First sight Quote by Joseph Heller
““It was love at first sight. The first time Yossarian saw the chaplain he fell madly in love with him. Yossarian was in the hospital with a pain in his liver that fell just short of being jaundice. The doctors were puzzled by the fact that it wasn't quite jaundice. If it became jaundice they could treat it. If it didn't become jaundice and went away they could discharge him. But this just being short of jaundice all the time confused them. Each morning they came around, three brisk and serious men with efficient mouths and inefficient eyes, accompanied by brisk and serious Nurse Duckett, one of the ward nurses who didn't like Yossarian. They read the chart at the foot of the bed and asked impatiently about the pain. They seemed irritated when he told them it was exactly the same. 'Still no movement?' the full colonel demanded. The doctors exchanged a look when he shook his head. 'Give him another pill.' Nurse Duckett made a note to give Yossarian another pill, and the four of them moved along to the next bed. None of the nurses liked Yossarian. Actually, the pain in his liver had gone away, but Yossarian didn't say anything and the doctors never suspected. They just suspected that he had been moving his bowels and not telling anyone.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, 1961
Yossarian’s bizarre medical condition mirrors his absurd love for the chaplain, highlighting the absurdity of war and bureaucratic indifference.
In simple terms: He loves the chaplain despite nonsense doctors and nurses.
Recognize love amid absurdity.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- military hospital
- romantic infatuation
- bureaucratic routine
- personal isolation
- comic tragedy
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does love reveal about Yossarian’s humanity?
- How does bureaucracy shape personal relationships?
The humor may downplay the seriousness of Yossarian’s illness.