Introducing 

Prezi AI.

Your new presentation assistant.

Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.

Loading content…
Loading…
Transcript

KEy Quotes

“He was going to live forever,

or die in the attempt.”

Captain John Yossarian

by: Jacob Plouse

“They're trying to kill me," Yossarian told him calmly.

No one's trying to kill you," Clevinger cried.

Then why are they shooting at me?" Yossarian asked.

They're shooting at everyone," Clevinger answered. "They're trying to kill everyone."

And what difference does that make?”

"Man was matter,

that was Snowden's secret."

Mirror, Mirror

To many people Yossarian appears insane as he questions the absurdity of the Catch-22. No others seem to notice the increasingly ridiculous demands of the higher military personnel , Milo says "If the Colonel says we have to fly fifty-five missions we have to fly." He says there is no sense complaining, and continues on, not giving the constant ridiculous demands a second thought. Although Yossarian appears to be insane to the other men, he is in reality the most sane of them all, as he is aware of the absurdity of the Catch-22 and the ridiculousness of the increasingly difficult requests from the higher command.

MOre Changes

Yossarian undergoes a major change when he witnesses the death of Snowden. The event complete changes his outlook on life, Witnessing this death makes Yossarian realize his own mortality, giving way to his new outlook of self-preservation.

Color Symbolism

Red represents a color of urgency. Yossarian always seems to have a sense of urgency about him, he wants to complete his missions, or get out of them, so he can complete his 50 missions and go home, so that he may succeed at his goal of not dying.

PEaks and Valleys

Yossarian has several low moments throughout the novel. One of the most major low moments of Yossarian's if when he finds the injured Snowden and attempts to assist him, but ends up dressing the wrong wound. "passing the first aid kit on the way that he had to return for-to treat Snowden for the wrong wound,"

One of Yossarian's highest moments is in his descision to back out on the deal with Colonel Cathcart, and to defy the Catch-22 and the the American Military machine, and instead escape to Sweden. He comments that he is not running away from his responsibility, but that his is running towards it.

Changes

Throughout the novel , Yossarian's goal of self-preservation undergoes some minor changes. It starts out with him only looking out for himself (feigning illness to get into the hospital) to him eventually caring about the rest of his squadron towards the end of the novel. Yossarian makes a deal with Colonel Cathcart, where he promised if they would let him return home if he would pretend that Cathcart was great, Yossarian at first doesn't want to do this, since he is the men's only hope for better treatment from the Colonel, he however agrees. Later Yossarian, in a final act of defiance against-the Colonel, the American military machine, and the Catch-22 that allows for the abuse- decides to escape to Sweden.

Motivation

Self-Preservation

Self-Preservation is the most prominent of Yossarian's

characteristics. His goal is to"live forever or die in the attempt". To achieve his goal he uses a number of strategies, such as his "liver pain" and moving the bomb line to postpone to mission to bologna.

Symbolism

When thinking of Yossarian and his conflicts of never being able to get enought missions complete and his struggle with the trauma of watching Snowden die, it brings to minds the mythological character of Sisyphus. Sisyphus was constantly trying to push a rock up a hill, however, every time he reached the top, the rock would fall back down. Much like this, every time Yossarian reaches the amount of missions needed to complete a tour, Colonel CathCart would raise the amount of required mission. "Yossarian winced. Colonel Cathcart had raised him again." This symbolism is also brought to mind when thinking of Yossarians conflict with the catch-22 a vague circular logic, that allows no real progress.

Conflict

The main conflict is the struggle between Yossarian and vague concept of the Catch-22, this conflict appears various times throughout the novel. It appears when Yossarian claims insanity to be discharged, but if he is asking to leave, he must be sane enough to stay. He once again encounters Catch-22 when Natley's prostitute is kicked out onto the street, and Yossarian wishes to know what right they had, to which and old woman replies, "Catch-22 says they have the right to do anything we can't stop them from doing."

Virtues

  • Paranoia
  • “They're trying to kill me," Yossarian told him calmly. No one's trying to kill you," Clevinger cried. Then why are they shooting at me?" Yossarian asked. They're shooting at everyone," Clevinger answered. "They're trying to kill everyone." "And what difference does that make?” Throughout this passage it is made clear the Yossarian believes "they" are out to get hime personally, he makes no distinction between himself and everyone, if they are shooting at everyone, they are shooting at him and that is all that matters.
Learn more about creating dynamic, engaging presentations with Prezi