In his acclaimed novel "Catch-22," Joseph Heller depicts the effects of war on a man and his life-changing transformation. These effects can be seen best through Chaplain Tappman, who goes from an affectionate faith advocate to a guilty liar with violent intentions. The chaplain is weighted down by an inferiority complex, causing him to be daunted by superiors and to live in the woods several miles from the base. Although he is one of the few characters with moral intentions, the chaplain has a traumatic experience in the military due to his timid nature and his failure to develop close personal relationships.
When Tappman arrives at the hospital, he feels obliged to make an effort to speak with every patient. This exhibits his innate nature of always seeking to form positive relationships with others. He quickly establishes a connection with Yossarian after Yossarian stands up for him when he is kicked out of the officers' club. He seeks to repay Yossarian for his kindness by talking to the officers about reducing the amount of required missions so Yossarian can go home. However, he is utterly disappointed when he learns that Major Major told Yossarian he could not do anything to change the required number of missions. .
Cololnel Cathcart continuously raises the number of missions in order to outdo the other officers, with a mindset that "perhaps sixty combat missions were not nearly enough and that he ought to increase the number at once to seventy, eighty, a hundred, or even two hundred, three hundred, or six thousand!"" (246). The chaplain makes many more efforts to help Yossarian, revealing his Christian morals and eagerness for close friendships with others. The chaplain is treated with minimal respect, and realizes that he must be appreciative and take advantage of the benevolence of Yossarian. He remains faithful to Yossarrian through the end, and ultimately helps him escape to Sweden.
