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run. This series is what Yossarian is describing when he says he feels "dulled, lured, trapped." Very often, this device ends in an anti-climax, as it does here as Orr, who ditched his plane in the last chapter, only crash-lands it in this one. |
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With regard to Orr, note, in order, Aarfy's idea of what happened to Orr, what we expect from the last chapter, and the somewhat ambiguous actuality of Orr's "landing." And note, too, how, swept up in the prevailing sentiment, Yossarian refers to him as a "buck-toothed rat," keeping in mind how "rat" and ''mouse" are used as metaphors. |
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There is one further thing of importance here: the growing frustration between the "men" and the "leaders" has become increasingly evident as an internal frustration as well, as we see exhibited in the quarrel between Aarfy and Yossarian during the run. Yossarian's control of the plane, however, is not part of this pattern. During the bomb runs, including the approach, the bombs away, and the "retreat," the bombardier is in control of the plane; thus, we have Yossarian's orders to McWatt, as we have seen before. |
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Chapter sixteen takes off from Yossarian's decision in chapter fifteen to go to Rome. Part of the irony of the chapter, as we might expect, is that the leave offers Yossarian no rest at all. |
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In its way, chapter sixteen is the start of one more phase of the novel and, therefore, takes up once again the confusion between love and sex we noted close to the beginning. Here, Yossarian is "in love," but with almost any and every girl he sees. First there is Luciana, then the girl with Aarfy, then the maid "in the lime-colored panties." We discover that Yossarian really is in love — with sex and, even more, with escape. Thus, frustrated by the news that the number of missions has been raised again (this time to 40), he runs to the hospital, now firmly established as an asylum or sanctuary, just as, thwarted in his efforts to find Luciana, he ran to the maid. |
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In contrast to the light, bantering conversations in this chapter, comic in their circular course, Yossarian is callous, confused, and terrified. Yossarian tears up the slip with Luciana's address, true to her prediction, only to regret it later. Parallel to this, Hungry Joe, allied with Yossarian by their joint condemnation of Aarfy, so loses track of himself that he even tries his "heap big photographer" line on Luciana. |
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Note, however, that Yossarian is beginning to be able to catch sight of himself in others' eyes, and his desperation is due, in part, to what he is beginning to see. |
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