To do that ... I happen to write!

Friday 10 December 2010

You've an exam tomorrow - Yes!




A friend finds himself totally irritated by his roommate's apparently insensible desire to complete the book Catch 22 in one night, and tries to beat him down sarcastically; only to be boomeranged. Here's how it began:

"[You read like] You have an exam of this book tomorrow..."

"Okay"

"You have an exam tomorrow!!!"

"Yes!"

"What is this exam about?"

"This book"

"The book you are reading?"

"Yes"

"Catch-22"

"Yes"

"You have an exam of this book"

"Yes"

"What is this exam about"

"This book"

"How can it be possible!!! When is the exam?"

"2:30 PM"

"I mean, seriously?"

"Yes"

"You have an exam of this book tomorrow?"

"Yes"

"How do you know!"

"You told me"

"I never told you. I was asking you"

"Yes, I am telling you"

"What?"

"That you told me"

"I asked you!"

"Yes, and I have told you"

"Ok, let me get this straight - you have an exam tomorrow on this book tomorrow at 2:30 PM"

"Yes"

"What are they going to ask you"

"How can I know!"

"I mean, what will happen as a result of you giving this exam"

"I don't know"

"You don't know!"

"Yes"

"Then who knows?"

"You"

"How can I know?"

"You told me"

"I didn't tell you, I asked you"

"Yes, I am telling you"

"Agrhhhh....ok so who is conducting this exam"

"I don't know"

"You don't know!"

"Yes"

"Then who knows"

"You"

"Oh my God, how can I know!"

"I don't know"

"You're are lying"

"You're lying"

"About what?"

"That I am lying"

"Agrhhhhh, so it's true that you've an exam tomorrow on this book"

"Yes"

"How can I be sure that you're not lying"

"You told me"

"Ok, don't try to act smart - I did not tell you about anything, I asked you"

"Yes, I am telling you"

"I don't understand - for the last time - You have an exam tomorrow on this book at 2:30 PM?"

"Yes"

"It's so weird, why would there be an exam on this book"

"Yeah"

"I think you are lying to me"

"I think you are lying to me"

"About What"

"That I am lying to you"

"Why"

"Because I am telling you what you told me"

"What the hell did I tell you?"

"About the exam"

"For the last time, I asked you!"

"Yes, and I am telling you"

"Ok - finally: you've an exam tomorrow on this book?"

"Yes"

"Oh, ok then I should stop disturbing you. All the best"

---x-----

An Excerpt:


There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he were sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

--x--

However the two things are almost, but not quite, entirely unrelated. While the conversation is based on exaggerated linguistic ambiguity coupled with some brutal lies from one side and an overtly feeling of trust and compliance from the other; the novel is based on what I can loosely call as logical ambiguity.

Even if the above interpretation is false, to make any sense at all of the post you have to think it's about Catch 22 when clearly it's not. However, as soon as you stop thinking that it's about Catch 22 it makes stops making any sense at all!




7 comments:

  1. quite interesting........... :) :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Both - same would be your comments after reading Catch -22!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Many years back I read a few pages and not able to make any sense just stopped. This happened thrice until it suddenly clicked out of the blue. It was a feeling of exhiliriation to be able to enjoy one of the best books of all times (which is def not an easy read until it clicks).

    It is on this book that the phrase Catch 22 is based and not the other way round !

    In fact Heller originally titled his novel Catch-18, but at the request of his publisher changed it. Leon Uris had just published Mila-18 and the publisher did not want confusion between the two books !

    ReplyDelete
  4. Have picked up the book twice and given up after first few pages. Hopefully, someday, I will manage to read it. :)
    You are welcome to give me some (more) motivation.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Surbhi...it will come to you on it's own, just keep trying but don't try too hard either (what an oxymoron!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well, I haven't read the book yet, but I liked this bit of the post the best:

    "What are they going to ask you?"

    "How can I know!"

    ReplyDelete