How It All Goes Down
Catch-22 follows Captain John Yossarian in his exploits as a bombardier (that is, a member of a fighter plane crew that is in charge of aiming and releasing bombs) in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. Yossarian has one wish: to survive the madness of war. He's convinced that everyone is trying to kill him, which is understandable seeing as how he's fighting in a war, where everyone really is trying to kill one another. Yossarian has to survive the dangerous combat missions he flies, while Colonel Cathcart continues to increase the number of missions his men must complete.
The novel does not flow in chronological order, but instead involves frequent flashbacks. Sound confusing? That's the idea—so is war. The first part concentrates on the narrative present, the second part on the Great Big Siege of Bologna, the third part returns to the present, the fourth part centers on Milo's actions, and finally on Yossarian's escape from the military.
Many of Yossarian's actions are either in response to the death of a fellow soldier, or as a tactic to avoid flying dangerous missions. The Air Force administration's actions, on the contrary, are based on improving the ranks of the individual officers or making America look good in the war. The result? An awesome story about one man's struggle to stay sane (and alive) in the face of unfathomable danger and cold bureaucratic insensitivity. Will he make it out in one piece? Read on to find out...