Catch-22 Themes:

  1. a) We do things simply because we have chosen to. Doing them gives us a purpose.

    1. Chaplain-God-Wars
    2. Doctors
    3. Chess
    4. Major Major
    5. Parades
    6. Censoring Letters
    7. Orr-Apples / stove / crash
    8. DeCoverley

    b) Some values and priorities differ.

    1. Milo and Yossarian talk about fruit, money, getting well

  2. a) We give people titles and name positions to obscure their lack of purpose.

    1. Milo-corporal smart; first chief; moves up to administrative assistant

    b) We develop a system of beliefs that we need to help structure our thinking, but then we start believing our thoughts to be reality.

    1. 98.6 = normal
    2. Bologna line
    3. Le Page
    4. Great Loyalty Oath Crusade
    5. S.W.S.E.T.- we have to see our son before he dies

  3. We want to be independent, free thinkers; we want to be liked.

    1. Cathcart/Korn
    2. Havermeyer
    3. Appleby

  4. Sometimes we do things simply because we choose to, as opposed to it giving us a purpose.

    1. Orr
    2. Major Major's dad
    3. Appleby follows orders
    4. Orr's whore
    5. Milo and money

  5. Paperwork is more important than reality.

    1. Daneeka's
    2. Mudd
    3. Peckem awarded for bologna
    4. Washington Irving
    5. Major Major Major Major
    6. Bologna
    7. Great Oath Loyalty Crusade

  6. When someone takes away our purpose, we get angry.

    1. Orr's whore
    2. Nately's whore "uncle"
    3. Holden's whore
    4. Big Nurse and the bank TV

  7. Symbols are confused with reality (e.g. burning the flag, draftcards).

    1. Bologna bomb line
    2. General's uniform
    3. Dunbar & Yossarian into whore house

  8. Create a problem or a purpose, and then it becomes a problem and our purpose.

    1. Yossarian bombs the ocean twice
    2. Peckem's award
    3. Cathcart/Korn
    4. Major Major Major promoted

  9. Appearance is more important than substance.

    1. Scheisskopf
    2. Peckem
    3. Major ___________ DeCoverley

  10. If we don't make any decisions, they will be made for us.

    1. S-In-W
    2. S.W.S.E.T.
    3. Mudd
    4. Snowden - Yossarian

  11. a) If there are no regulations, we have chaos; we have to regulate everything. (Rules & Regs vs. Choice)

    b) We need rules, regs, policies, but more often than not, we follow the policy and stop thinking.

    1. Gus and Wes
    2. Doctors
    3. Great Loyalty Oath Crusade
    4. Alfalfa

  12. Principles to live by and die for- better dead than read!

    1. Nately's old man
    2. Chaplain

  13. We all want to have power and control but we have to live with others.

    1. Yossarian
    2. Cathcart
    3. Dreedle
    4. Peckem
    5. Whitcomb
    6. Mudd - Yossarian - Rommies