Cheeks Didn Quote by Joseph Heller
““Why,' swore Yossarian at him approvingly, 'you evil-eyed, mechanically-aptituded, disaffiliated son of a -----, did you walk around with anything in your cheeks?' 'I didn't,' Orr said, 'walk around with anything in my cheeks. I walked around with crab apples in my cheeks. When I couldn't get crab apples, I walked around with horse chestnuts. In my cheeks.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Catch-22, Joseph Heller, 1961
A character uses absurd imagery to highlight the absurdity of war and the human tendency to cling to meaningless details.
In simple terms: Absurd humor reveals war’s nonsense.
Key Takeaway
Notice how humor can expose deeper truths.
Themes
war
absurdity
human nature
language
humor
Mood
darkly humorous
reflective
Type
satirical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- combat stress
- military life
- literary analysis
- coping mechanisms
Key Concepts
Existentialism
satire
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the “crab apples” metaphor suggest about survival?
- How does absurdity help cope with chaos?
A Different Perspective
Humor may mask deeper trauma.
![“When I was a kid," Orr replied, "I used to walk around all day with crab apples in my cheeks. One in each cheek." ... A minute passed. "Why?" [Yossarian] found himself forced to ask finally. Orr tittered triumphantly. "Because they're better than horse chestnuts... When I couldn't get crab…” quote by Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cc7/joseph-heller-601_humor-orr-yossarian_when-i-was-a-kid-orr-replied-i-used-to-w_1366352.jpg)
