Essay on Lack of Meaning in Catch 22 -- Catch-22

Lack of Meaning in Catch 22 Most of what we say has no meaning. This idea is supported on either page of Joseph Hellers Catch 22. Almost every burst in the novel contains dialogue where the people speak aimlessly and extradite no explanation for why they are talking. Col atomic number 53l Cargill addresses his men by saying, Youre American officers. The officers of no other army in the world can practise that bid. Think about it. Even though the remark is true, it has no meaning. These typeface of random statements and dialogues occur throughout the whole book. Another situation when twain people speak without making any sense is when Clevinger is being questi sensationd. I didnt say you couldnt punish me, verbalize Clevinger. When? asked the colonel. When what, sir? Now youre asking me questions again. I am sorry, sir. Im afraid I dont understand your question. Later in the interrogation, the colonel is so twist in his conversation that he no longer wants to know when C levinger said that he could not be punished. He now wants to know when Clevinger did not say that he could not be punished. Clevinger quickly rebuts and states, I endlessly didnt say you couldnt punish me, sir. Finally, the colonel is satisfied with that answer even though Clevingers statement did not answer the question and has no meaning. Major Major a good deal spoke with a lack of meaning. He simply did not fetch sense. For instance, he told Sergeant Towser, his assistant, From now on, I dont want anyone to come in to specify me while Im here. According to this statement, when would anyone be able to see him if they could solitary(prenominal) go to his office when Major Major was out? When Appleby once went to see Major Major, he started to talk to Sergeant Tows... ...ent wave lengths. This is seen when Clevinger is being questioned. The colonel and Clevinger are thinking so differently at the time, that there is no mood they would be able to understand one another. Thi s book definitely makes one realize how difficult it is to communicate, the problems people have trying to understand one another, and realizing that sometimes what we say has no meaning. Works Cited Frank, Mike. Enos and Thanatos in Catch-22. contemporary literary Criticism. Ed. Roger Matuz. Vol.11. (77-87) Heller, Joseph. Catch-22. Detroit Gale, 1990. Kennard, Jean E. Joseph Heller At War with Absurdity. Contemporary Literary Criticism.(75-87) Ed. Roger Matuz. DetroitL Gale 1990. Pearson, Carol. Catch-22 & the Debasement of Language.Contemporary Literary Criticism. (277)Matuz . Detroit L Gale 1990.