Catch 22, written by Joseph heller, depicts the life of Captain John Yossarian, an American bombardier serving during World War II on a Mediterranean island, and his desperate attempt to survive. Joseph heller is a american writer who writes about political issues and injustices that plagued his generation. Serving as a bombardier in the U.S air force during World War II, Heller’s grievous and agonizing experiences were parallel to the events illustrated in the novel. The novel reveals the tragedies of war and humorously depicts the excruciating Scenes. Catch-22, written by Jospeh Heller, depicts the imperious military bueaucracy through the use of satire and symbolism.

    Catch-22 is a satirical depiction of absurdity of war and bureaucracy in World War II. The novel strips away from the glory of battle and uncovers people’s blind patriotism and excessive military praise. The narrator states, “Under Colonel Korn's rule, the only people permitted to ask questions were those who never did.” The high ranking officers such as Korn and Cathcart take advantage of their influential postion to pursue their personal gain of advancement in ranks, thus taking away democratic liberty of the lower ranking officers and fostering a relentless bureaucracy. Yossarian realizes that he is obeying to dictating men with authority who are exploiting and using people’s lives as pawns for their opulence. The men must risk their lives even when they know that their missions are useless and only for cathcart’s own advancement.

   The soldier in white symbolizes the inhumanity with which the bureaucracy treats the soldiers. In the hospital, Next to Yossarain was “the soldier in in white was sewn into the bandages over the insides of both elbows were zippered lips through which he was fed clear fluid from a clear jar.” The soldier in white is a bandage-wrapped, faceless and nameless body that lies in the hospital. The bureaucracy views its men as nameless liabilities rather than a distinct individual, but as anonymous dispensable liabilities. Furthermore, months after his death, he is replaced by another identical soldier in white and everyone assumes it is the same person. This uncovers how the army treats men as interchangeable items.

    In conclusion, Catch-22, written by Jospeh Heller, uses satire and symbolism to depict the imperious military bureaucracy. Catch-22 strips away from the glory of battle and mockingly protrays the agonizing sights of American society's corruption and hypocrisy. Heller has greatly influenced people’s ideas and perspectives on war by revealing the absurdity of war and bureaucracy.