A comprehensive study guide offering in-depth explanation, essay, and test prep for Joseph Heller's Catch-22, which eponymously coined the term so frequently used today to describe the predicament of being trapped by contradictory rules. As a novel of post-World War II America, Catch-22 is profound in its conception, complex in its artistry, and radical in its message. Moreover, in some colleges it is studied as the modern counterweight to Homer's Iliad. This Bright Notes Study Guide explores the context and history of Heller's classic work, helping students to thoroughly explore the reasons it has stood the literary test of time. Each Bright Notes Study Guide contains: - Introductions to the Author and the Work - Character Summaries - Plot Guides - Section and Chapter Overviews - Test Essay and Study Q&As The Bright Notes Study Guide series offers an in-depth tour of more than 275 classic works of literature, exploring characters, critical commentary, historical background, plots, and themes. This set of study guides encourages readers to dig deeper in their understanding by including essay questions and answers as well as topics for further research.