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Underlying Themes in Accidental Death Of An Anarchist and Catch 22 Already,
it can be seen that although there are differences in style in which
these texts operate, there are also indeed many parallels between the
works of these two great authors. Another strong link between these
texts can be discovered in the underlying theme of sanity versus
insanity and how lunatics are portrayed as running the asylum, in both Catch
22 and Accidental Death Of An Anarchist. Please click a link navigate this section using the page tree below. Upon viewing each page, simply click "Back to top" to return to tree menu.
Theme of sanity versus insanity in Catch 22
Above: Use of insanity to promote logic
In
Catch 22 the theme of insanity versus sanity is very prominent in
this text, as it fools around with words and the roles and relationships
of characters, causing the whole logic of human discourse
about sanity
to be suspended. This is
best summed up by the paradoxical hypocrisy that is Catch 22, where a
patient’s insanity must be verified by a doctor, although once he
seeks clarification he can no longer be declared insane since he is sane
enough to try to escape combat duty. By utilising this clever
manipulation of logic, Heller depicts a type of moral insanity that has
descended into Yossarian’s world.
Throughout
the novel, Heller, and indeed Fo in some respects, positions the reader
to often acknowledge the truth behind Yossarian’s supposedly crazy
logic to show that ironically it is often the “crazy” person that
makes sane logical comments amidst backdrop of chaos and immorality in
the world. He encourages readers to think reconsider what constitutes
insanity, and it is through this technique in which the audience is able
to acknowledge the seriousness of some of the jester figure’s
criticisms.
Specific examples of the theme of sanity and insanity in Accidental Death Of An Anarchist and Catch 22
Above: Blurring the boundaries of sanity and insanity For example, Yossarian makes a logical comment about how “everyone was out trying to kill (him)” (p.19). At first it appears that he has overreacted by taking it personally when he is shot at by the enemy and is indeed “insane” as Clevenger puts it. Heller then gradually positions the reader to understand his survival mentality and to realise that the enemy is “indeed anybody that tries to kill him” (p.346) including Colonel Cathcart, for “if you are dead, what difference does it make who the enemy is?” (p. 347). Likewise
in Accidental Death Of An Anarchist, upon looking past the
Maniac’s outrageous antics, the audience can appreciate many of the
serious social criticisms about the “brutal exploitation of workers”
or “the promise of reforms” in Act Two Scene 1. Thus with the
restoration of logical reasoning, in an otherwise illogical world,
Heller and Fo manage to convince the reader to look beyond the illusion
of reality that is being propagated by many of our social institutions.
Theme of the lunatics running the asylum in Catch 22 Another
theme that is prevalent throughout Catch 22 and Fo’s work is the idea
that the lunatics are running the asylum of our social institutions. By
portraying the apparently “sane” characters of the novel like
Colonel Cathcart and Scheisskopf as being caught up in their own
nonsensical absurd idiosyncrasies, Heller manages to question “the
moral and mental fibre” (p.294) of those in power in the bureaucracy.
Theme of the lunatics running the asylum in Accidental Death Of An Anarchist Dario
Fo takes this one step further to suggest that this hypocrisy occurs
everyday in our lives, rather than just during times of war. In
Accidental Death Of An Anarchist, it is the Maniac, the supposed
insane person, whom dictates the proceedings in the police station,
leading those in power like the Superintendent and the Sports Jacket who
are supposedly sane, to sing songs promoting anarchism.
Like Heller, Fo uses this technique to blur the boundaries of
what constitutes sanity and insanity.
The use of themes to position the reader
Above: The ultimate aim of these themes Ultimately
by causing the whole logic of human discourse about sanity to be
suspended, perhaps Heller and Fo are trying to invoke a sense of outrage
in the audience, as the individuals whom society trusts to run our
social institutions are inextricably caught up in their personal
nonsensical idiosyncrasies and are portrayed as being deluded from
reality. Thus by achieving this, they may hope to expose the deep and
insidious flaws of the system and encourage greater public scrutiny of
our social
institutions.
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