Although there are many elements that contribute to the overall quality of the satire, the characters are the main focus and represent different elements of the military process. In particular, the absurdly named Major Major Major Major, who will be referred to as…

The main exposition in Catch-22 is Pianosa, a small island in the mediterranean sea. This is where Yossarian and his Squadron live and where most of the story takes place. When Heller first describes the island he says, “There was nothing funny about living like a bum in a tent in Pianosa between fat mountains behind him and a placid blue sea in front that could gulp down a person with a cramp in the twinkling of an eye and ship him back to shore three days later, all charges paid, bloated,…

Catch-22 is a satirical novel by Joseph Heller. The novel was published in 1961, and its setting takes place during World War II. The unique title, Catch-22, refers to an unsolvable puzzle in which a character is frustrated by a paradox situation that prohibits any attempt to break free from them. Catch-22 is often referenced as one of the greatest literary works of the twentieth century. The novel follows John Yossarian, an Air Force bombardier. It focuses on Yossarian and the other airmen, and…

Mockingbird, the scene that I have chosen is the scene where Atticus Finch gives his closing statement to the jury during the trial. This scene specifically is extraordinary in several ways. The scene is mostly all one shot, meaning that it was all recorded in one take. This enhances the scene because it gives Atticus Finch enough time to explain why Tom Robinson is innocent, and it kept the viewer focused on hearing the closing statement. I believe the director Robert Mulligan did this for that…