Catch-22 follows Captain John Yossarian, a World War II bombardier desperate to survive a military system that traps him in circular, impossible logic. The infamous rule called "Catch-22" states that a pilot can be grounded for insanity—but if he asks to be grounded, he proves he is sane and must continue flying. This contradiction becomes a symbol of the bureaucracy that controls every aspect of the soldiers' lives.

As Yossarian flies more dangerous missions, his commanding officers continually raise the required mission count, ensuring that escape is impossible. Around him, a cast of absurd and tragic characters reveals the madness of war: Doc Daneeka, who is "officially dead" due to paperwork; Milo Minderbinder, who turns war into a global business; and Major Major, who only sees people when he isn't in his office.

Amid the humor and absurdity lies deep trauma. Yossarian is haunted by the gruesome death of Snowden, a moment that reveals the true horror of war: fragile human bodies destroyed by violence.

Eventually, Yossarian refuses to fly any more missions. Offered a corrupt deal to save himself at the expense of others, he rejects it and decides to desert, inspired by the discovery that his friend Orr has successfully escaped.

Heller's novel is a satire of bureaucracy, war, institutional madness, and the struggle to maintain humanity in an irrational world. It exposes the way systems trap individuals through contradictions and power, making survival an act of rebellion.