50+ Joseph Heller Quotes (Catch-22)

I don’t understand the process of imagination-though I know that I am very much at its mercy.
JOSEPH HELLER

Imagination Mercy Process Understand
Where were you born?” “On a battlefield,” [Yossarian] answered. “No, no. In what state were you born?” “In a state of innocence.
JOSEPH HELLER

Born Innocence
Peace on earth would mean the end of civilization as we know it.
JOSEPH HELLER

Civilization Earth End Peace
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.
JOSEPH HELLER

Mad Paranoid
While none of the work we do is very important, it is important that we do a great deal of it.
JOSEPH HELLER

Deal Greatness Important Work
But that was war. Just about all he could find in its favor was that it paid well and liberated children from the pernicious influence of their parents.
JOSEPH HELLER

Children Favor Influence Liberation Parents War
Mankind is resilient: the atrocities that horrified us a week ago become acceptable tomorrow.
JOSEPH HELLER

Acceptance Mankind Resilence Tomorrow
I don’t believe in miracles because it’s been a long time since we’ve had any.
JOSEPH HELLER

Broken Heart Miracle Time
He knew everything there was to know about literature, except how to enjoy it.
JOSEPH HELLER

Enjoyment Except Literature
Anything worth dying for is certainly worth living for.
JOSEPH HELLER

Die Inspirational Live Positive Worth
History was a trash bag of random coincidences torn open in a wind.
JOSEPH HELLER

Bag Coincidence History Open Random Trash Wind
Something did happen to me somewhere that robbed me of confidence and courage and left me with a fear of discovery and change and a positive dread of everything unknown that may occur.
JOSEPH HELLER

Change Confidence Courage Discovery Dread Fear Lost
Frankly, I’d like to see the government get out of war altogether and leave the whole field to private industry.
JOSEPH HELLER

Government Industry Private Togetherness
He was a self-made man who owed his lack of success to nobody
JOSEPH HELLER

Lack Self Made Success
The laws of nature are only as immutable as the minds which promote them. Ignorance of the law is 9/10ths of the law. Just because you aren’t paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.
JOSEPH HELLER

Ignorance Law Mind Nature Paranoid Promote
When I look up, I see people cashing in. I don’t see heaven or saints or angels. I see people cashing in on every decent impulse and every human tragedy.
JOSEPH HELLER

Angel Decent Heaven Human Impulse Poeple Saint Tragedy
He was never without misery, and never without hope.
JOSEPH HELLER

Hope Misery
You’re an intelligent person of great moral character who has taken a very courageous stand. I’m an intelligent person with no moral character at all, so I’m in an ideal position to appreciate it.
JOSEPH HELLER

Appreciation Character Courage Intelligence Moral
All of my books deal in a very rough, rude fashion with subjects about which there are great conflicts of opinion.
JOSEPH HELLER

Book Conflict Deal Fashion Opinion Rude Subject
They agreed that it was neither possible nor necessary to educate people who never questioned anything.
JOSEPH HELLER

Agree Education Necessary People Possible Question
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
JOSEPH HELLER

Achievement Born Medicore Mediocrity Men Sarcastic Thrust
The question is: what is a sane man to do in an insane society?
JOSEPH HELLER

Depression Insane Man Society
Be glad you’re even alive. Be furious you’re going to die.
JOSEPH HELLER

Alive Death Die Furious Life
I’ve only had four ideas for a novel in my life, and I’ve written all of them.
JOSEPH HELLER

Ideas Life Novel Writing
I think in every country that there is at least one executive who is scared of going crazy.
JOSEPH HELLER

Country Crazy Executive Scare
The country was in peril; he was jeopardizing his traditional rights of freedom and independence by daring to exercise them.
JOSEPH HELLER

Country Dare Exercise Freedom Independence Traditonal
There was no telling what people might find out once they felt free to ask whatever questions they wanted to.
JOSEPH HELLER

Freedom People Question Want

Joseph Heller Quotes

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