Didn't I once observe that there is nothing new under the sun?

Didn't I once observe that there is nothing new under the sun?

Joseph Heller, the renowned author of the satirical novel "Catch-22," was known for his sharp wit and keen observations on the human condition. In his works, Heller often explored themes of absurdity, bureaucracy, and the futility of war. One of the recurring motifs in his writing is the idea that there is nothing new under the sun.

In Heller's world, characters are often trapped in cycles of repetition and futility, doomed to relive the same mistakes and absurdities over and over again. This sense of déjà vu is a central theme in "Catch-22," where the protagonist, Yossarian, finds himself caught in a never-ending loop of illogical rules and regulations that make it impossible for him to escape the madness of war.

Heller's exploration of the idea that there is nothing new under the sun can be seen as a commentary on the cyclical nature of human history. Throughout his works, Heller suggests that despite our best efforts to change and progress, we are ultimately doomed to repeat the same mistakes and fall into the same patterns of behavior.

This sense of futility and repetition is perhaps best encapsulated in the famous line from Ecclesiastes that Heller references in the title of his novel: "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." This sentiment is echoed throughout Heller's work, as characters struggle to break free from the constraints of their circumstances, only to find themselves right back where they started.