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Now Yossarian has refused to fly, and his decision is contagious. Soon he is overwhelmed with compatriots who are taking a new interest in him. And Appleby's reference to his heroism is now true: he has finally behaved heroically, with some idea of the consequences to him but also with a disregard for himself. Suddenly he is made aware of a human bond "he had not guessed." His new-found conviction is changing his perception of the world, the major theme of the novel. |
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As evidence of this we have the subtle touch that the squadron is still referred to as Dunbar's even though Dunbar has "disappeared." But more directly we have the new revelations which appear during his conversations. First, with Appleby, it is driven home that the reality of death orders our sense of proportion: "Now that he's dead, I guess it doesn't matter any more whether I'm a better ping-pong player or not." And, having already seen the impact of death on human lives and relationships (Nately's whore), it comes as no surprise that an awareness of death is a potent spiritual force. |
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Second, with Havermeyer we find what really "forces" these men to acquiesce: "You get five hundred dollars a year if you stay in the reserves." That is, they are motivated only by their own paltriness and materialistic urges. And this is pointed up by the fact that Yossarian's decision and its contagion have come too late to save Nately and his whore and his whore's kid sister. They perish because of his paltriness, thus the whore is a fitting image for his guilty conscience. And the image of their perishing is true to the disregard for the individual human life which paltriness abets; they are "flushed right out into the street." |
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Having found that the girls are on the streets, along with all humanity, Yossarian plunges into the streets, too. This plunge is characterized as an exercise of his freedom and independence, only words to most but realities to Yossarian. And Yossarian sees them as realities because he is willing to act. Having found himself a culprit and not just a victim, he now sees that this is universally true of mankind—true of all those who will not refuse to be either. |
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This same idea comes out in the visit to the old woman, as Yossarian realizes that Catch-22 doesn't really exist. It only exists so long as people, fearful for themselves as this old woman is fearful, allow might to make right—part of the real philosophy encountered in Catch-22. |
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Having learned this, the question arises as to whether Yossarian will be true to what he knows. How will Yossarian understand his new knowledge? Will he maintain his sense of possible triumph only by putting on rose-colored glasses? Or, will he allow a realistic view of his world to undermine that sense? |
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