"Catch-22" by Joseph Heller - what is the significance of the title?

Question

I know what a "Catch-22" situation is - but does anyone know WHY these situations are referred to by this obscure name? Is there anything in the book that explains the orgin of this term?

Thanks for all your answers - please note that I KNOW what a Catch-22 situation is. I would like to know WHY the term "Catch-22" is used to REFER to these situations!

Answer 1

Alright, let's see if I can answer your question more concisely...

Within the book, the main character (Captain John Yossarian) refers to a military rule called the "Catch-22". Basically a pilot could be grounded from flying missions if the military deemed a pilot crazy. However according to the rule, only a rational mind would be concerned for one's safety in the face of danger. Therefore, there is absolutely no way to for a pilot to become grounded, whether the pilot was sane or insane. The author sums it up best: "If he flew [the missions] he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to."

As for how the author of the book (Joseph Heller) came up with the name of the rule, a magazine excerpt from the novel was originally published as "Catch-18". But Heller's publisher requested that he change the title of the novel to "Catch-22", since it might be confused with another World War II novel that was recently published called "Mila 18". Also, the book was allegedly refused by 22 publishers, hence the reason "22" was chosen for the renaming, rather than another number.

Answer 2

Catch-22 refers to a rule for getting discharged from the military. Bascially, in the book, it says that for a soldier to be removed from flight duty, the doctor must say that the person is insane. However it also says that any sane person would not want to be on flight duty. So basically if you want to get off of flight duty because you are insane, it means that you are sane, so you can't be exempted. The term came from the book.

Answer 3

It implies that there is "always a catch" to a rule that allows you to get out of doing something. And that there is a whole list of those "catches", No. 22 being the one about pilots being grounded as described by others here. It's a joke, because, of course there is no official set of "catches" to the rules. A grim joke, but still a joke.

Answer 4

In the book our hero is placed in a situation where he has to keep flying more missions in a war before he can go home. He can get out of flying the missions if he's declared crazy, but because he doesn't want to do the missions, he's clearly not crazy, so he has to keep going up. No matter what the poor shmuck does, there's no way he can get out of it. It's complicated. Read the book and it will make more sense. (It's a good read, if somewhat odd.)

Answer 5

Catch-22 describes a double bind - between a rock and a hard place being in a self contradictory position. It describes a paradox like: This sentence is false.

Answer 6

unlike MOST of the answers sent...I read your question completely and understood what you were asking. You were very precise in your question even mentioning that you knew what a "Catch-22" situation is...I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION...I just thought I would let you know that there are people who read these questions BEFORE spouting off an answer!!! Hope you get your answer...let me know if you do ok???

Answer 7

maximum folk of the names i take advantage of haven't any magnitude; I merely %. them at random from names i think of the mothers and dads could have named them. the only cases characters have significant names are while the characters call themselves by names of their very own selecting.

Answer 8

In a nutshell that life is a ' no win scenario. ' From a higher perspective;

" The heart of the sons of men is full of madness. "