A Comparative Study of Black Humor as Seen in Catch-22 and A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to find the similarities and differences between Catch-22 and A Good Man Is Hard to Find in the direction of literary genre in black humor. Based on works in both Chinese and English and a lot of literary criticism, the systematical research will be done in aspects of art style, language, the writing technique, major character and theme to obtain a more profound understanding of these two novels. According the research, the thesis gets conclusions as following: Catch-22 and A Good Man Is Hard to Find are both tragedies, but because of the implicit and calm expression of the two authors, both the two works have the effect of comedy. The former subverts the traditional narrative mode by describing absurd plots in a spider web structure, and portrays a alienated major character - Yossarian, who wants to escape from combat, while the latter uses the traditional linear mode to depict a hypocritical character - Grandma. The two characters are both anti-heroes. Nevertheless, Catch-22 mostly uses repetition and symbolism to reveal the cruelty of reality and wars and show human alienation, while A Good Man Is Hard to Find tends to use the metaphor to express the theme of original sin, violence and redemption.