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Plot
The novel Catch-22 takes place on the fictional Island of Pianosa in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Italy in the closing month of WW II. Cpt. Yossrian the protagonist is a bombidier in Squadron of B-25 bombers based on the island lead by col. Cathcart. Told from the protagnist’s prespective. The story begins with Yossrian in a hospital where he meets Chaplin Tappman the good natured and kind Chaplin of Yossrians unit. After Yossrian gets out of the hospital he goes to see Doc Dennka the squadron doctor, asking him why he can’t ground him to get out of combat. Here we are first introduced to the concept of “Catch-22” Yossrians tells the doctor he is crazy and wants to be grounded, to which the docter agrees that he is crazy however when Yossrian asks him when he can’t be grounded since he is crazy the doctor explains that according to the logic of Catch-22 anyone who wants to get out of combat really isn’t crazy.

The second part of the book flashes back to a major raid on Bolognia, losses are heavy and all the while Col. Cathcart raises the required number of missions so that the men never go home. Milo Minderbinder a war-profitieering opertunitist founds M&M enterprises, a syndicate in which “Everybody has a share.” At first the synidcate is a small operation engaged in a egg trade. However as the story passes the synidcate’s dark side is revivled when Milo bombs the squadrons base and contracts both the Germans and the Americans.

Yossrian becomes increasingly disatifyed and after witnessing many of his friends being killed such as Natley, and Orr; 2 of his best friends. After flying 71 missions Yossrian simply refuses to fly any more and has lost all faith. Lt. col Korn and Col Cathcart however strike a deal with Yossrian saying that he can either “become our pals” and get sent home with honors and a promotion or face a court-martial. Yossrian choses the latter, however when disscussing the deal with the chaplin and Maj. Danby, after realizing the dispicable deal his made; decides to run away and desert the Airforce to go to Sweeden.

Recpetion
When catch-22 was first published, it recieved mainly posative but a few negative reviews It was considered “ Not even a good novel, but a strange novel” according to the New York Times in 1961. Positive critics hailed Catch-22 as a “ A wild, moving, shocking, hilarious, raging, exhilarating, giant roller-coaster of a ride” as said by Maurice Dolbier of the Herald Tribune. Considered to be “ one of the most bitterly funniest works in the english language” by critic Robert Brustein, Catch-22 was overall well recieved by critics.