Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Grew up… in a world torn by war. Although Yossarian is still relatively young, he's already faced a lot in his 28 years: from the Great Depression to WWII, the world has been a dangerous place for the Assyrian since birth.
Visiting... Pianosa, Italy, in order to fight the Nazis. Objectively, it's a pretty place, but Yossarian finds it hard to appreciate the island's natural beauty when everyone around him is trying to kill him.
Profession… lead bomber, and not at all happy about it. Yossarian isn't bad at his job, but he's tired of shooting and getting shot at. Right now "his only mission each time he went up was to come down alive."
Interests… staying alive. After one too many bad missions, Yossarian has decided to "to live forever or die in the attempt." But with everyone from Hitler to military bureaucrats to angry prostitutes conspiring against him, the task's a lot harder than it sounds. When he's not trying to dodge death, Yossarian spends his time trying to forget about it by drinking, eating, and having sex.
Relationship Status… complicated. Yossarian meets Luciana during a visit to Rome, and while he would be glad to settle down, she's not keen on the idea. Well, at least Italy has plenty of prostitutes and alcohol.
Challenge… staying alive. Yossarian is stuck a war he wants no part of, and more than anything, he wants to go home. Unfortunately, getting a discharge is made impossible by the military's policy of Catch-22, which allows people to leave only if they're crazy. The catch? If you want to leave, then you can't be crazy.
Personality… cynical, paranoid, and more sensitive than he pretends. Antisocial and eternally grumpy, Yossarian's not exactly the friendliest person around, describing himself as "a crotchety old fogey of twenty-eight." But considering the fact that the people around him have a nasty habit of dying, Yossarian's reluctance to make friends is understandable.
Get to Know him in...
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A bombardier in World War II tries desperately to escape the insanity of the war. However, sometimes insanity is the only sane way cope with a crazy situation. Catch-22 is a parody of a "military mentality" and of a bureaucratic society in general.
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Set in Italy during World War II, this is the story of the incomparable, malingering bombardier, Yossarian, a hero who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy—it is his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to excuse himself from the perilous missions he's assigned, he'll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule: a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he makes a formal request to be removed from duty, he is proven sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved.
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Pianosa Island, Italy, World War II. Bombardier John Yossarian tries to fulfill his duty, maintain sanity and return home as soon as possible, but incompetence and bureaucracy constantly stand in his way.
