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You are the sole judge of a new literary competition in which you have to choose the
best novel of the twentieth century. The preliminary shortlist is made up of the
following texts:
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig, Paradise by
Abdulrazak Gurnah, The Ghost Road by Pat Barker, and one novel not included in
A300.

(1) Elaborate the criteria to be applied in choosing your winning novel.

(2) Analyse TWO of the above novels, the one you think should win the prize, and one of
the others.

The Twentieth Century was marked by two major events: World War I and World War II.
Given the lasting and global impact of these events, the best literature from the century would
have to take these into consideration. Delia da Sousa Correa stated Mansfield saw the war as
something that must transform the writers responses to the world (Da Sousa Correa, 2005,
p.98). This prize is awarded for the novel with the most far-reaching impact of the century,
and as such, representation of war is a prerequisite for the winning novel. Undeniably, this
shortlist has been constrained by the confines of the course materials, consequently the
finalists are The Ghost Road (1995) by Pat Barker and Catch-22 (1961) by Joseph Heller.

Impact is the overriding judging criterion for this prize. The winning novel must resonate
with the impact of war. Within the overriding criterion, three supporting criteria were
identified. The first was Instrumentalism. The winning novel would have to open the mind of
the reader and make them reassess their prior beliefs. The second was Innovation. The
winning novel would also have to subvert the readers expectations of the concept of a novel.
The third was Popularity. For the novel to have far-reaching impact, it would have to have
far-reaching appeal. Throughout the discussion of these criteria, the authors representations
of war will be examined. The two novels have similarities as well as their obvious

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differences, and in truth, deciding upon a winner will see a hard-fought contest between
them.

Richard Danson Brown wrote that a fundamental question [is] What is literature for?
(Brown, 2005, p.3). It is arguable that literature, as with all art, has a purpose. It may simply
be to stretch the possibilities of aesthetics, providing something beautiful. However, a desire
to produce something beautiful, bereft of political or social agenda, is in itself an agenda. For
literature to have an impact in must have instrumental elements; it must have a purpose. The
Booker Prize was designed to stimulate interest in serious British fiction (Nasta, 2005,
p.295). Implied with this is the discussion of controversial issues, and an instrumental
approach, but Susheila Nasta notes the judging is also of the artistic or aesthetic value of
the novels (Nasta, 2005, p.296). Thus the criterion of Instrumentalism shall include
discussion of the impact of instrumental ideas through aesthetic values.

In his essay, Tradition and the Individual Talent, Eliot wrote that a writer is inevitably
influenced by their literary predecessors and that You cannot value him alone; you must set
him, for contrast and comparison, among the dead (Eliot, quoted in Gupta and Johnson,
2005, p.98). Julia Kristeva also argued the interdependency of texts and their intertextuality
(Kristeva, quoted in Gramich, 2005, p.181). Great literature is borne from literary heritage.
Finding innovative ideas and styles amidst the wealth of literature is a true talent and worth
commendation, hence the importance of the criterion Innovation. For a novel to have become
a literary canon proves it has provided something innovative to the literary world.

David Johnson wrote about the many definitions of the term popular as discussed by
Raymond Williams. These definitions include: well-liked by many people (Johnson, 2005,

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p.4). This constitutes part of the definition used in the Popularity criterion. Also included is
the discussion of high and popular culture, noting whether the novels have met critical
acclaim as well as high book sales. Alienation of the general readership through great
complexity would inhibit the breadth of impact a novel could achieve. This criterion will also
take into consideration adaptation. Adaptation, as proven by Virginia Woolfs Orlando, does
not imply that a film will not be gratuitously unfaithful to its source (Watson, 2005, p.320).
However, it does suggest that the novel has found sufficient popularity, or critical acclaim, to
warrant adaptation into film.

Barker won the Booker Prize in 1995 for The Ghost Road and, according to Lynda Prescott,
many critics believe it was an accolade given for the trilogy as a whole (Prescott, 2005,
p.350). However, this award is to be given to the best book of the Twentieth Century, the one
which alone has had the most impact of all the war novels. Thus, The Ghost Road must be
judged on its own merit. The fact that the novel met with such high and immediate critical
acclaim shows its value, and judging it alone will delve deeper into its impact.

Catch-22 was not met with immediate success in USA as it was in the UK, but it did soon
become a hit. Heller noted that initially it was underground book, but a year later when it
was published in paperback, sales boomed and it leapt to the head of the bestseller lists
(Heller, 2011, pp.533-534). It was voted seventh on the Modern Library list of top one
hundred novels of the Twentieth Century as voted by a board of critics, and twelfth by
readers. It also came eleventh in the BBC Big Read. This demonstrates its lasting popularity,
in both Great Britain and America. However, Catch-22 has never received a prestigious
literary award. Despite this, Catch 22 has become an everyday term, making its way into the
Oxford English Dictionary; although the Catch 22 of the novel is never singularly defined.

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Both novels demonstrate innovation; however, in doing so, they could have hindered their
popularity through complexity. Flashbacks are used in both texts and are an example of their
innovative narratives. The disjointedness of Hellers narrative is much more profound than
Barkers, and is therefore more challenging for the reader. References to the number of
missions help to provide some sense of timing, and the opening line of each chapter does
follow from the last line of the previous. The flashbacks to Snowdons death provide the
climax for the novel and they support Yossarians epiphany whilst explaining his
psychological state.

Duality is a theme running throughout Catch-22. Not only are events told from different
perspectives, but things often happen twice and dj vu is referred to regularly. There is even
the soldier who saw everything twice (Heller, 2011, p.203). Added to this, there are around
fifty characters in Catch-22, each new one leading to another. Yet there are very few, if any
minor characters. The skinny maid and the squat maid are both mentioned on two separate
occasions. Indeed, periphrasis is prevalent in Hellers work, and is used to exaggerate the
countless paradoxes and farcical elements. Hellers wordiness is most obvious from his use of
repetition: from repeated ideas and phrases, to a character such as Major Major Major Major.

It could be argued that the complexity of Catch-22 inhibits its popularity. The lack of a linear
timeline in Catch-22 combined with its multitude of characters does require significant
concentration from the reader. The innovative style of narrative used by Heller would have,
and still does alienate readers. Ken Bresler states that Catch-22 is untranslatable (Bresler,
2008, p.1). Heller commented when describing a Finnish translation, I suspect the book lost
a great deal in its Finnish translation (Heller, quoted in Dexter, 2007, p.191). However,

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Hellers complex narrative reflects the confusion and complexity of war and memory. He
emphasises the fragile mental state of the airmen, as well as demonstrating the intrinsic
nature of all of lifes experiences..

In both cases, the use of this narrative style is as enlightening as the content of the flashbacks
themselves. Barkers use of flashback means that she can introduce a very controversial
question through her inclusion of the Melanesian culture. For the Melanesians, death is full of
ritual and afterlife. The lack of war there is having a negative impact on their lives. Perhaps
war can also be a positive part of life. Boyers writes that Barkers culture of death is not
intended as an antiwar perspective given the analogy of the honourable status of war
presented by another culture (Boyers, 2005, pp.161-162). Rather, it would appear, Barker is
challenging the readers preconceptions.

Barkers complex narrative also supports her inclusion of pseudo-non-fictional elements.

Priors diary entries and letter home could indeed be a genuine set of documents, and Prescott
notes that Priors fictional war-journal is studded with facts and phrases from actual letters
those of Wilfred Owen (Prescott, 2005, p.376). Barker based much of her writing on her
studies of the real Dr Rivers. She has created, through her artistry, an innovative piece of
historical fiction, avoiding, as Boyers notes, informational zealousness (Wood, quoted in
Boyers, 2005, p.165). Less confined by fact than most historical writers, Barkers selfdescribed interwoven approach cleverly blends fact with fiction (Barker, quoted in
Prescott, 2005, p.371). Her mix of epistolary narrative with third person subjective, sees her
utilising the narrative techniques of Shelley, Stoker, Hemmingay, creating a mlange of
narratives.

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The Ghost Road serves as a symbol of the distance womens writing had travelled during the
century. Writing with feminist ideas, Barker has achieved literary success in spite of her
working-class background. In her essay A Room of Ones Own, Woolf wrote It is fatal to
be a man or woman pure and simple; one must be woman-manly or man-womanly (Woolf,
quoted in Gupta and Johnson, 2005, p.127). Barker exemplifies the future of literature that
Woolf envisaged; The Ghost Road, written by a woman, about men, emasculated by war, and
with homosexual relations. The Ghost Road represents the changing impact of womens
literature through Barkers innovation and instrumentalism.

With regards to innovative narrative style, the influence of absurdist writers such as Kafka, is
very apparent in Hellers work. However, his literary influences also stem from poetry.
Steven J. Doloff notes Hellers reference to poetry regarding the naming of Snowden. When
Youssarian asks Where are the Snowdens of yesteryear? (Heller, 2011, p.39), according to
Doloff, he is parodying the French poet, Francois Villons, well-known refrain, Mais ou sont
les neige dantan?. Doloff also notes that William Wordsworths The Prelude (1850)
pictures life everlasting from the top of Mount Snowdon. Suggesting that perhaps Hellers
references to poetry in Snowdens name simultaneously [evoke] imitations of immortality
and mortality (Doloff, 2007, p.181). Clearly inspired by literary heritage, Heller developed
his innovative narrative style, which provides even further impact with an appreciation of its
heritage.

Barker may have been influenced by Hellers work in her own writing; however this would
certainly not imply that her work was not innovative also. Baker makes her own references to
literary heritage, but these are much more pronounced. The poets Owen and Sassoon
influence and appear in the novel as characters in their own right. Moreover, it is the

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influence of the aforementioned non-fictional texts on Barkers work that dominates The
Ghost Road and demonstrates that her innovation developed from the work of others.

Wildes ever-quoted belief in art for arts sake is especially pertinent to Catch-22. Catch-22
is undoubtedly an instrumentalist novel. Farce and satire is used to portray a damning
indictment of war, especially the bureaucracy of war, and values of modern society. Catch-22
is arguably a protest novel. However, with all its complexity of plot and lexis, Catch-22 is
also a work of art. This is evident from his use of traditionally poetic devices, such as
repetition, adjectives, alliteration and phonetics: bug-eyed, blinding, fiercely flickering, eerie
landing lights on (Heller, 2011, p.296). Nibir K. Ghosh describes Hellers work as an
unconventional mode of aesthetic expression, blending pungent humor [sic] with the
horrifying spectacle of war (Ghosh, 2012, p.60). This is a point embodied when the price of
war is taken very literally, when Milo suggests A thousand dollars aint such a bad price for
a medium bomber and crew (Heller, 2011, p.294). Thus Heller clearly demonstrates that
instrumentalism and aestheticism are not mutually exclusive.

Although not as acutely instrumental or aesthetic as Catch-22, Barker also blends both
aspects of literature. Barkers writings of a foreign land and people provided her with the
opportunity to include a great deal of artistry within the over-riding purpose of creating a
newly opened minds eye to other worlds and beliefs, and preserving, although with some
fiction, the work of a lesser known doctor of the Great War (Barker, 2008, p.117).

Barker writes unreservedly about Catholic paedophilia and homosexuality and includes
graphic imagery. The Catholic paedophilia is given brief mention in The Ghost Road, but not
condemned as one might expect, instead presented just as part of Priors youth: The first

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time Father Mackenzie knelt, holding him round the waist, We really touched bottom there,
didnt we? (Barker, 2008, p.41). Allen Ginsberg, among others, paved the way for Barkers
overt discussion of homosexuality. She makes countless references to homosexual acts
throughout the novel, but does so in way which facilitates her intertextual narrative style.
Barker quotes Friedrich von Schillers Ode to Joy Oh ye millions I embrace you/ This kiss is
for the whole world (Barker, 2008, p.248). She cleverly uses the lines from the German
poet to juxtapose the vulgarity of the lexis of the surrounding scene.

Barkers main representation of the horror of war is introduced through medical notes, The
wound of the exit consisted of a large irregular opening in the bone and tissues of the scalp,
and through this protruded a suppurating hernia cerebri which pulsated (Barker, 2008,
p.230). The medical lexis, not too specialist to interpret, provides Barker with a means to
graphically present Hallets injuries, made more pronounced by the reaction of Dr Rivers Oh
God (Barker, 2008, p.230). Despite Dr Rivers accounts being written in third person, the
subjective element brings his thoughts into the story.

Hellers horrific war imagery is perhaps more shocking, giving the suddenness of its
presentation. Kid Sampson dies horrifically when McWatt dropped the speeding plane down
just low enough for a propeller to slice him half away (Heller, 2011, p.388). Prostitution,
rape and murder are also spoken of, and generally the male characters in the novel present a
misogynistic attitude towards women. However, it would appear the Heller is not suggesting
this is his own sentiment towards women. Rather, the women seem to know their own minds
and appear sexually empowered. The misogyny and inclusion of women in the story are used
by Heller to represent the psychological state of the men; they assert their masculinity in
search of the only control they can find.

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Representation of the psychological impact of war is a dominating theme in both novels. In

The Ghost Road, this is apparent from the outset, given the profession of Dr Rivers. Also,
Prior used his dual personality as a means to cope with the war. He needed to be mad to
remain sane. A similar idea is suggested in Catch-22. Madness and the absurdity of the
situation faced by military personnel is the dominant theme. Dr. Stubbs answered. That
crazy bastard might be the only sane one left. (Heller, 2011, p.127). The best-known
definition of Catch 22 suggests that a pilot must be insane to fly. Hellers absurdist
approach to war shed new light on an issue which was showing signs of repetition in
America. With war with Vietnam looking inevitable, Heller provided a social awareness of
wartime issues hitherto unspoken. He highlighted the bureaucratic plight and consumerist
demands which provided another battle for the men. Yossarian is an anti-hero, but all soldiers
have to be prepared play this role.

With its lack of a traditional hero, disjointed narrative and indefinable genre, Catch-22 is
perhaps the epitome of a postmodern text. The Ghost Road also falls into the realms of
Postmodernism, as neither a romance nor true war story; it even straddles the boundary
between non-fiction and fiction. Prior is also not a typical hero, but he, unlike Yossarian,
does face death with his comrades, rather than seeking an escape. Both novels also use
historic events to discuss important issues and Hans Bertens wrote, In the wake of Foucault,
postmodernism has with increasing frequency visited the past in order to illuminate the
present (Bertens, quoted in Gupta and Johnson, 2005, p.243). Thus, both novels represent a
key movement in literature, one which took Modernism, and saw it further develop. Arguably
the winning novel would have represent Postmodernism as it encompasses both movements.

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Boyers suggests that most of the conflicts are resolved within the pages of The Ghost Road
so that the conflicts cannot continue to resonate for us beyond the pages of the fiction. We
are not haunted by the facts or conflicts of Barker's novel (Boyers, 2005, p.166). Although a
subjective judgement, it also one which carries weight. Prior dies, Rivers finds peace with the
spirituality of the Melanesians. Perhaps, Barkers The Ghost Road, does not encourage a rereading like Catch-22. But, arguably, the complexity of Hellers writing requires re-reading
simply to be able to appreciate the story fully, with all of its idiosyncrasies.

Catch-22 is often described as a cult novel. Philip K. Dicks Do Androids Dream of Electric
Sheep?, a science-fiction novel, falls into cult readership. However, as Dick proved, cult
books can also be popular and, as noted by Andrew M. Butler, they can be accepted into the
literary canon (Butler, 2005). Nicola Allen suggests that modern authors such as Pat Barker
combine their innovative styles with [] older narratives and acknowledge within their
work the influence of older, more establish (canonical) writers and texts. Allen even cites
the influence of Heller on the author Will Self (Allen, 2008, p.18). Both texts are moving into
the realms of the canonical. They have had critical acclaim, and been immensely popular.
After fifty years, Catch-22 is still in print. Another good indication of the popularity of a
book is whether it has been adapted into film, and indeed the film version of Catch-22 was
released in 1970. The Ghost Road has not been dramatized; however, a film version of
Regeneration was in 1997.

The two novels are worlds apart in their presentation, but both reflect the psychological
impact of war along with the atrocities of wasted life. Both have distinctive narrative styles;
Heller is absurdist, and Barker writes a blend of fact and fiction. Both books have their own
merits and are both books with great impact. However, there can only be one winner. Given

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time, especially with the 100 year anniversary of World War I fast approaching, The Ghost
Road may become an influential novel. However, Catch-22 has already proven itself as part
of literary heritage; it is a literary cannon. Hellers blending of absurdist techniques with war
and controversial issues has provided a legacy; it has had a great impact, and still does.
Catch-22 is the winner of this award.

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Allen, N., (2008) Marginality in the Contemporary British Novel, London, Continuum.
Barker, P., (2008) The Ghost Road, London Penguin
Berten, H,, (2005) The Idea of the Postmodern (1995) in Gupta, S. and Johnson, D. (eds.), A
Twentieth-Century Literature Reader : Texts and Debates, London, Routledge in association
with The Open University, pp. 235-243.
Boyers, R., (2005) Dictators Dictation,USA, Columbia University Press (pp.151-167)
[online] Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com/lrc/detail?vid=4&sid=3856a374-c3ba4d63-8ce1e60e3ef7c218%40sessionmgr112&hid=108&bdata=JnNpdGU9bHJjLWxpdmU%3d#db=lfh
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Bresler, K., (2008) Catch-22 What It Is, What It Says and What It Means in The Vocabula
Review, 2008, 10, 11 pp.1-37[online]. Available from:
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Brown, R. D., (2005) Introduction to Part 1 in Brown, R. D. and Gupta, S. (eds.)
Aestheticism & Modernism : Debating Twentieth Century Literature 1900-1960, London,
Routledge in association with The Open University, pp.3-18.
Butler, A. M., (2005) Chapter 3 Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? in
Johnson, D. (ed.) The Popular & The Canonical : Debating Twentieth Century Literature
1940-2000, London, Routledge in association with The Open University, pp.108-152.
Da Sousa Correa, D., (2005) Chapter 2 The stories of Katherine Mansfield in Brown, R. D.
and Gupta, S. (eds.) Aestheticism & Modernism : Debating Twentieth Century Literature
1900-1960, London, Routledge in association with The Open University, pp.68-116.
Dexter, G. (2007) Why Not Catch-21? The Stories Behind the Titles, London, Frances
Lincoln.
Doloff, S. J., (2007) Hellers Catch 22 in Explicator, 2007, 65, 3, pp.180-182
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Eliot, T. S., (2005) Tradition and the Individual Talent (1919) in Gupta, S. and Johnson, D.
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Ghosh, N. K., (2012) War and the Pity of War: Joseph Hellers Catch-22in IUP Journal Of
English Studies, 7, 2, pp.51-60 [online]. Available from:
http://web.ebscohost.com/lrc/detail?vid=17&sid=3856a374-c3ba-4d63-8ce1e60e3ef7c218%40sessionmgr112&hid=9&bdata=JnNpdGU9bHJjLWxpdmU%3d#db=lfh&A
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Gramich, K., (2005) Chapter 4 Manuel Puig, Kiss of the Spider Woman in Johnson, D. (ed.)
The Popular & The Canonical : Debating Twentieth Century Literature 1940-2000, London,
Routledge in association with The Open University, pp.153-195.
Heller, J., (2011) Catch-22, London, Vintage.
Johnson, D., (2005) Introduction to Part 1 in in Johnson, D. (ed.) The Popular & The
Canonical : Debating Twentieth Century Literature 1940-2000, London, Routledge in
association with The Open University, pp.3-12.
Nasta, S., (2005) Chapter 7 Abdulzarak Gurnah, Paradise in Johnson, D. (ed.) The Popular
& The Canonical : Debating Twentieth Century Literature 1940-2000, London, Routledge in
association with The Open University, pp.294-343.
Prescott, L., (2005) Chapter 8 Pat Barker, The Ghost Road in Johnson, D. (ed.) The Popular
& The Canonical : Debating Twentieth Century Literature 1940-2000, London, Routledge in
association with The Open University, pp.344-399.
Watson, N. J., (2005) Chapter 6 Virginia Woolf, Orlando in Brown, R. D. and Gupta, S.
(eds.) Aestheticism & Modernism : Debating Twentieth Century Literature 1900-1960,
London, Routledge in association with The Open University, pp.277-323.
Woolf, V., (2005) A Room of Ones Own (1929) in Gupta, S. and Johnson, D. (eds.), A
Twentieth-Century Literature Reader : Texts and Debates, London, Routledge in association
with The Open University, pp. 118-127.