Study Questions &
Essay Topics
Study Questions
1. Throughout
the novel, the idea of Catch-
22 is explained in
a number of ways. What are some of them? Do any of them represent
the real Catch-
22, or are they all simply examples
of a larger abstract idea? If Catch-
22 is
an abstract concept, which explanation comes closest to it?
2. Discuss Milo.
Does the fact that he seems to exist outside military authority
make him a positive figure or a negative one?
3. What role do
women play in
Catch-22?
Suggested Essay Topics
1. Think about chronology in
the novel. How does the disordered, tangential presentation of events
affect the flow of the story? What devices does Heller employ to
allow the reader to piece together the order of events? What kind
of unified narrative, if any, ultimately emerges? What does this portrayal
say about the idea of time in Catch-22?
2. Discuss the chaplain. How
does his religious faith develop and change as the story progresses?
What does his timidity say about the power of moral absolutes in
the world of the military? What is the significance of his sensation
of déjà vu?
3. Think about the novel's use
of setting and scene. What effect do the rapid shifts between the
base and the hospital, or between Pianosa and Rome, have on the
presentation of the story? What does each location seem to represent?
4. What does Snowden's death
mean to Yossarian?
5. How does Catch-22 differ
from other war stories?
