Essay on Social Commentary in Catch-22 -- Catch-22

Social Commentary in Catch-22      Ã‚  Ã‚   Life is filled with situations that are very difficult to find an escape. Even once in a while, life presents a situation that is beyond difficult, and completely impossible to escape from. These situations were expanded upon and brought to obvious light in Joseph Heller's novel, Catch-22. This novel was such a masterful work that the phrase, catch-22 came to be synonymous with the situations that Heller portrays in his novel. Set in the final months of World War II, Catch-22 tells the story of a bomber squadron on the mythical island of Pinosa, just off of Italy. The story is told through the eyes of Captain John Yossarian, one of the few sane men in the novel, who sees all of the impossible situations his squadron is placed in. "For Catch-22 is the unwritten loophole in every written law which empowers the authorities to revoke your rights whenever it suits their cruel whims; it is, in short, the principle of absolute evil in a malevolent, mechanical, and incompetent w orld. Because of Catch-22, justice is mocked, the innocent are victimized, and Yossarian's squadron is forced to fly more than double the number of missions prescribed by Air Force code" (Skreiner 1). The mops vivid examples of the paradoxes created by catch-22 come from the specific characters; Hungry Joe, Doc Daneeka, Orr, Milo Minderbinder, and Yossarian.    Probably the most peculiar paradox presented in Catch-22 is formed around a pilot named Hungry Joe. Following a common, logical train of thought, Hungry Joe wishes to finish his time in the war and return home, where his safety is guaranteed, and he is in no danger of being killed. The catch originates from a common junction of many of the catches characters ... ... that he is so quickly able to persuade us (1) that the most lunatic are the most logical, and (2) that it is our conventional standards which lack any logical consistency"(Brustein 228). Catch-22 is about coping with what life throws you, then understanding the hopelessness, and still never giving up. Catch-22 is a novel that instructs the reader to do as Heller did, leave convention behind. It is wrong, only the individual matters, because without the soul, man is garbage.    Works Cited    Brustein, Robert. "Joseph Heller". CLC. 3:228. Heller, Joseph. Catch-22. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1996. Skreiner, David. "Catch-22" Downloaded from http://www.schoolsucks.com/. March 17, 1998. Kennard, Jean. "Joseph Heller". CLC. 8:278. Littlejohn, David. "Joseph Heller". CLC. 3:229. Burhans, Clinton. "Joseph Heller". CLC. 3:230.   

One fine example of which is religion Essay

Once again after years of oppression the natives savored freedom for the first time. However, one cannot deny the fact the three hundred years of colonization has brought about changes in society that until now is evident in the daily life of its Citizens. One fine example of which is Religion. The Spanish empire was indeed victorious in spreading the Catholic faith since as of the 2000 census, 87. 9% of its citizens claim to be Catholics. Churches that were built at the time of the Spaniards were maintained by the devotees and the church still holds power in society. Another by product of the colonization is the prevalent language which is Spanish. This is the most widely used language in Mexico and followed by English. Spanish has also taken different versions in the country. The language therefore is Localized which vary only in accents and tones. There are still parts of the country that uses their native language however it can’t be denied that almost the whole of Mexico is using Spanish as their primary language. Spanish Colonialism can also be observed in the names of its people. Since together with baptism the friars had given them new names, much of the population today have Spanish names. Example of which is Jose, Maria, Juan and etc. Further more; the population of Mexico is largely constituted of mixed blooded Spaniards who proudly carry with them Spanish names. The country has been branded as a Mestizo country wherein 60 to 70 percent of its population is composed of Mestizo. This is what three hundred years of colonialism did to the country. It has not only changed thief religion but their identity as well. Bibliography Almanac, World.Aztec People Today. USA: World Almanac Education Group, 2005. Anderson, J. O. â€Å"Pre-Hispanic Aztec Colorists El Palacio. † vol. 55 (1948). Anna, Timothy E. , The Fall of the Royal Government in Mexico City, Lincoln, NE. , University of Nebraska Press, 1978 MacLachlan, Colin M. , and Rodriquez O. , Jaime E. , The Forging of the Cosmic Race, A Reinterpretation of Colonial Mexico, Expanded Edition, University of California Press, Berkley and Los Angeles, California, 1990 Ruiz, Ramon Eduardo, Triumphs and Tragedy, a History of the Mexican People, W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 1992.

Platos Allegory of the Cave - Analysis and Summary

Platos Allegory of the Cave - Analysis and Summary The Allegory of the Cave by Plato represents an extended metaphor that is to contrast the way in which we perceive and believe in what is reality. The thesis behind his allegory is the basic opinion that all we perceive are imperfect reflections of the ultimate Forms, which subsequently represent truth and reality. In his story, Plato establishes a cave in which prisoners are chained down and forced to look upon the front wall of the cave. In Allegory of the Cave there there are two elements to the story; the fictional metaphor of the prisoners, and the philosophical opinion in that the allegory is supposed to represent, hence presenting us with the allegory itself. The complex†¦show more content†¦The story as told by Socrates and Glaucon presents a unique look at the way in which reality plays such an important part in our own existence, and how one understands it can be used as a qualification for leadership andShow MoreRelatedPlatos Allegory of the Cave - Analysis and Summary973 Words   |  4 PagesPlatos Allegory of the Cave - Analysis and Summary The Allegory of the Cave by Plato represents an extended metaphor that is to contrast the way in which we perceive and believe in what is reality. The thesis behind his allegory is the basic opinion that all we perceive are imperfect reflections of the ultimate Forms, which subsequently represent truth and reality. In his story, Plato establishes a cave in which prisoners are chained down and forced to look upon the front wall of the caveRead MoreCartesian and Platonic Philosophical Themes in The Matrix Essay2065 Words   |  9 Pagesskepticism and the mind-body problem, and further how similarly those problems look to concepts raised by both Descartes’ and Plato’s philosophies. It will attempt to show that many of the questions raised in the movie are metaphor for concepts from each philosopher’s works, and why those concepts are important in relation to how they are presented in the film. In this analysis, we will examine the questions of skepticism and the mind-body problem separately. Part one will examine how the film broachedRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato1500 Words   |  6 PagesThis textual analysis will be based on the book â€Å"The Republic† by Plato, specifically the passage 475d-477a. The purpose of this essay is to analyze and evaluate the main concepts explored in the passage and their relation to the platonic political philosophy presented in â€Å"The Republic†. The essay will provide a summary of the passage, emphasizing the breakthroughs reached in the Socratic dialogue. The main points will then be singled out for a more in-depth review in order to see if the argumentsRead MoreKubla Khan Essay4320 Words   |  18 Pageshas been charmed by its magic. It must surely be true that no poem of comparable length in English or any other language has been the subject of so much critical commentary. Its fifty-four lines have spawned thousands of pages of discussion and analysis. Kubla Khan is the sole or a major subject in five book-length studies; close to 150 articles and book-chapters (doubtless I have missed some others) have been devoted exclusively to it; and brief notes and incidental comments on it are without Platos Allegory of the Cave - Analysis and Summary Platos Allegory of the Cave - Analysis and Summary The Allegory of the Cave by Plato represents an extended metaphor that is to contrast the way in which we perceive and believe in what is reality. The thesis behind his allegory is the basic opinion that all we perceive are imperfect reflections of the ultimate Forms, which subsequently represent truth and reality. In his story, Plato establishes a cave in which prisoners are chained down and forced to look upon the front wall of the cave. In Allegory of the Cave there there are two elements to the story; the fictional metaphor of the prisoners, and the philosophical opinion in that the allegory is supposed to represent, hence presenting us with the allegory itself. The†¦show more content†¦Plato describes the vision of the real truth to be aching to the eyes of the prisoners, and how they would naturally be inclined to going back and viewing what they have always seen as a pleasant and painless acceptance of truth. This stage of thinking is noted as belief. The comfort of the perceivement, and the fear of the unrecognized outside world would result in the prisoner being forced to climb the steep ascent of the cave and step outside into the bright sun. Once the prisoner climbs out of the cave and is fully immersed in the suns rays, Socrates continues to explain the prisoners bewilderment, fear, and blindness to the objects he was now being told were real. The natural reaction of the prisoner would be to recognize shadows and reflections. After his eyes adjust to the sunlight, he begins to see items and people in their own existence, outside of the cave. When the prisoner looks up to the sky and looks into the Sun, and recognizes it as the cause of all that is around himÂâ€"he has perceived the Form of the Good! This point in the passage marks the climax, as the prisoner, who not long ago was blind to the Form of the Good (as well as the basic Forms in general), now is aware of reality and truth. When this has occurred, the ultimate stage of thought has been achieved, and that isShow MoreRelatedPlatos Allegory of the Cave - Analysis and Summary987 Words   |  4 PagesPlatos Allegory of the Cave - Analysis and Summary The Allegory of the Cave by Plato represents an extended metaphor that is to contrast the way in which we perceive and believe in what is reality. 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Part one will examine how the film broachedRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato1500 Words   |  6 PagesThis textual analysis will be based on the book â€Å"The Republic† by Plato, specifically the passage 475d-477a. The purpose of this essay is to analyze and evaluate the main concepts explored in the passage and their relation to the platonic political philosophy presented in â€Å"The Republic†. The essay will provide a summary of the passage, emphasizing the breakthroughs reached in the Socratic dialogue. The main points will then be singled out for a more in-depth review in order to see if the argumentsRead MoreKubla Khan Essay4320 Words   |  18 Pageshas been charmed by its magic. It must surely be true that no poem of comparable length in English or any other language has been the subject of so much critical commentary. Its fifty-four lines have spawned thousands of pages of discussion and analysis. Kubla Khan is the sole or a major subject in five book-length studies; close to 150 articles and book-chapters (doubtless I have missed some others) have been devoted exclusively to it; and brief notes and incidental comments on it are without