CHAPTER 32: YO-YOÂ’S ROOMIEÂ’S

Summary

Yossarian is joined by four more soldiers who replace Sampson and McWatt. These new recruits are younger than Yossarian, eager and exuberant, They are kids of twenty-one who have come to take OrrÂ’s place in YossarianÂ’s tent. Yossarian cannot stand these recruits and complains to Towser.

Halfoat believes that he is dying of pneumonia. Captain Flume has come back from the forest to live in the trailer. It is now winter time. The new recruits in Yossarian tent get rid of MuddÂ’s cot and belongings and burn up OrrÂ’s birch logs. Yossarian is alarmed . He fears that they will get rid of him, too. He runs off to Rome with Joe.

Notes

Following the deaths of McWatt and Sampson, Yossarian is plagued by thoughts of death. He begins to believe that death is irreversible and will soon claim him too.

The sense of renewal and change that YossarianÂ’s new roommates bring clashes with YossarianÂ’s growing sense of approaching death. Yossarian wants to forget the present by thinking of the past, by keeping alive the memory of Mudd and Orr. His new roommates quickly remove those things that remind Yossarian of his former roommates . Yossarian, who sees himself now as an "old foggy of twenty-eight" is frightened by the exuberance and vitality of his new roommates. He is unable to adjust to their way of life and runs off with Joe to Rome. Once again, Yossarian is trying to escape from a situation.

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