Flipping Through: Catch-22 and House of Leaves
SPOILERS for Catch-22 and House of Leaves
Last time, we discussed some of the ways movies use nonlinear techniques, and how those techniques can benefit a flexible medium like film.
But how do those techniques influence writing that is intensely linear, that can only show one word at a time: novels?
“Catch-22” (1955, by Joseph Heller) and “House of Leaves” (2000, by Mark Z. Danielewski) might not seem too similar at first. “Catch-22” is a World War II novel following bombardier John Yossarian. “House of Leaves” is a documentary film review whose commentary follows tattoo artist Johnny Truant. Here’s a summary if you’d like.
But these descriptions are only vaguely true. To say that Catch-22 is about Yossarian ignores dozens of other characters who end up in a narrator’s role. Many of these characters have a chapter or more dedicated to their adventures on an Air Force base outside Italy. Likewise, to say that House of Leaves is about Truant ignores Truant’s discovery of the film review from a deceased neighbor and the subjects of the film itself, whose stories are interwoven.
A single story does not exist independent of any other. So these stories caution us against looking for insight that is not there.
The characters also make choices with effects that they don’t see right away.
Yossarian starts his novel in a hospital bed because he looks just sick enough to stay in bed, even though he doesn’t have any distinguishable symptoms. He’s assigned a task to censor outgoing letters so none of the soldiers accidently reveal sensitive information. Yossarian gets bored of this quickly and occasionally starts adding information, like the forged signature of his chaplain. His superiors discover this about halfway through the book and interrogate the oblivious chaplain.
Truant starts his novel somewhat disinterested but wanting to see the film review finished. He gets more interested after an incident at his parlor, which resurfaces an old memory. The same motivating strangeness appears in the film review.
Both novels shift perspective often. Catch-22 moves between Yossarian, his friends, his commanding officers, and other people he meets while trying to avoid flying more missions. Everyone knows the cost of living in the war. Few seem to care. House of Leaves moves between Truant, the old man who reviewed the film, and the subjects of the film itself. These shifts disorient the reader. They suggest pasts that get suppressed, questions of yesteryear that go unanswered. They suggest futures that go unacknowledged, dreams buried under routine and pain.
House of Leaves contains academic criticism from critics that don’t exist or certainly did not say what the book implies. Catch-22 contains memories from soldiers who are so wrapped up in their personal goals that they can’t understand the people around them. Yossarian just wants to live another day, but what sense does that make to Milo Minderbinder, who treats the war as an opportunity to get rich? Johnny Truant just wants to finish the book, but what sense does that make when his life starts ending up on the page?
The shifts in perspective suggest that everyone has their own fair share of delusions and pain they must navigate. Rather than dividing and confusing, these books suggest that sharing a response to a nonsense world that seeks to divide might be the key to uniting and clarifying.
They don’t always advance, but they always find a way to move forwards.
What will we learn next time?