TITLE:
An Analysis of the Black Humor in Catch-22 Based on the Pragmatic Theory
AUTHORS:
Lili Li
KEYWORDS:
Catch-22, Black Humor, Cooperative Principles (CP), Presupposition, Deixis
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.10 No.11,
November
27,
2023
ABSTRACT: Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 is one of the most representative works of American absurd novel. In his novel, Heller profiles the cold, strange and unexplainable Amercian society. People are unable to realize a successful communication. Absurdity is the theme of Catch-22. The theme of absurdity is not only exposed in novel’s content, but especially in the use of the language of the novel. This paper is going to reveal the absurdity and meaninglessness theme by means of employing Grice’s cooperative principle and pragmatic presupposition, reference/deixis.