Satire, Sarcasm, and Irony in Catch-22Joseph Heller's narration, dialogue, and characterization in Catch-22 all create a unique perspective of war and the bureaucracy of our society. The novel's satire, sarcasm, irony, and general absurdity provide insight into the irrationality of human behavior. The horror depicted in Catch-22 is intensified by the humorous manner in which it is depicted. Distortion and exaggeration enhance the characters and storyline while amplifying confusion. Parallel structure and repetition serve to reinforce the themes of the novel. The most important and prevalent aspects of Heller's style are satire, sarcasm, and irony. Heller makes fun of society's flaws. At the same time, this humor emphasizes Heller's social commentary far more effectively than he could by simply expressing his opinion. Satire is particularly important in Catch-22. It is often used to highlight the stupidity of the military hierarchy. It also conveys a sense of humor that contrasts and intensifies the dark seriousness of the book. Language is also satirized when Heller mocks the "official" jargon used by military personnel. Sarcasm could be considered a counterpart to satire. The characters depicted in the novel use sarcasm extensively. The author's point of view is made clear by the blatant sarcasm used by both Yossarian and the narrator: "...what respect can you have for a Supreme Being who finds it necessary to include phenomena such as phlegm and tooth decay in its divine system of creation?"(98)Irony is another important aspect of the novel. Irony is an integral part of the "Catch-22" philosophy. The irony of "catch" is is that it is perpetuated...... middle of paper...... in the novel For example: "I'm cold," Snowden said softly "I'm cold" "Everything will be fine, kid," Yossarian reassured him with a smile. "Everything will be fine." "I'm cold," Snowden repeated in a frail, childish voice. "I'm cold." "There, there," Yossarian said, because that he didn't know what else to say. "There, there." "I'm cold," Snowden whispered. "There, there. There, there." All these aspects of style work together very well. They build on each other and combine easily and appropriately. It is this culmination of styles that makes Catch-22 so effective. Works cited and consulted Heller, Joseph. New York Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Kennard, Jean E. “Joseph Heller: At War Against Absurdity” (75-87). . Detroit: L Gale 1990.