List of Catch-22 characters
Wikimedia list article
The following is a list of characters in the 1961 novel Catch-22 by Joseph Heller.
Significant characters
Yossarian
Captain John Yossarian is the fictional protagonist in Joseph Heller's novel Catch-22 and its sequel Closing Time. In Catch-22, Yossarian is a 28-year-old captain (later major) in the fictional 256th Bombardment Squadron of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the bombardier of a North American B-25 Mitchell, stationed on the small island of Pianosa off the Italian mainland during World War II. Yossarian's exploits are based on the experiences of the author; Heller was also a bombardier in the USAAF, stationed on an island off the coast of Italy during World War II. Yossarian is described as a tall, broad, Assyrian man, who frequently causes panic by starting rumors or orchestrating events that either keep him out of direct battle or somehow usurp authority. Examples of these exploits include poisoning the mess hall with bath soap, accepting an award while naked, and altering a map so a mission will be canceled.
Chaplain Tappman
Tappman (also called R. O. Shipman in some editions) is a naïve Anabaptist minister from Kenosha, Wisconsin. As he is extremely timid and terrified of authority, the chaplain is tormented throughout the novel by his rude, manipulative, atheist assistant, Corporal Whitcomb. Easily intimidated by the cruelty of others, the Chaplain is a kind, gentle, and sensitive man who worries constantly about his wife and children at home. He is described as a man of 32 years of age with tan hair, brown eyes, and a narrow, pale face. His sister is a master sergeant in the Marines.
Colonel Cathcart
A full colonel, Chuck Cathcart is a group commander at the USAAF base in Pianosa and is obsessed with becoming a general.
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