Literary irony.. Is Snowden.... Yossarian
I thought it was ironic when one of my favorite books hauntingly came back.
In Catch-22 the author introduces to the main character Yossarian as a soldier in World War II.
Throughout the novel, Yossarian's main concern is the idea that people are trying to kill him, either directly (by attacking his plane) or indirectly (by forcing him to fly missions), and he goes to great lengths to stay alive.
His relationship with the enlisted gunner Snowden is vivid and is the book's emotional center. When Snowden gets injured over Avignon, it is Yossarian who tries to help him, only to watch him die a revolting death.
Snowden is a member of Yossarian's flight during a mission, and acts as catalyst for the fundamental change in Yossarian's mentality and outlook
The experience on the plane dramatically changes Yossarian's attitude towards life. He looks only to protect his own life and, to a lesser extent, the lives of his close friends. Yossarian turns against the military and refuses to wear a uniform, his justification being he simply "doesn't want to,"
Catch 22
"In the Catch-22 of a closed repertoire, only music that is already familiar is thought to deserve familiarity"
(Joseph McLennan).
I thought I'd share since the book is from 1961 and had a big influence on the youth of my time against the Vietnam War
