Chapters 13-16
It seems to me that Heller was trying to make a distinction between two different types of men fighting in the war, through which he could continue to mock the situation. On one side are the men that are proud to fight for their country and are “shifty, cheerful, subservient men,” but are considered sane (144). On the other side are the men like those in Yossarian’s squadron who seem to be insane because of their habits, (shooting field mice, having nightmares every night, etc.) but do not want to fight because they know that if they die fighting, than there would have been no point in fighting because they could not enjoy the victory. In making this distinction, Heller is saying that those who support the war effort and are willing to fight for it are fools because, as Yossarian states, “it doesn’t make a damned bit of difference who wins the war to someone who’s dead… the enemy is anybody who’s going to get you killed, no matter which side he’s on” (122). Heller’s point is, why should wars exist? If both sides could mutually agree on the truth in Yossarian’s observation, than neither side would actually want to fight, and wars would end. In reality, only one side really has to come to this realization because a war can’t be fought with just one side, but because America is still fighting in the war, Heller is pointing out the government’s foolishness.
