The Germans will be beaten in a few months. And Japan will be beaten a few months after that. If I were to give up my life now, it wouldn't be for my country. It would be for Cathcart and Korn. So I'm turning my bombsight in for the duration. From now on I'm thinking only of me.
The quote reflects a character's disillusionment with war, prioritizing personal survival over patriotic duty. It suggests that the speaker believes the defeat of Germany and Japan is imminent and questions the value of sacrificing one's life for a country when individual relationships hold greater significance. The mention of Cathcart and Korn highlights a deeper connection to specific people rather than abstract notions of national pride.
This perspective embodies the themes of absurdity and self-preservation in Joseph Heller's "Catch-22." The speaker's shift in focus from duty to self-interest underlines the conflicting motivations faced by soldiers, emphasizing a personal crisis where loyalty to comrades outweighs blind allegiance to one's nation. Ultimately, this moment captures the essence of the book's critique of war and the moral complexities it entails.
