blackhumorandCatch-22

1、綿陽師范學(xué)院本科畢業(yè)論文題目OnBlackHumorinCatch-22論第二十二條軍規(guī)中的黑色幽默姓名胡亮班級2003級11班指導(dǎo)教師高建國講師專業(yè)英語院系名稱外國語學(xué)院答辯時間2007年6月綿陽師范學(xué)院學(xué)位委員會辦公室制中國.綿陽論第二十二條軍規(guī)中的黑色幽默學(xué)生姓名：胡亮指導(dǎo)教師：高建國摘要：第二十二條軍規(guī)是美國“黑色幽默”的經(jīng)典之作。第二十二條軍規(guī)式的處境指一種無法擺脫的困境。“黑色幽默”作為一個文學(xué)流派的名稱出現(xiàn)在六十年代的美國，絕非偶然。黑色幽默的典型情感是笑中帶著淚水。本論文將通過三方面對小說中的黑色幽默進行分析，包括對小說中的荒謬的分析，對本書敘事結(jié)構(gòu)分析，以及對文中敘事語調(diào)的分

2、析。從對小說中的黑色幽默進行分析中，探究作家對待當(dāng)時社會的態(tài)度，黑色幽默所表現(xiàn)的深刻意義和闡釋為什么第二十二條軍規(guī)這個詞語會進入美國人民的日常用語。關(guān)鍵詞：黑色幽默；荒誕；困境HuLiangGaoJianguoOntheBlackHumorinCatch-22Undergraduate:Supervisor:Abstract:Catch-22isatypicalworkofAmerican“blackhumor"novels.Catch-22indicatesadilemmafromwhichoneisunabletoescape.“Backhumor"asaschoolo

3、fliteraturedidnotoccurinthe60sofAmericabychance.Theprominentemotionofblackhumorislaughingatcruelthingswithtears.ThisthesiswillanalyzetheblackhumorinCatch-22fromthreeaspects,whicharetheanalysisoftheabsurdityinthenovel,theunusualnarrativestructureandthenarrativetone.Throughtheanalysisoftheblackhumorin

4、Catch-22,thethesiswillexploretheauthor'sattitudetowardsthesocietywherehelivedin,theprofoundmeaningreflectedbyblackhumorandwillexplainwhycatch-22canenterinthegeneraluseofAmericanpeoplelanguage.KeyWords:blackhumor;absurdity;dilemmaContents1. Introduction11.1 Anintroductiontoblackhumor12. Abriefint

5、roductiontoCatch-221AnanalysisofblackhumorinCatch-2222.1 Ananalysisoftheabsurdsquadron22.1.1 Theabsurdmen22.1.2 Theabsurdconversations42.2 Ananalysisoftheunusualnarrativestructure5Ananalysisofthenarrativetone6Conclusion7Notes8Bibliography9Acknowledgement101.1 IntroductionAnintroductiontoblackhumor“B

6、lackhumor“occurredbychanceasaschoolofcapitalistliterature.In19J5,B.FriedmancollectedtheworksoftwelvemodernAmericanwritersintoananthologynaming“blackhumoowingtothesimilarityoftheircreativeintentionandtechniques.Thecreativeintentionofthesewriterscanbedescribedasfollows:theyloathetheworldandfeeldespair

7、totheworld.Theyusethedevicesofsatireandabsurditywithextremelyexaggerationtomakethereadersdoubtofeverything.Thedistortedphenomenonisalsoemployedwiththepurposeofprovokingthereaderstosuspectwhatisthetruthonearth.Theyaimtorevealthattheseeminglyimpossiblematterisinfactoccurringinthesociety.Theyusetheabsu

8、rdfarcetorevealthetruth.Soul,morality,truthandcivilizationareallreversed.Theoccurrenceofblackhumornovels“hasitssocialbackground.ThewriterswhowereenlistedintheschoolofblackhumorliteratureweredeeplyshockedbytheunprecedentedcrueltyofWorldWarTwoThewaroverturnedthetruthandthelovelylifeandmadepeoplesuffer

9、fromdeathandpain.Thesewritersfeltthatonlyblackhumorcouldbeusedtoexpresstheirdespairingmoodtowardsthesociety.Therefore,therewerethetheatreoftheabsurd'inFranceandtheblackhumornovels"whichdescribedtheabsurdityoftheworldaroundpeopleandtheconstraintoftheoutsideworldinAmericabetweentheperiodsof19

10、50sand1960s.Black"referstotheterriblesocialrealitywhilehumor"referstocynicallaughatsocialreality.Therealitymakespeoplefeelhumorous;however,themoodofhumorisgloomyanddark.Thisisacomplicatedandcontradictoryfeeling.Blackhumorexpressestheresentmentandthedespairthatemergefromthelopsidedcapitalis

11、tsocialcalamitybythegenerationafterWorldWarTwo.Laughatcruelthingswithtearsisthetypicalmoodofblackhumor.1.2 AbriefintroductiontoCatch-22JosephHeller,Americanwriter,gainedaworldwidefamewithhissatirical,anti-warnovelCatch-22.ThenovelispartlybasedontheexperiencesofHeller,whoservedasabombardierintheArmyA

12、irForceoftheUnitedStatesduringWorldWarTwo.HellerwasinvolvedinonepartofthewarinEurope:theattacksonenemyItalyandonoccupiedFrance.1Duringthisperiod,anactofdiplomacyremindsthereaderofthephilosophyoftheoldmanwhoarguedwithNatelyinRome,inChapter23ofthenovel.AftertheAllieslandedonthemainlandofItalyinSeptemb

13、er1943,Italycapitulated.Fromthenon,theAlliesadvancedsteadilynorthwards.RomewasfreedinJune1944andFlorenceinAugust.ThisadvancewascoordinatedwithOperationAnvil,whichpenetratedintoSouthernFrance.Manyoftheseeventswerereferredtointhenovel,forinstance,theentryintoRome,theSalernobeachhead,theGothicLine,theb

14、ombingofthebridgesatAvignon,Florence,BolognaandFerrara.Catch-22wasfirstpublishedin1961andwasanimmediatesuccess,bothcriticallyandcommercially.TheNationsaidCatch-22wasthebestnoveltocomeoutinyears”andtheNewYorkHeraldTribuneconsidereditas“Awild,moving,shocking,hilarious,raging,exhilarating,giantroller-c

15、oasterofabook.2ThewholesalesvolumehasreachedeightmillionsinAmericawithintenyears.NowitbecomestheboundreadingbookofstudentsinmanycollegesofEuropeancountriesandAmerica.1.3 AnanalysisofblackhumorinCatch-22AnanalysisoftheabsurdsquadronTheabsurdity,insensitivity,paradox,andcrueltyofthemodernworldareappea

16、redinthenovel.Ordinarycharactersorsituationsareusuallyexaggeratedfarbeyondthelimitsofnormalsatireorironytocreateasenseofabsurdity.CaptainJohnYossarian,thenovel'sprotagonist,abombardierinthe256thSquadronoftheArmyAirForceduringWorldWarTwo.ThewriterHellerpresentsagrotesquesquadronwheretheabsurdityi

17、snormal.GeneralPeckemrequiredalltentsintheMediterraneantheaterofoperationstobepitchedalongparallellineswithentrancesfacingbackproudlytowardtheWashingtonMonumentinordertoshowtheirpatriotismbutactuallyinordertoshowthemomentumofthesquadron.CaptainBlackstartedtheGloriousLoyaltyOathCrusade.Heorderedthatt

18、hepilothavetosignaloyaltyoathtogetthemap,toreceivetheirflaksuits,eventohavetheirhaircut.ColonelKornsucceededwitharulegoverningtheaskingofquestions.Underhisrule,theonlypeoplepermittedtoaskquestionswerethosewhoneverdid.”(p.36)Theseordersareridiculousandmakethereadersfeelfunny.Muddwhowaskeptalive“onthe

19、officialrosterwaslongdead.DocDaneekawasstillalivebutwasdeclareddead.Hebecamethegarbagewithoutsoul.Thisisatragedyoutofquestion.Thesituationsmakethereadersfeelabsurd.Hellerfalsifiestherealityandkeepsthepeoplefromcomprehendingitsabsurdity.Heoffersakindofcomedythatvergesonbeinggrotesque.Inthemeanwhile,h

20、eevokesthereaderstodosomethinkingaboutthecauseofabsurdity.1.3.1 TheabsurdmenInsuchasquadron,themenseemtobeinsaneandabnormalbecauseoftheirabsurdideasandbehaviors.ColonelCathcartwasdashinganddejected,poisedandchagrined/p.191)Hewasconceitedbecausehewasafullcolonelwithacombatcommandattheageofonlythirty-

21、six;andhewasdejectedbecausealthoughhewasalreadythirty-sixhewasstillonlyafullcolonel."(p.192)Hewantedtobeageneraldesperatelyandraisedthenumberofmissionstoforty,fifty,sixtyandevenmoremissionsarbitrarilywiththepurposeofwinningthefavourofhigherauthorities.Oneofficer,MajorMajorMajor,welcomedvisitors

22、inhisofficeonlywhenhewasout.Hebecameaninvisiblemaninthesquadron.Miloasamessofficerformedasyndicateinwhicheveryoneinthesquadronhadashare.Eachmesshallofferedhimaplaneandapilotwhowaswillingtodowhatheasked.Milosplaneflewinfromeverywhere,thepursuitplanes,bombers,andcargoshipsstreamingintothefieldofColone

23、lCathcart.TheplanesweredecoratedwithflamboyantsquadronemblemsillustratingsuchlaudableidealsasCourage,Might,Justice,Truth,Liberty,Love,HonorandPatriotism.HecontractedwiththeAmericanmilitaryauthoritiestobombtheGerman-heldhighwaybridgeatOrvietowiththeGermanmilitaryauthoritiestodefendthehighwaybridgeatO

24、rvietowithantiaircraftfireagainsthisownattack.Intheend,Milorealizedafantasticprofitfrombothhalvesofhisprojectforjustsigninghisnametwice.Duringsuchacruelwar,manwoulddieatanytime.Andthewarbecomesmerelythetooltomakemoneyforhim.ThisisextremelysatireandabsurdWhatHellercastigatesistheabsurdityofnotonlythe

25、militarybureaucracybutalsothewholecapitalistworldinwhichatraitorandaprofiteerlikeMilo.Themenwithpowerusesoundreasonablewords,suchasflyingforpatriotism",tokeepthepilotsflyingmoreandmorecombatmissions.Thepilotsarenotallowedtorefuseonlyiftheydie,otherwisetheywouldbeguiltyaccordingtotheAirForcerule

26、Catch-22.Thisrulestipulatesthepilotstoflycombatmissionscontinuouslywithoutaskingforrelief.Iftheyareinsane,theycouldbegrounded.Alltheyhavetodoisask,andassoonastheydo,theywouldnolongerbecrazyandwouldhavetoflymoremissions.Thisabsurdrulecreatesadilemmathatkeepsthepilotsflyingmissions.Thissignifiesthatth

27、ereisonlyonewaytorelief,andthatisdeath.ItisjustasYossarianoncesaidthateveryonewantedtokillmebecausetheyaskedmetofly.Thepilotssufferthefearofdeathconstantly.Therefore,HungryJoescreamedwhensleepingeverynightandendedhislifeinhisnightmareeventually.ApilotNatelywasdeadinbattlewhenthenumberofflyingmission

28、shadalreadyrisentoeighty.Dunber,Clevinger,McwattandChiefWhiteHalfoatalldiedordisappeared.Deathandabsurditystalktheworld.Allthepilotshavetoobeytheorderofsuperiorsandcontinuetofly.Theyarethepitifulcreaturesofthesociety.LeonF.Seltzerhasmadestatementabouttheabsurdityatch-22that“thenovelabsurdities-comic

29、andotherwise-operatealmostalwaystoexposethealarminginhumanitieswhichpolluteourpolitical,social,andeconomicsystems.Thesquadron”canbeexaminedasthemirroroftherealworld.Thisnovelreflectsthatthereisanabsurd,ugly,chaoticandcorruptrulinginstitutionintherealsocietyofAmerica.ThisinstitutionmakesthesocietyofA

30、mericabeingengagedintoaprettybadmesswithitsownpowerandasetofabsurdlogic,suchascatch-22.TheinstitutionislikelytocompletelyeliminatethepersonalityandtheunrestrainedwillofAmericanpeoplewhoareservedasthecannonfodder,blindobedienttotheinstitution.Thisisoneofthemostabsurdfactors.Thelaughterofreadersendsin

31、tearswhentheybecomeawareofpatheticsituationofthebomberpilots.1.3.2 TheabsurdconversationsThenormalsequenceoflanguagedoesnotexistinthenovelinordertoshowtheabsurdityandtogeneratetheintensiveeffectofblackhumor.Hellerusesasurface川ogicallanguagetoreflectthedepthoftheabsurdityoftheworld.Insuchanabsurdandh

32、ideoussituation,theAmericanpeopledonothaveanyawareofdangeratall.Theyarewipedoutwithoutrestriction.Theyaccepttheexecution.Moreover,theybecometheaccessoryofmurdererwithoutawareness.Theirlanguagealsocannotbeusedtoexpresstheirideabecauseoftheirconfusiontotheworld.Thenovelproclaimsthatlanguagecouldnotcom

33、municateideaswithothersandcouldnotreducetheconfusion.Manuseslanguagetoproceedthinking,tounderstandtheworldandtocommunicateideas.However,thenormallogicinferencescanmerelycausetheconfusioninthenovelbecauseoftheabsurdityandthedisorderofthesociety.Thefollowingexamplecanillustratethispointofviewverywell.

34、“They'retryingtokillme,“Yossariantoldhimcalmly.“Noonstryingtokillyou,“Clevingercried.“Thenwhyaretheyshootingatme?”Yossarianasked.“They'reshootingateveryone,"Clevingeranswered."They'retryingtokilleveryone.”“Andwhatdifferencedoesthatmake?p.255)”Theambiguityensuingfromtheseoddresp

35、onsesprovokesourlaugh.Theillogicaluseoflanguagehelpstocreateanatmosphereofabsurdityastateinwhichunreal,irrationalthingshappeneveryday.Nevertheless,whilethereadersthinkabouttheimplicitmeaningofthedialogue,theconcealingsorrowemergesfromtheabsurdatmosphereunwittingly.Furthermore,thepervasionofself-cont

36、radictorystatementsismeaninglessinthemostpartofthenovel.“Natelyhadabadstart.Hecamefromagoodfam(ly.17);“Hedidnothatehismotherandfather,eventhoughtheyhadbothbeenverygoodtohim”(p.13).Thewriterusesthesewittystatementsthatlikelanguagegamestostirupthereaderslaughinstinctively.Thisislargelysubconsciousreac

37、tionthatispromptedbywhatJerryPalmertermsasthe“l(fā)ogicoftheabsurd”.1.4 AnanalysisoftheunusualnarrativestructureOnefeatureofCatch-22isitsunusualnarrativestructure.ThemostsignificantaspectofthestructureofCatch-22isitsformlessness.Itisalsoadrasticcontroversialissueamongthecritics.Somecriticsholdsthatitsun

38、usualstructureiscarefullyconstructedtosupportthepervasiveabsurdityandHellerannouncedthattheformlessstructureofCatch-22wascompiledwithgreateffortswhilehewaspresentatmanyinterviews.Inthenovel,timerapidlychangeswithoutwarningsometimes.Pastandpresentmingle.Hellerpresentschaostorevealthedisorderoftheworl

39、d.Yossarianisaprotagonistaswellasastrandcharacterpenetratingthroughthewholenovel.Alotofstoriesandplotsarepiecedtogethertocomposethenovel.Mostoftheactionstakeplacefromspringtowinterof1944,butthereareflashbacksto1942,whenYossarianwasinbasictrainingatLoweryFieldinColorado,andto1943whenhewasincadettrain

40、ingatSantaAna,California.Eventsrecur.Thepersonwhohasalreadydiedmaybealiveinlaterchapters.SnowdenhadalreadybeentoldthathewaskilledoverAvignonaweekbeforethedecorationofYossarianandbeforetheGreatSiegeofBologna,butatanotherplotYossarianwasseentakinghisrestleaveafterBolognawhenSnowdenwasalivethen,andYoss

41、ariancouldtellitwasSnowden'sroom."(p.168)TheoccurringofsomeeventscomplieswiththeconsciousnessofYossarian.Yossarian'straumaticrecollectionsofSnowden'sdeathareseeminglyarbitraryepisodes.Thisutterlyconfusingchronologymaybethebestwaytocreateanabsurdworld,whichisreadlikeamindreminiscinga

42、boutanightmareofthepast.Timestopsfunctioningasacoordinatesystem.AlthoughmanycriticsarestillpuzzledbythestructureofCatch-22,themoststrikingfeatureofthenovelisitsunusualnarrativestructure,whichhasbeenrecognizedasatechnicalinnovation.Whentimeisabsent,lifelosesitstimelyorder."naworldwherelifeceases

43、toberationalandorderly,nothinglikeasequentialdevelopmentispossibleand,consequently,topresentitinanylogicaltimesequencewouldbe4Thestyleoftheblackhumornovelsislooseanddisorderly.Hellercomposeshisworkusinglotsoffragments.Thenovelsuccessfullyconfusesthereadersthroughthetemporalchaos,themazeofincrediblep

44、eopleandincidentsfromthefarceofitsearlypagestotheeventualprotestandhorroritreveals.Thereadersfeelfrustratedwhentheytrytofindtheregularorderofthenovel.HellerintendstoexpressthatthenovelCatch-22isametaphorformanfindingwaysofescapingpowercontrolanddeath,andthisundertakingistimelessnaturally.1.5 Ananaly

45、sisofthenarrativetoneHellerdescribesthepainfulthingsusingacool,mercilessandtriflingtonebycontrariestocreatetheeffectofblackhumor.Thismorbidnarrativetoneisthemaincausethatmakeshumorbecomedim.ThesuccessfulapplicationofthiskindoftoneinCatch-22alsobecomesaforerunnerofthatperiod.Thiscanbeillustratedbythe

46、followingexample.WhileYossarianstayedatthemilitaryhospital,hethoughtthatthemilitaryhospitalwasasafeplacewherenoonedroppeddownfromtheairplaneacceleratingattherateofthirtytwofeetpersecondtolandwithahideousploponthesidewalkanddiedisgustinglythereinpubliclikeanalpacasackfullofhairystrawberryicecream,ble

47、eding,picktoesawry/7P.171)Tooursurprise,thereisfullofvivid,cruelimageryandscientificcoldmoodinthedescriptionofsuchaseverescene.Itisdread.However,itisjustthetypicalfeatureofblackhumor,whichtreatsdeathasajokeandtriestofindproperadjectivestodescribethedeathwithcompletelyindifferentattitude.Onlyifsomeon

48、efeelsextremelydespair,hisattitudetowardsthecrueltyofdeathreachestotheextentofindifference.Inordertogeneratetheeffectofirony,Hellerintroducesanabnormalcontenttothereaderswithanormalnarration.ItprovokesthereaderstothinkthatwhatcauseHellerusethiskindoftechniquetoexpresshisdespairingmood.Afterexperienc

49、ingthecrueltyoftheWorldWarTwoandtheshameddecadetotheAmericansexemplifiedbyMcCarthy,Hellersuffersalotofillusionandhopelessness.Heacceptsthatmanexistingonearthisjustmatter.“Drophimoutawindowandhewillfall.Setfiretohimandhewillburn.Buryhimandhewillrotlikeotherkindsofgarbage.Thespiritgone,manisgarbage.(p

50、.450)Theirexistenceseemsabsurdandmeaningless.Theyarecontrolledbymysteriousforce.Yetinfacttheforceistheendlessappetiteforpowerandmoneyofman.Themanwhohasthepowerandthemoneyplayhisrightsuponthemanfromthelowerclass.Hellerfindsthathecanmerelystruggleagainstthesituationwithjokesandderidestheabsurdsituatio

51、ntocomforthim.HeisasensitivemanwhoistheoneinafewawakeningpeoplewhileotherAmericansdonothaveanyawareofdangeratall.HeplaceshisemotionsonYossariananduseshisacidandnonchalanttonetosatirize,tocriticizeandtoexposetheabsurdsocietyofAmericaandthehypocriticalcapitalistsociety.Therefore,blackhumor,anillhumorc

52、omesout.2. ConclusionThisthesisdiscussesCatch-22fromthepointofblackhumor.ToanalyzeblackhumorinCatch-22ismainlyfromthreeaspects,theabsurdsquadron,theunusualnarrativestructureandthenarrativetone.Throughtheanalysisoftheabsurdsquadron,thereadersknowthatthisisabsurdworld.Thewriterappliesanunusualnarrativ

53、estructuretoreinforceanimpressionofabsurdityoftheworld.Thenarrativetoneisemployedbythewriterinordertogenerateaprofoundthoughtonthereasonwhytheworldisabsurd.AnalyzingtheblackhumorinCatch-22makesthereadersknowtheexistingproblemsofAmericancapitalistsocietyin1950sandexplainsthereasonfortheprevalenceofblackhumornovels.Fromtheanalysisabove,theultimateconclusionisthatthenovelischaracterizedbythecombinat