Catch22: Chapter37-39

This chapters showcase a change in Yossarian's characters. Before, he was always displeased at the wartime policies of this superior officers. He was utterly disgusted by his Colonel's policies of raising the number of missions necessary to leave the battlefield (effectiveness keeping all of his men in the warzone until the war is over). However, Yossarian always followed orders and flew the missions. In chapter 37, he decides to stop flying missions and for once his officers are actually understanding because Yossarian's friend Nately was killed. As time goes on Yossarian does still earn the enmity of his officers because he refuses to fly even non-combat missions.

An interesting break from the policies of war occurs in Chapter 38, when Yossrian encounters' Nately's female friend in Rome. She attempts to murder him, which is a classic example of "killing the messenger." This experience, which, severely injures Yossarian (stab wounds) physically, compounds to his cynical view of war and thus human nature. It is very ironic that Yossrian, fater fighting many battles, is unscratched, yet is so severely wounded in a non-combat related incident. It seems that the war has completely drained his ability to normally interact socially with others outside the battlefield.