One of the funniest novels that you would read is Catch-22, the satirical novel by Joseph Heller, set during World War II. The term Catch-22 has now common in everyday use.
According to the Merriam – Webster dictionary, a Catch-22 situation is ‘a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule.’ That is, ‘a no-win situation’ or ‘a double bind’.
As explained in the book: ‘There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he were sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.
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