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Catch-22

A major major major major novel.

  • Course Length: 3 weeks
  • Course Type: Short Course
  • Category:
    • English
    • Literature
    • High School

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Catch-22 is 42 chapters of black humor, chocolate-covered cotton balls, dudes fist-fighting with cats, and some of the slickest wordplay around. As we read, laugh, and get super confused, we'll think about loads of Big Questions to find out why Catch-22 is considered a Great American Novel.

Through Common Core-aligned activities, guided readings, and loads of punny one-liners, you'll

  • learn to define and recognize the elements of satire.
  • discuss the tradition of the War Novel in mid-century America and think about how Catch-22 defied and changed this tradition.
  • analyze the purpose of non-linear narration.
  • close read the allusions Joseph Heller makes to everything from T.S. Eliot to William Shakespeare.
  • craft original arguments about sanity and insanity during wartime.

Plus so much more.

And at the very least, you'll finally learn what a Catch-22 is. Only you won't.

Here's a sneak peek at a video from the course. BYOP (bring your own popcorn).

Unit Breakdown

1 Catch-22 - Catch-22

In fifteen short lessons, you'll go from Catch-0 to Catch-22. Context will be key as we read our way through this classic war novel.


Sample Lesson - Introduction

Lesson 1.03: Power To The People

Power:

  • Major Major Major Major has it—and he doesn't want it at all. 
  • Colonel Scheisskopf has a little bit of it—and he's hungry for more. 
  • Milo Minderbinder uses it.
  • Yossarian is caught in it.
  • Doc Daneeka feels thwarted by it.

Power is one of those massive literary themes that crops up everywhere, from Shakespeare to Fifty Shades of Grey.

Our man Major Major Major Major in disguise, looking super duper sure of himself.
(Source)

Why? Because power means drama. The question "Who has power and who wants power?" is the gasoline that makes literature run. Think of any dramatic (or even slightly dramatic) work, and you'll find themes of power lurking in it. (Hello, Disney!)

But Catch-22 frames the question of power a little differently from most other works of literature. Since the book has a tendency to talk about what isn't happening instead of what is happening, one of Catch-22's major (major major major) discussions of power comes in the form of not wanting power.

In this lesson we'll look at that poor Henry Fonda lookalike, Major Major Major Major, and bummed out he is to be in a position of power.

 
 

Sample Lesson - Reading

Reading 1.1.03a: Chapters 7-9

Go ahead and read chapters 7-9 of Catch-22.

If you're feeling like jumping out of the window because the power gets too heady, please don't. We've got some help over at our chapter summaries.

Sample Lesson - Reading

Reading 1.1.03b: Power Trippy

Shakespeare wrote that "some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Exchange "greatness" for "power," and poor Major Major Major Major falls square into that last category.

A lot of people would roll their eyes at Major Major and say, "Hey guy, you have a cushy job and probably make more money than other men on Pianosa—what's your problem?" It's like Major Major is complaining about, say, owning a kitten that is just too dang adorable. Hard to pity, right?

Or is he?

Just something to think about as you continue to read.

Sample Lesson - Activity

Activity 1.03a: Re-Gifting

There's a pattern of Catch-22's characters' greatest gifts becoming their greatest burdens.

Clevinger, for example, seems to suffer as a result of his intelligence. The Texan from the first chapter "turns out to be good natured and likeable. In three days no one could stand him." The Texan is also a bigot, mind you, but it's because of these positive attributes that no one can stand him.

Hmmm.

Your task: explain how a character other than Major Major suffers as a result of their assets or gifts. We're looking for about 100 words for each answer.

  1. Paraphrasing Shakespeare again (when don't we paraphrase Shakespeare?):

    Is the character born with their gift? Do they achieve their gift? Or do they have their gift thrust upon them? How do you know?

  2. Is this character's suffering internal or external? That is, do they suffer because of moral/emotional upheaval within themselves as a result of their gift, or are they treated badly by others because of their gift? How do you know?

  3. How exactly do they suffer? In a book where basically everyone is sad or angry or has nightmares about something or other, how does the character you've chosen suffer specifically? Don't just say "they don't want to be on Pianosa during WWII" because...duh.

Sample Lesson - Activity

  1. Where did Yossarian train in cadet school?

  2. Who is Clevinger?

  3. What is Lieutenant Schiesskopft's obsession?

  4. Who does Yossarian sleep with in cadet school?

  5. What does the Action Board do?

  6. What name did Major Major's mother want him to be called?

  7. Who does Major Major look like?

  8. When is Major Major happy?

  9. Where does Major Major eat?

  10. How does Major Major sign his paperwork?