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Catch 22

" In order to be grounded you must be crazy, but if you ask to be grounded, you must not be crazy anymore, so you have to continue flying"(Heller 40). This is the justification of what a catch-22 is. Insane behavior and the fight for freedom are both acts, which transpire in Catch 22. Yossarian, a squadron captain is in World War II flying a plane and fighting for his country. Though trying to get out, he knows there is only one way, and that would only get him "away" from all of the terror. This brings the reader to the theme of the play, escape. "Insanity is the only sane way to deal with an insane situation"(Heller 78). Joseph Heller's Catch-22 explains an insight of which a paradox providing no way out of conflict is overcome and in the end, defeated.

Throughout the novel several passages express the idea of escape and the eagerness to do so. With almost no way to get out of the war completely, Yossarian knew of a temporary way out. Pretending he still had liver problems, he was able to stay in a ward along with truly insane people. Yossarian is aware this is not the best place to be, nor does it have the most caring people there to help you, or even any sane people around, but it is away from the war.
"I'm dead, serious about those other wards; M.P.'s won't protect you, because they're craziest of all. I'd go with you myself, but I'm scared stiff. Insanity is contagious. This is the only sane ward in the whole hospital. Everybody is crazy but us. This is probably the only sane ward in the whole world for that matter"(Heller 8).

Other examples of escape also showed up in several different characters. From a man named Hungrey Joe, who completed his 50 missions and was ready to go home, to a Doctor who did not want to be there in the first place but had to. No one was happy. Doctor Daneeka states,
" I had it made, I tell you. Fifty grand a year I was knocking down, and almost all of it tax-free, since I made my customers pay me in cash....