BOOK REPORT

Writing instructions
In this section, I will explain the layout of your book report. The book report consists of two
parts. ​Part one​ contains basic information about the novel, author and plot. ​Part two​ is the
most important part because it includes your analysis and opinions.

Book report - Layout

2 parts:

Part 1:

3 sections/ paragraphs

1) basic info​ about the book (author, publication, setting: time/place, genre plus example)
2) short ​biographical​ note about author (when/where, most famous works, fun facts or
interesting details, major awards)
3) short​ plot​ in own words (not a retelling of the whole book) - ​215 word limit

Example

Part 1

Section 1 (Key information)

“Catch-22” is a novel by Joseph Heller that was first published in 1961. The plot is set near the
end of World War II on Pianosa, a small island off the coast of Italy. The genre of the novel is

1
war novel/satire because it deals with real and fictional events during WW2. However, the
narrator presents ridiculous behavior and illogical arguments in a satirical tone.

Section 2 (About the author)

Joseph Heller was born in Brooklyn in 1923 and died in 1999. He served as an Air Force
bombardier in World War II and enjoyed a long career as a writer and a teacher. His best-selling
books include Something Happened, Good as Gold, Picture This, God Knows, and Closing Time,
but his first novel, Catch-22, remains his most famous and acclaimed work.

Section 3 (Plot summary in your own words)

During the second half of World War II, a soldier named Yossarian is stationed with his Air Force
squadron on the island of Pianosa. The squadron is thrown thoughtlessly into brutal combat
situations and bombing runs. Their colonels continually raise the number of missions that they
are required to fly before being sent home, so that no one is ever sent home. Yossarian is furious
that his life is in constant danger through no fault of his own. He has a strong desire to live and
is determined to be immortal or die trying. As a result, he spends a great deal of his time in the
hospital, faking various illnesses in order to avoid the war. As the novel progresses through its
loosely connected series of recurring stories and anecdotes, Yossarian is continually troubled by
his memory of Snowden, a soldier who died in his arms on a mission when Yossarian lost all
desire to participate in the war. The novel draws to a close as Yossarian refuses to fly any more
missions, decides to desert the army and flee to neutral Sweden. In doing so, he turns his back
on the dehumanizing machinery of the military, rejects the rule of Catch-22, and strives to gain
control of his own life.

(Source: SparkNotes)

Part 2:

5 paragraphs (250 - 400 words)

Paragraph 1: Introduction (The aim of this book report is …)

2
Paragraphs 2, 3 & 4: Three themes/ motifs/ characters/ symbols/ events which are significant
for understanding the book as a whole, you found important or moving and will give a more
detailed opinion about

Paragraph 5: Conclusion (Final thoughts and recommendation)

Example

Part 2

Introduction

The aim of this book report is to explore certain aspects of the novel “Catch-22” which made the
biggest impression on me and which I consider important for understanding the novel as a
whole.

The Impotence of Language

In the first chapter of Catch-22, we see Yossarian randomly deleting words from the letters that
he is required to censor while he is in the hospital. At first, this act seems terrible: the letters are
the men’s only way of communicating with loved ones at home, and Yossarian is destroying that
line of communication. As we learn more about Yossarian’s world, however, we see that the
military bureaucracy has taken the communicative power out of language. As Snowden dies in
the back of the plane, all that Yossarian can think of to say is “there, there,” over and over. He
knows his words have no power to comfort Snowden, but he does not know what else to do.
Faced with the realities of death and the absurdity of its circumstances, language seems unable
to communicate any sort of reassurance.

The Soldier in White

The soldier in white, a bandage-wrapped, faceless, nameless body that lies in the hospital in the
first chapter of the novel, represents the way the army treats men as interchangeable objects.
When, months after his death, he is replaced by another, identical soldier in white, everyone
assumes it is the same person.

3
Catch-22

Catch-22 keeps Yossarian flying combat mission after combat mission: Doc Daneeka cannot
ground him for insanity unless he asks, but if he asks to be grounded, then he must be sane. In
this sense, Catch-22 keeps Yossarian trapped in a paradox that determines whether he lives or
dies, even though it is made only of words.

Conclusion

Over time, “Catch-22” has become one of the defining novels of the twentieth century. It
presents an utterly unsentimental vision of war, stripping all romantic pretenses away from
combat, replacing visions of glory and honor with a kind of nightmarish comedy of violence,
bureaucracy, and paradoxical madness. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel because of its
uniquely brutal perspective and brilliant humor.

(Source: SparkNotes)

Plagiarism

You’re allowed to use outside sources for your book report to ​some​ extent, but the second part
of the report should be based on your personal analysis. If you do come across a quote which
ties nicely to your own point, cite it appropriately at the bottom of your book report (under the
heading ​Works cited​):

How to Cite a Web Page in MLA Format

Last name, first name. “Page Title”. Site Title. Sponsoring institution/publisher. Publication date
day month abbreviation. year, URL. (if some details aren’t provided, don’t include them)

Web Page Example

Thomson, Martha. “APA Citation”. How and When to Reference. 2 Feb. 2017:
https://www.howandwhentoreference.com/APAcitation.

(Source: Mendeley)

IMPORTANT: Book reports lacking proper references will receive a negative mark.

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Pero Perić, 2.r

March 2020

"Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Part 1

Bibliographical Information

“Catch-22” is a novel by Joseph Heller that was first published in 1961. The plot is set near the
end of World War II on Pianosa, a small island off the coast of Italy. The genre of the novel is
war novel/satire because it deals with real and fictional events during WW2. However, the
narrator presents ridiculous behavior and illogical arguments in a satirical tone. (Source:
Wikipedia, Catch-22)

Background information

American writer Joseph Heller was born in Brooklyn in 1923 and died in 1999. He served as an
Air Force bombardier in World War II and enjoyed a long career as a writer and a teacher. His
best-selling books include "Something Happened", "Good as Gold", "Picture This", "God
Knows", and "Closing Time", but his first novel, "Catch-22", remains his most famous and
acclaimed work. (Source: SparkNotes, Catch-22: Context)

Summary of content

During the second half of World War II, a soldier named Yossarian is stationed with his Air Force
squadron on the island of Pianosa. The squadron is thrown thoughtlessly into brutal combat
situations and bombing runs. Their colonels continually raise the number of missions that they
are required to fly before being sent home, so that no one is ever sent home. Yossarian is
furious that his life is in constant danger through no fault of his own. He has a strong desire to
live and is determined to be immortal or die trying. As a result, he spends a great deal of his
time in the hospital, faking various illnesses in order to avoid the war. As the novel progresses

5
through its loosely connected series of recurring stories and anecdotes, Yossarian is continually
troubled by his memory of Snowden, a soldier who died in his arms on a mission when
Yossarian lost all desire to participate in the war. The novel draws to a close as Yossarian
refuses to fly any more missions, decides to desert the army and flee to neutral Sweden. In
doing so, he turns his back on the dehumanizing machinery of the military, rejects the rule of
Catch-22, and strives to gain control of his own life. (Source: SparkNotes, Catch-22: Plot
Overview)

Part 2

Introduction
The aim of this book report is to explore certain aspects of the novel “Catch-22” which made
the biggest impression on me and which I consider important for understanding the novel as a
whole.

The Impotence of Language

In the first chapter of Catch-22, we see Yossarian randomly deleting words from the letters that
he is required to censor while he is in the hospital. At first, this act seems terrible: the letters
are the men’s only way of communicating with loved ones at home, and Yossarian is destroying
that line of communication. As we learn more about Yossarian’s world, however, we see that
the military bureaucracy has taken the communicative power out of language. As Snowden dies
in the back of the plane, all that Yossarian can think of to say is “there, there,” over and over.
He knows his words have no power to comfort Snowden, but he does not know what else to
do. Faced with the realities of death and the absurdity of its circumstances, language seems
unable to communicate any sort of reassurance. (Source: SparkNotes, Catch-22: Themes)

The Soldier in White

The soldier in white, a bandage-wrapped, faceless, nameless body that lies in the hospital in the
first chapter of the novel, represents the way the army treats men as interchangeable objects.

6
When, months after his death, he is replaced by another, identical soldier in white, everyone
assumes it is the same person. (Source: SparkNotes, Catch-22: Symbols)

Catch-22
Catch-22 keeps Yossarian flying combat mission after combat mission: Doc Daneeka cannot
ground him for insanity unless he asks, but if he asks to be grounded, then he must be sane. In
this sense, Catch-22 keeps Yossarian trapped in a paradox that determines whether he lives or
dies, even though it is made only of words. (Source: SparkNotes, Catch-22: Motifs)

Conclusion
Over time, “Catch-22” has become one of the defining novels of the twentieth century. It
presents an utterly unsentimental vision of war, stripping all romantic pretenses away from
combat, replacing visions of glory and honor with a kind of nightmarish comedy of violence,
bureaucracy, and paradoxical madness. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel because of its
uniquely brutal perspective and brilliant humor.

Word count: 711

Works cited

1. “Catch-22”. Wikipedia. Mar. 2020. ​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch-22

2. “Catch-22: Context”. SparkNotes. Mar. 2020.
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catch22/context/
3. “Catch-22: Plot Overview”. SparkNotes. Mar. 2020.
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catch22/summary/
4. “Catch-22: Themes”. SparkNotes. Mar. 2020.
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catch22/themes/
5. “Catch-22: Symbols”. SparkNotes. Mar. 2020.
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catch22/symbols/

7
6. “Catch-22: Motifs”. SparkNotes. Mar. 2020.
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catch22/motifs/