catch-22美國(guó)文學(xué)選讀

JosephHeller

(1923-1999)Catch-22BlackHumorDefinitionofthetermItusedtobeamilitarytermBecauseofJosephHeller’sCatch-22,ithasbecomeanEnglishidiom.Definition:animpossiblesituation;oneinwhichthesolutionorsuccessdependsonmutuallydependentfactors:AdependsonB;B,inturn,isdependentonA;soitisaninterlockingsituationinwhichthereisnowayout.

Anexample:job-huntingAnalysisofthetextGeneralSetting:inanAmericanarmycampontheislandofPianosa,RomeduringWorldWarⅡ.Minorsetting:yossarianrememberedSnowden’sdeathwhenhe(Yossarian)waswounded.BriefsummaryThenoveltellsastoryofapilotsoldierYossarianinWWⅡ.Histaskistoaccomplishacertainnumberofflyingmissions.ButhissuperiorkeepsraisingthenumberusingonemilitaryruleCatch-22.itmainlydescribeseveryefforttheprotagonistYossarianhasmadeforhisescapefromtheCatch-22andultimatelyfromthewar.Chapter41:hewaswoundedandthentreatedbytwofakedoctors.Whenthe“treatment”wasover,hewastoldhissuperiorwasgoingtomakehima“hero,andthisacknowledgementlethimrememberhiscomradeSnowden’sdeath.MainCharactersProtagonistYossarian:paranoid,thinkseveryoneistryingtokillhim(whichistrue);thinkseveryoneiscrazy;feelsguiltyaboutthedeathofSnowden,whichchangeshisviewofwar.AntagonistCathcart:colonelthatdesperatelywantedtobeageneral;unsureofhimself,wanttoimpresshissuperior-whichiswhyhekeepsraisingthenumberofthemissionsMinorcharactersSnowden-soldierwhodiesinYossarian'splane;whileYossarianwastreatinghimforminorlegwounds,Snowdenwasdyingoffatalchestwounds-Yossarianfeelsguiltybecauseifhehadknownabouttherealproblem,hethinkshecouldhavesavedSnowden'slife(chapter41).

MiloMinderbinder-messofficer;leaderofthesyndicate(blackmarket/undergroundbusinessdealings);willdoanythingforaprofit,evenbombhisownsquadron.Orr-sharestentwithYossarian,practicescrashingeverymission-eventuallycrashesandescapes.Nately–asoldierwhohadaloveaffairwithagirlbeforehisdeath.YossarianbrokethenewsofNately’sdeathtoher.Inviolentrage,shetriedtokllhim.Becauseofthis,Yossarianwaswounded(beginningofchapter41).ThethemePity-Thereaderhaspityforeachsoldiereverytimeheisafraidtogoonamission.Reality-Eachsoldierhastofacethefactthatthereisachancethathemaynevercomedownfromamissionalive.Hope-OrrhasaconstanthopeofcrashingsuccessfullyandescapingtoSweden.Sanity--Yossarianclaimsthatheistheonlysaneoneinthesquadronandeveryoneelseiscrazy.Friendship--Yossarian'sbondswiththeothermenareimportant.Confusion--AgreatdealofconfusioniscausedbytheuseofthetermCatch-22.Greed--TheMachiavellianphilosophy(theendjustifiesthemeans)ofCathcartandMilodemonstratesthistheme.Guilt--ThedeathofSnowdenplaguesYossarianthroughoutthewar.KeyissuesofthenovelConfusion---Catch-22;thewaritselfGreed---Cathcart’sgreedforpower;Milo’sgreedformoneyGuilt---Yossarian’ssenseofguiltyforSnowden’sdeathWritingtechniqueasatiricalfarce(Alightdramaticcompositionmarkedbybroadlysatiricalcomedyandimprobableplot),whichisararelyusedliteraryform.BlackhumorDefinitionofBlackhumorinliterature,drama,andfilm,grotesqueormorbidhumorusedtoexpresstheabsurdity,insensitivity,paradox,andcrueltyofthemodernworld.Ordinarycharactersorsituationsareusuallyexaggeratedfarbeyondthelimitsofnormalsatireorirony.Blackhumorusesdevicesoftenassociatedwithtragedyandissometimesequatedwithtragicfarce.ItseffectsThroughextremeironyandexaggeration,thewritermayexpresshis/herstronghatredandcontempttocruelreality.Showingwriter’s(narrator)anguishandpainBlackhumorinthetextTheunprofessionalconversationbetweenthetwo“doctors”Snowden’smurmuring(I’mcold,I’mcold)andYossarian’sresponse(there,there).QuotationofShakespeare’splays.DescriptionofSnowden’swound.lessons,moralsandapplicationsFromthethemesofconfusionandgreed,aswellasthemen'sexperienceswiththeideaofcatch-22,itisquiteplaintoseethatmenwithpowerwillkeeppower,andthosewithoutpowersuffertheconsequences.Asafamiliarquotesays,"Absolutepowercorruptsabsolutely."Yossarianlearnsthehardwaythatmenwithpowerhaveatendencytoabusetheirauthority.GuiltGuiltisavisiblethemeinHeller'snovel,butthereaderfindsthatguiltisnotalwaysneeded.Forexample,YossariancouldnothavehelpedSnowdeninhishourofneed,buthefeltguiltybecausehedidnotsavehislife.Itisonlyhumannaturetofeelguiltwhe