In Catch-22, Joseph Heller creates a surreal world of irrationality to illuminate madness and corruption. Through satirical characterizations of the novel's leaders, Heller criticizes not only the institution of war but all forms of bureaucratic institutions. The authority figures in the novel are depicted as selfish, deranged maniacs with no sense of morality, driven solely by the desire to expand their power and reputation. These leaders are able to distort reason to their advantage through their followers' acceptance of conformity and convention. The novel's protagonist, Yossarian, however, rejects the pressures of conformity and is unwilling to accept his leaders' illogical projections of truth and duty. By fleeing to save Nately's whore sister, Yossarian is able to overcome the oppression of authority and find his purpose by deciding for himself what is right and pursuing it. This victory advances Heller's praise of standing up to society's conventions and refusing to blindly accept the truth. Joseph Heller's novel makes use of humorous surrealism to illuminate corruption in society. Heller admits that in his novels “the plot, the approach,” as opposed to the “basic plot, the sequence of actions,” is what “makes them distinctive” (Rielly). Indeed, at its most basic level, the plot of Catch-22 is not at all surreal or unconventional; is a reasonably historically accurate portrayal of the end of World War II. The missions Yossarian goes on, the deaths he witnesses, and the poverty he observes are all true to the setting. Many events in the book, such as the mission where Yossarian and his companions are ordered to bomb a civilian city to create a roadblock... mid-paper... to be part of an "American tradition" of literary rebels who “flee[e]…to save [themselves] from absurdity, compromise, or despair” (McDonald Although Heller intended the moral ambiguity of fleeing military service “to raise a question rather than answer it.” one", Yossarian's final action ultimately represents a triumph of nonconformity (Rielly). He is able to see the fraudulence of war and decides that a "disobedient" life of helping a lost girl is more worthy than a " duty" in the service of a corrupt general. Through this decision, Yossarian is able to find purpose and moral satisfaction in his life. This personal victory celebrates the power of nonconformity. Courageously rejecting society's expectations to pursue the life in which he believes, one can pursue good, challenge evil, and find the strength and worth of an individual..