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“Catch-22” <strong>By</strong> <strong>Joseph</strong> Heller 163<br />
‘They’re too bland,’ Yossarian answered. ‘And too bony.’ Major Sanderson nodded<br />
understandingly, with a smile that was agreeable and insincere. ‘That’s a very<br />
interesting explanation. But we’ll soon discover the true reason, I suppose. Do you like<br />
this particular fish? The one you’re holding in your hand?’<br />
‘I have no feelings about it either way.’<br />
‘Do you dislike the fish? Do you have any hostile or aggressive emotions toward it?’<br />
‘No, not at all. In fact, I rather like the fish.’<br />
‘Then you do like the fish.’<br />
‘Oh, no. I have no feelings toward it either way.’<br />
‘But you just said you liked it. And now you say you have no feelings toward it either<br />
way. I’ve just caught you in a contradiction. Don’t you see?’<br />
‘Yes, sir. I suppose you have caught me in a contradiction.’ Major Sanderson proudly<br />
lettered ‘Contradiction’ on his pad with his thick black pencil. ‘Just why do you think,’ he<br />
resumed when he had finished, looking up, ‘that you made those two statements<br />
expressing contradictory emotional responses to the fish?’<br />
‘I suppose I have an ambivalent attitude toward it.’ Major Sanderson sprang up with<br />
joy when he heard the words ‘ambivalent attitude’. ‘You do understand!’ he exclaimed,<br />
wringing his hands together ecstatically. ‘Oh, you can’t imagine how lonely it’s been for<br />
me, talking day after day to patients who haven’t the slightest knowledge of psychiatry,<br />
trying to cure people who have no real interest in me or my work! It’s given me such a<br />
terrible feeling of inadequacy.’ A shadow of anxiety crossed his face. ‘I can’t seem to<br />
shake it.’<br />
‘Really?’ asked Yossarian, wondering what else to say. ‘Why do you blame yourself<br />
for gaps in the education of others?’<br />
‘It’s silly, I know,’ Major Sanderson replied uneasily with a giddy, involuntary laugh.<br />
‘But I’ve always depended very heavily on the good opinion of others. I reached puberty<br />
a bit later than all the other boys my age, you see, and it’s given me sort of—well, all<br />
sorts of problems. I just know I’m going to enjoy discussing them with you. I’m so eager<br />
to begin that I’m almost reluctant to digress now to your problem, but I’m afraid I must.<br />
Colonel Ferredge would be cross if he knew we were spending all our time on me. I’d<br />
like to show you some ink blots now to find out what certain shapes and colors remind<br />
you of.’<br />
‘You can save yourself the trouble, Doctor. Everything reminds me of sex.’<br />
‘Does it?’ cried Major Sanderson with delight, as though unable to believe his ears.<br />
‘Now we’re really getting somewhere! Do you ever have any good sex dreams?’<br />
‘My fish dream is a sex dream.’<br />
‘No, I mean real sex dreams—the kind where you grab some naked bitch by the neck<br />
and pinch her and punch her in the face until she’s all bloody and then throw yourself<br />
down to ravish her and burst into tears because you love her and hate her so much you<br />
don’t know what else to do. That’s the kind of sex dreams I like to talk about. Don’t you<br />
ever have sex dreams like that?’ Yossarian reflected a moment with a wise look. ‘That’s<br />
a fish dream,’ he decided.<br />
Major Sanderson recoiled as though he had been slapped. ‘Yes, of course,’ he<br />
conceded frigidly, his manner changing to one of edgy and defensive antagonism. ‘But<br />
I’d like you to dream one like that anyway just to see how you react. That will be all for<br />
today. In the meantime, I’d also like you to dream up the answers to some of those<br />
questions I asked you. These sessions are no more pleasant for me than they are for<br />
you, you know.’<br />
‘I’ll mention it to Dunbar,’ Yossarian replied.<br />
‘ Dunbar?’<br />
‘He’s the one who started it all. It’s his dream.’<br />
‘Oh, Dunbar.’ Major Sanderson sneered, his confidence returning. ‘I’ll bet Dunbar is<br />
that evil fellow who really does all those nasty things you’re always being blamed for,<br />
isn’t he?’<br />
‘He’s not so evil.’ And yet you’ll defend him to the very death, won’t you?’