Joseph Hellers Catch 22 and Joan Littlewoods Oh! What a Lovely War Essay Example for Free

Joseph monsters ginger nut 22 and Joan Littlewoods Oh What a amiable contend EssayCompargon the ways in which figures of authority argon confronted in Joseph dickenss appropriate 22 and Joan Littlewoods Oh What a Lovely warf are. some(prenominal) Catch 22 and Oh What a Lovely state of war are satiric comedies looking at the absurdity and tragedy of war. Being satires, they serve to expose the flaws in wartime situations and in doing so often develop criticisms of authoritative figures. Both texts approach the portrayal of authority in slightly several(predicate) ways being a play, Oh What a Lovely war has a lot more(prenominal) cranial orbit for portraying its characters visu all(prenominal)y and aurally, whereas Catch 22 moldiness work within its boundaries as a novel. Both texts employ humour to portray characters of authority whereas Littlewoods play is more foc utilize on dark humour, Heller uses his let brand of absurd irony throughout the novel this humour i s central to most techniques utilize in both pieces of literature.Both texts were written in the 1960s, (Catch 22 was published in 1961 whilst Littlewoods play was performed ii years later) an era synonymous with the develop handst of youth culture and radical change. Although Catch 22 was ab initio snubbed by many of its critics, the novel found its readership amongst the emerging generation of men and women who were fiercely opposed to the Vietnam war. Littlewood did non face the akin hostility in 1963 when Oh What a Lovely War was first shown to the public. Performed by the dramatic art Workshop a company she had co-created the play was warmly received by the audience and critics a the like. Despite their unalike reactions, both texts were on the cutting edge of anti-war sentiment and continue to be modern perfects.Although the texts focus on different wars and different thoughts (Littlewoods play explores World War One from a primarily British perspective and Hellers novel is an Ameri drop outlook on World War Two) their briny al-Qaidas are mistakable. Both texts are exploring the tragedy of war, the utter absurdity of it, the thirst for power and money war brings, and the ignorance of authoritative organisations. Figures of authority are numerous in both pieces, and do not only include the top(prenominal) ranks ( much(prenominal) as Generals, field of operations marshalls and Colonels) scarce also the representations of business and religious organisations, for they too can be viewed as having authoritative partings in society, especially in wartime.One technique used by both authors is a demonstration of the privation of communication between dominating powers. Littlewoods portrayal of the allied army leaders is very effective in signalling how inefficient they are at communicating with one some other. The french General Lanzerac and British Field marshal French do not even speak the same language, and Frenchs unwillingness to do so reveals the center futility and worthlessness of their meetingAide Do you sound off I ought to organise an interpreter?French Dont be ridiculous Wilson the essential problem at the moment is theutmost secretiveness.(p21)In this delineation the obsession with secrecy over commonsense negotiations shows us how inefficient the allied army authorities are, and the analogy of the different languages communicate serves to demonstrate the complete lack of communication amongst authoritative powers that hold the fate of thousands in their hands.In the same way, Catch 22 looks at the problem of communication within the speeding ranks. The call General Peckam receives from Ex P.C Wintergreen the sole words being T.S. Elliot(sic) has no hidden meaning merely is interpreted in an absurd way Perhaps its a new code or something, like the colors of the solar day. wherefore dont you check with Communications and see if its a new code or something or the colors of the day? (p45). This s entence also shows us some insight into General Peckams intellect, which doesnt seem to be substantial show by the repetition and imprecision of speech. Another example of these communicative difficulties is the case of study Major who receives documents to sign, which beget his signature already.The squabbling within the upper ranks is evident in both texts and serves to show us the pettiness and folly of figures of authority. There are many instances in Catch 22 where the Generals are engaged in sneak(a) tricks against one another. General Dreedles hatred of his son-in-law Colonel Moodus for example, inspires him to keep a beautiful nurse just to torment him with, and the extensive Loyalty Oath advertize1 is started by Captain Black in an attempt to avenge himself on Major Major (who gained the promotion Captain Black was waiting for). Similarly in Oh What a Lovely War, the Belgian, British and French army gloweringicials are at odds with one another.The Belgian army are i n a sorry state, the French are angry at the British, and the British refuse to believe they puddle any responsibility in the war Were not here under any obligation French persists in telling Lanzerac. The heated discussion only ends when Lanzerac is offered a medal on behalf of the King of England. This movement pleases the General, who kisses French on both cheeks and leaves, suggesting that the upper ranks of the army are only interested in cognition and promotion. This is a very powerful stamp in Catch 22, in which key characters such as Colonel Korn and Colonel Cathcart will do everything in their power to be promoted. Cathcart says of his ambition What else have we got to do? Everyone teaches us to direct to higher things. A general is higher than a colonel and a colonel is higher than a lieutenant colonel. So were both aspiring (p450).One of the most important aspects of both texts is how different the experience of war is for the upper ranks and the ordinary men. The in ability of authoritative figures to understand the realities of war and their cruel, seemingly deliberate ignorance in many situations is demo in a bend of key scenes. An important example of this in Oh What a Lovely War is on pages 50/51 where a domineering officer reveals his detachment from ordinary trench life, and his unknowingness of the death that surrounds the men every day Ye Gods Whats that? he asks the Lieutenant upon encountering a German limb that holds up the parapet, immediately telling the men to get rid of it as soon as possible. The Sergeants response reveals how clueless those in authority are to the brutalities of war Heads, trunks, blood all over the place, and all hes worried round is a damned leg.This warped, uninformed sense of priority and general detachment is evident in Catch 22, especially within Colonel Cathcarts storyline. Hellers novel is jumbled chronologically, but one dependable indication of time is the number of missions the men are forced to fly under Cathcarts orders, which steadily increases as the story progresses. What is simply a number for the colonel is a very real death threat to the men of his squadron, many of whom reach the ass just as the missions increase. Cathcart raises them for purely selfish reasons he hopes to gain recognition for his squadrons record and receive a promotion. The Colonels constant cry of Doesnt he know theres a war going on when Yossarian refuses to fly advertize missions is one of Hellers brilliant lines of absurd irony, as it relates directly to the figures of authority in the novel. They seem to be vie an fey game, unaware of how their actions affect the men they themselves dont realise theyre fighting a war.Other instances of differences between upper and lower rank men can be found in both texts. The final scene of Oh What a Lovely War portrays the men as lambs to the slaughter at the order of their glory-obsessed officer, and we find them shouting Baaa baaa baaa (p86) a s they advance towards the guns. In Catch 22 the Colonels are amazed that the ordinary men righteousness the same God as them, and after the revelation from the Chaplain refuse to believe it saying What nonsense Does he expect us to believe that? and Chaplain, arent you stretching things a bit far now?(p407).A noticeable aspect of both texts is the portrayal of other key figures of authority primarily those of big business and religion. Where Littlewood is bad critical of both, Heller holds some sympathy for his character the Chaplain (a representation of religion). Common to both writers is a beat back toward capitalists who exploit war for their own commercial gain. The munitions manufacturers in Oh What a Lovely War are introduced on stage as members of a shooting party, an ironic analogy highlighting the part they play in the destruction of so many small men. They discuss the peace scares that threaten their income, and congratulate one another for their inhuman schemes in money makingBritain German chappies were caught on their own barbed wire?.Dashed clever. (p46)In the same way, the character Milo Minderbinder in Catch 22 exposes the lack of morals and boundaries capitalism creates in wartime. His collaboration with the enemy goes unnoticed due to his profit-making, and he even ends up bombing his own men and planes as part of a German contract If I can persuade the Germans to pay me a thousand dollars for every plane I shoot down, why shouldnt I?(p273) he tells Yossarian. The forces of religious flavour in Littlewoods play are greeted with hostility as tools for the war propaganda machine, who support the war effort kind of than fighting for the rights of the soldiersChaplain it is no longer a sin to labour for war on the Sabbaththe Chief Rabbi has forgive your Jewish brethren from abstaining from pork in the trenches. (p77)Religion is portrayed in a slightly more kindly light in Hellers novel. The Chaplain is the only character who really con nects with Yossarian, and his efforts to help dissuade the Generals from raising the number of missions proves a real commitment and solidarity to the squadron. He is averted from the Officers Hall and treated disrespectfully by the Colonels, showing us that even Christianity is powerless in the face of such frighteningly stubborn authority.Another key theme of both texts is the portrayal of war as a game, or as something frivolous and light-hearted by those in authority. The very form of Oh What a Lovely War is as a musical show, with pains and dance. find out song titles include Ill make a man out of you and the grand finale overfly Oh its a cover girl war which paints the text as a Broadway extravaganza rather than a disk look at battle.This technique is very effective in creating a bitingly and attacking flavour towards authoritative powers especially considering the nature of the opening scene. In a circus like frenzy the MC brings on the players of the war game France , Germany, Austria, Ireland, Great Britain and Russia. This geomorphologic difference between the play and Catch 22 means that Oh What a Lovely War parodies authority more consistently. Littlewood constructed the play as a show, so the ability of characters in power to undermine the flagitiousness of war is endless.The War Game is a classic example of this, as is the grouse-shooting party which consists of munitions manufacturers from the key nations involved in war. Other techniques were available to Littlewood lyrically bitter songs and the use of slides as an accompaniment to the speech, which both served as attacking forces against the power of authority in the play. Examples of this can be found in song titles such as If the sergeant steals your rum and ironic lyrics like with our old commander, safely in the rear in the hymn Onward Christian Soldiers. The use of slides and the newspanel is used on many occasions as a reinforcement of the ignorance seen in authoritative men s uch as HaigNewspanel BY NOV 1916 TWO AND A HALF MILLION MEN KILLED ON WESTERN seeHaig I thank you, God the attack is a great success. (p78)They are also used comically to outline the stupidity of the GeneralsBritish Admiral Have you got a plan?British General Of course. splay 5 A blankBritish Admiral Yes, I thought so. (p6)In a structural sense, the techniques available to Heller with which to parody authority are much more limited. In a novel, all character representations are formed with literary descriptions and cannot rely on visual or aural back up like a play. His technique of storytelling is not as varied or spectacular as Littlewoods, but the effects of his bizarre plots are as successful in criticising authoritative powers as the use of slides and song in Oh What a Lovely War. Colonel Cathcarts bombing pattern is a sufficient example of this and bears comparison with the War Game approach by Littlewood. Disregarding the fact that men are risking their lives on the insan e bombardier missions they are forced to fly, Cathcarts sole concern is whether their bombs create an aesthetically pleasing pattern from the air We didnt get the link up he tells Milo whilst recalling a previous mission, but we did have a beautiful bomb pattern. I remember General Peckam commenting on it. (pThe episodic form of both texts may disrupt the sense of progression, but it is noticeable that the tone of both pieces of literature changes as they near completion. The bitterness towards authority increases, and humour is more often interspersed with moments of seriousness and tragedy. In Act Two of Littlewoods play, a moment of chaos reaches a serious climax with the juxtaposition of Haig and the British Generals telephone conversations against a background of men singing They were only playacting leapfrog. The two men speak simultaneously in broken sentences until Haigs final comment No, you must control the artillery we are using too many shells is uttered at the same time as the Generals last words, Night has fallen. The clouds are gathering. The men are lost somewhere in no mans land.This uncharacteristically sombre moment is shocking and serves to signpost the ignorance and inhumanity of Haig in times of crisis. In a similar way the absurd force of bureaucracy in Hellers novel borders on seriousness when Don Daneeka is record as killed and remains dead due to the power of paperwork. His presence in the novel is a tragic reminder of the madness of war, and his character becomes a living ghost, the sacks under his eyes turned hollow and black, and he padded through the shadows fruitlessly like an ubiquitous spookthen, only then, did he realize that, to all intents and purposes, he really was dead. (p366)The polishs of both texts leave the reader with a slightly different outlook of authority and war. Whereas Oh What a Lovely War finishes as it started, with a grand song in the traditional musical style, Catch 22 is much more subdued and underst ated. Both endings tell us something about the intention of the author, and of their mentation on the subject of war and authority. Littlewood wants to leave the audience feeling embittered and slightly outraged at the notion of the Great War as a show, in order to demonstrate the atrocities committed by those in authority against the ordinary men.The final songs Chanson de Craonne, I dont want to be a Soldier, And when they ask us, and Oh its a lovely war express both comic elements (Id rather stay at home and live off the earnings of a lady typist) and the tragic undertones that run throughout the play (I dont want a knife in my belly). Although these final songs are more preoccupied with the tragedy and futility of warfare, their tone is still bitter towards commanding powers such as the King and the Generals who promised them a lovely war, and described the life of a soldier as the cushiest job they would ever have.The cause of this great tragedy is clearly explained in Li ttlewoods play as a direct result of the ignorance and greed of commanding powers, in particular the European Empires and Haig, along with his circle of title-seeking aristocrats. at bottom the play there are other specific objects of blame firstly the British Generals, Field Marshall French, and the British Aristocracy. Other possible areas of criticism lie in the portrayal of religion, and of the capitalists who profited from the war. Oh What a Lovely War is a text very much favouring the ordinary soldiers, all of whom are represented as decent, kind-hearted, and merry young men. These soldiers are the victims of authoritative powers, they are the lambs going to slaughter, and the grouse at the shooting party. Littlewood is not wispy or subtle in her attack of the commanding men, and portrays them as idiots, fat cats and cowards. She intends to show us that they were the main cause of madness in wartime, and that these men of authority should be held to blame for the destructio n of a generation.The destination of Catch 22 is quite different, and ends with the spontaneous attempt by Yossarian to run away from the military base. Hellers ending is a very interesting final act of defiance for his character, against the powers of authority in the novel. Despite having an promiscuous route out of the air force a simple but dishonest deal with Colonel Cathcart and Colonel Korn Yossarian chooses to reject it. The presence of Natelys whore at the very end of the novel, who unsuccessfully tries to stab him, is perhaps an indicator that Yossarian is making the right choice in escaping from the madness and corruption of bureaucracy (the main authoritative force in Catch 22). The specific targeting of key characters is evident in Hellers novel as it was in Oh What a Lovely War, with the Colonels and Generals (Cathcart, Korn, Dreedle and Peckam among others) being the main hosts for criticism.However, I believe there is a difference between both texts regarding the role authoritative figures play in war. Whereas Littlewood shows us that the commanding men create the chaos due to their own callous stupidity, in Catch 22 the madness of war seems to be a character unto itself. Although the commanding officers are idiotic and dangerously selfish, this insane wartime logic affects most of the ordinary men except for Yossarian and the Chaplain. A good example of this is near the end of the novel when Aarfy one of the men in the squadron rapes and kills a young girl.wYossarians utter horror when he discovers the scene is elevated further with the arrival of the police, who arrest him for being in Rome without a pass, completely ignoring the dead body on the pavement. Aarfys explanation I hardly think theyre going to make too much of a fuss over one poor Italian servant girl, when so many thousands of lives are being lost every day seems to bear a lot of truth. The infuriating authority figures in this novel and the foolish stunts they are engaged in out to be more a product of war madness than a cause of it.Therefore, although both texts portray figures of authority in similar ways, their intentions are fundamentally different. Littlewood blames the commanding individuals and glorifies the men who were sacrificed under ridiculous orders. Heller looks beyond these small but powerful characters to a greater evil the madness of war and the insane chaos it creates in all Colonels, Generals, Capitalists and even ordinary soldiers.1 The Great Loyalty Oath Crusade was created to divert attention towards Captain Black and thus gain him a promotion the men must swear an oath of allegiance to get their pay from the finance officerto have their hair cut by the barbers. (p125)