Power In Joseph Heller's Novel '

All humans crave one thing: Power. Power is directly defined as “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.” This theme is shown throughout the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. However, there are different forms of power. Different forms of power can be seen throughout the book, and even in many short stories and poems. These different forms of power can be either good or bad, depending on how the power is used. Power can come from fear, wealth, or leadership and trust.

In the article, “The Genocidal Killer in the Mirror,” Crispin Sartwell focuses more on power and is concerned with evil. Sartwell states that whether you believe you are among the evil people or not, you are deeply malicious or a “moral hero” or just profoundly self-deluded. He continues to point out the timeline of all genocidal events that took place over 500 years, however, he doesn’t list all of the genocidal events during the current timeline. Theodore Dalrymple, the writer of “Just Do What the Pilot Tells You”, argues that some people think a determined opposition to authority is principled and romantic”. However, Dalrymple maintains that in his experience as a doctor, people who do not obey authority most of the time have unsuccessful relationships and a tumultuous life. He also emphasizes this by asking a lady on an airplane if she believed in authority, she states that she disagrees and that authority is restraining. He then challenges her by asking if it would be all right if he went to the pilot and asked if he could fly the plane. The lady refuses and states that he does not have the training to fly an aircraft. At this point, Dalrymple predicaments that we gave the pilot authority to fly the aircraft through his training.

The purpose of this essay is to analyse Weber’s theory of authority and power in order to establish its role in the modern contemporary world today. Weber, in his most acclaimed writings, discusses his three ideal types of authority being outlined as traditional, charismatic and rational-legal authority. He believes that in order for any political leader or political establishment to hold legitimate authority over its peoples, they must have either one of these types of authority. All of these types of power and authority can be referred to in some way in today’s contemporary world using examples of differing political leaders and systems. However, Weber’s writings were conducted in 1922 and may be considered as out-dated, and not as relevant as they were at his time of writing. Also, many dispute that Weber’s types of authority were perhaps not entirely relatable and Martin Spencer, like many other critics of Weber’s work in fact argue that there should have been four types of authority. Hence why these issues must be discussed in order to conclude whether Weber’s ideal types of authority are representative of political leaders and governments, and whether or not they can be associated with the contemporary world we live in today.

Through the qualities of the interrogation, Joseph Heller is able to satirize several problematic characteristics of the military bureaucracy. Corruption in the management is shown when Heller hyperbolizes the reason for

Fromm claims that it doesn’t matter which power someone gives their obedience to, so long as that power provides security. This sense of security makes men feel empowered, as they are supported and watched over by a higher power, one that shares their ideals and beliefs (Fromm 262). Sartwell also claims that those who are most malleable to the influences of an outside force is the man who has an intense desire for his own security and, by extension, the security of his family and friends (Sartwell 253). When his security is threatened, man will resort to crimes such as those seen in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. The soldiers who were forced to become security guards felt constantly under threat of attack by insurgent forces. They feel rage and fear, which consumes them. By forcing the prisoners to do both humiliating and painful things, such as pose naked with other men in highly sexual positions, the guards/soldiers feel safer, as they have removed the prisoners ability to fight (Szegedy 211). This draws back to Sartwell’s paper, which uses the crisis in Rwanda as an example to llustrate how men can turn to murder and violence in the name of public safety. The Hutus in Rwanda were formed into “ ’civilian self-defense forces’ ” (Sartwell 254) to protect against the group of individuals that they perceived as a threat to their established government. Both papers highlight how men will turn to savagery and violence in order to remain in what

Dr. Hoenikker is oblivious to the consequences of his actions and inventions. He thinks of life as a game: "Why should I bother with made-up games when there are so many real ones going on?" (Vonnegut 17). He doesn't understand the seriousness of the products of his power. Felix illustrates, on an individual level, the type of corruption in government that Carroll and Ginsberg describe in The Basketball Diaries and "Howl." The government not only lacks an understanding of the people, but seems not to care. The government's control of the world, like Dr. Hoenikker's, includes the tremendous power to end existence. The government's power is playing games with society when considering the use of the nuclear bomb. The government causes the people of the world to live in fear, waiting for the bomb to drop. This power that Dr. Hoenikker and the government hold could be used in a much more constructive way, to help society instead of destroying it.

Our founding fathers attempted to create a utopia. However, in some societies, the utopia becomes a dystopia. Utopian society refers to a perfect society the way the group of power. When the society becomes a dystopia, the power is negative therefore making the society oppressed and can be referred to dictatorship.In the novels Fahrenheit 451 and 1984, and the film The Giver, the authorities' attempt to maintain society affects it negatively, therefore creating loss of emotion, dolted, harsh and unnecessary punishment.

Any government with total control is worth being feared and having a group of individuals who go against their government. With complete control, a government is capable of committing acts against their citizens, which can be perceived as “something good” from the government’s point of view. In 1984 by George Orwell, and “Harrison Bergeron”, by Kurt Vonnegut, the main characters, Winston and Harrison, feel oppressed by the government's acts and events, try to overthrow their government, and go through a realization of hopelessness and defeat.

However, General Zaroff objects to the accusation that he is a murderer. In fact, he insists that he “hunts the scum of the earth” (Connell 31), portraying the General as a man who could care less about the life of another individual. Not only is the General immoral, but he is arrogant and feels that life should be “lived by the strong” (Connell 31). Connell adds more to the Generals character by making him not only corrupt, but arrogant. This is what made the general a dangerous individual because he felt that what is genuinely wrong, was okay for him to do.

 Joseph Heller's narration, dialogue, and characterization in Catch-22 all create a unique perspective of war and our society's bureaucracy. The satire, sarcasm, irony, and general absurdity of the novel provide a view of the irrationality of man's behavior. The horror that is portrayed in Catch-22 is intensified by the humorous way in which it is portrayed. Distortion and exaggeration highlight the characters and scenario while magnifying the confusion. Parallel structure and repetition serve to reinforce the novel's themes.

The struggles against authority, repeatedly and continuously, take place in the history. As for those fighters, Voltaire, a famous French writer and thinker, once put forward an idea, “It is dangerous to be right in matters about which the established authorities are wrong.”() The word “right” contrasting to “wrong” means the truth. An “established authorities” could be regarded to the dominant powers controlling and guiding people, such as long-existing conventions held and propagated by the power-holders or the influential experts in specific fields. The article will support the idea of Voltaire by providing sufficient and concrete evidences. It is reasonable that people might suffer the possibility of oppression from the authority, when the ideas of the former contrasts to the latter who tend to retain its status. The challenger is dangerous in the way that the power of authorities, at most time, overwhelm them; the characteristic of opposing ideas invites the oppression by authority. It is possible to receive potential danger from the authority, while some did succeed in the struggle.

The novel 1984 made me paranoid and suspicious of the government's power and intentions. I became aware of the potential manipulation of which the government could impose upon us. The very thing which I depend on for security and protection may be a conniving entity which feeds off of it’s own power and corruption. As I flourished in my naivety, I was unaware that the people I trusted, whom I believed to be wholly dedicated to our well-being as a society, could betray us at any moment they see fit. I gravely overlooked the potential and the power that the government has to rule us. In fact, they may have been conspiring against us this whole time, using us as pawns in their quest for ultimate authority. As a

We have to contend, in the exercise of our personal power, with the influences of such power-channels in our environments and how they add to, limit or distort our exercise of power - e.g. hierarchies, coalitions,

Joseph Heller’s classic novel Catch 22 is a satirical story written about problems with bureaucracies like the military and the political machine. Yossarian, in his misadventures throughout the book, encounters multiple characters that embody Heller’s views of a bureaucracy. Bureaucracy cares little for the individual person, and those in the bureaucracy do not wish to spend time and energy on people unless it furthers their own ends. Characters like Colonel Cathcart embody the selfishness of people trying to see how they can take advantage of any situation, while Yossarian and the rest of his squadron are portrayed as innocent common men whose lives are in jeopardy because of the self-centeredness of their leadership. These characters assist

"We felt the novel was very prescient to how the political climate is at the moment. It really showed what can happen when society is ruled by government, rather than the government being run as a voice of the people. I don't think it's such a big leap to say that things like that can happen when leaders