Witnessing Death Causes Desire for Life in "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

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The novel Catch-22 by Joseph Heller is a satirical work of fiction about a man named Yossarian who is a B-25 bombardier in World War II. Although there are several life lessons in this book, there is one that stands out. This one is, “The more one witnesses death, the more one has the desire to stay alive.” In the case of Catch- 22, Yossarian supports this theme of life the best.

One example of how this lesson relates to Yossarian is the case of Snowden. It wasn’t until later in the book that we realize the impact that it really had on Yossarian and his perspective of life and death. But when reading up to that point the reader realizes that what he went through caused him to do things to evade death. It wasn’t long after Snowden dies that he had admitted himself to the hospital, under the knowledge that as long as he was there, he did not have to do more mission, which would result in risking his life for a system he did not believe in.

“He felt goose pimples clacking all over him as he gazed down despondently at the grim secret Snowden had spilled all over the messy floor. It w...

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