Yossarian...

“He wondered often how he would ever recognize the first chill, flush, twinge, ache, belch, sneeze, stain, lethargy, vocal slip, loss of balance or lapse of memory that would signal the inevitable beginning of the inevitable end.” (pg. 173)

This quote relates to the topic of fear and death, that is consistent throughout the entire book specifically in reference to Yossarian. He constantly has the idea of death on his mind, always thinking about scenarios in which he might be killed or people that could potentially kill him by their actions during missions etc. Also, Yossarian shows a sense of paranoia to the idea of death, in the sense that he thinks about highly unlikely methods of dying, such as the failure of his lymph glands, disease of his head, chest or intestines, or the deterioration of the cells on his body every night. Such thoughts as these in the war camp, truly paranoia Yossarian and provide as a mental excuse for him to leave and go live in the camp hospital where he feels he will always be monitored and less likely to suddenly die. Due to this fear, he has become fragile and extremely vigilant and caring to his own life (which is his top priority throughout this entire book). Do to all this thinking of death, he further feels trapped in the war due to all the possibilities of different deaths and catch 22. This passage gives an insight into Yossarian’s emotional instability.