Catch-22: Chapter 38 Summary & Analysis

Yossarian, after Nately’s death, vows not to fly any more missions. He announces this to Piltchard, Wren, Cathcart, and Korn. Cathcart suggests they disappear Yossarian, as they did with Dunbar, but Korn argues, instead, that they should send him on rest leave to Rome.

There, Yossarian encounters Nately’s prostitute, who is extremely distraught to hear of Nately’s death, and who blames Yossarian for it. They begin having an enormous altercation, with Nately’s prostitute nearly killing Yossarian. He finally holds her down and tells her he was not responsible for Nately’s demise, but she won’t listen.

After more fighting, Yossarian lands on top of Nately’s prostitute, who pretends that she wants to make love to him. Yossarian is tricked, and she nearly succeeds in killing him. Nately’s prostitute pulls out a bread knife, as does her kid sister, who also enters.

Yossarian is chased out into the street by the two women. And as he races to get to the plane to get back to Pianosa, they hide in wait for him and almost stab him on numerous occasions throughout Rome. Yossarian eventually escapes back to Pianosa, but does not know that Nately’s prostitute has hidden herself away in his plane. He discovers her in mechanic’s overalls and manages to subdue her, push her onto the plane, and fly (with Hungry Joe) back to Rome. Hungry Joe holds the plane on the taxiway of the Rome airport, and Yossarian pushes her out of the plane there; the two then high-tail it to Pianosa, where Yossarian tells the other officers about Nately’s prostitute’s behavior.

Nately’s prostitute returns to Yossarian’s tent and nearly kills him again before being subdued by other officers. Yossarian is informed that he was going to be court-marshaled by his superiors, for refusing to fly, but his medal of valor and 71 missions make such a case difficult to prosecute.

Yossarian lies in his tent and other officers come to him in the night, congratulating him for the stand he is taking against Cathcart and Korn. Appleby and even Havermeyer, who loves flying missions, both tell Yossarian they hope he succeeds. They are worn down by all the flying, and by constant brushes with death.

Yossarian runs into Captain Black one day, when he (Yossarian) has decided once again to flee to Rome, and is walking through the camp backward while brandishing his pistol to make clear that he is getting on a plane to Rome and that no one can make him fly any more missions. Black informs Yossarian that Nately’s prostitute is no longer lying in wait for him, on Pianosa or in Rome, and that the whole apartment complex, run by the old man, where prostitutes gather has been broken up. Yossarian is worried about Nately’s prostitute and her kid sister, and goes to Rome to investigate.