Heller’s Catch-22 novel was written after WWII and explores the effects the war had on people and their views on society while it persisted. In this passage Yossarian and Milo have very distant views of society. While Milo views society as a place in which he can manipulate it’s traditions and therefor reap massive profits for himself, Yossarian views society as disjointed and tries to release himself from its burdens. Heller divulges their views through selection of details, symbolism, imagery and allusions.
When Milo arrives to Yossarian’s outlook, in the tree, he has a set goal and plan which consisted of selling “ ‘Chocolate-covered cotton’ ” to the men at the mess halls. Heller uses this “candy” to symbolize the rising materialism of this time. Even though Milo’s chocolate cotton lacks substance behind it he can manipulate the materialistic traditions of his time and convince the men of is enticing taste. Allowing Milo to sell his cotton and earn a profit. Milo’s view of society is also revealed through selection of details. During their talk, in which they are hanging from a tree limb, Milo lets go of the limb and almost “broke his neck.” This inclusion of this detail exposes that society is a “make it or break it” society. The fact that Milo was the person to let go reveals his daring characteristics and willingness to commit irrational actions that might be his downfall to seek a potentially big payout. After Milo conducts his small talk with Yossarian he notices a funeral and his eyes “filled with tears.” Although these “tears” seem to be for the soldier the real source and the reason for his “emotion” filled voice is because his chocolate cotton plan has proved a failure. Milo’s quest for embezzling people out of their money is so powerful that he doesn't even morn for a lost comrade for more than a sentence or two before returning to his schemes to trick his men into eating cotton. Milo is seen in a “coarse olive-drab woolen uniform with his tie knotted tight.” The cloths portray that Milo has conformed to society in contrast to Yossarian’s nakedness. But the inclusion of his “tie” reveals that he wants to be seen as a person of influence.
Yossarian view of society isn’t in complete opposition to Milo’s but it does have stark distinctions. In this passage Yossarian is completely naked from the feet up and when Milo asks why “Yossarian replies ‘I don’t want to.’ ” Thus showing that he wants to separate himself from his current society ergo his reasons behind his naked appearance. The tree that they are both sitting on is describe by “Yossarian as the ‘tree of life ... and of knowledge of good and evil.’ ” This allusion to the garden of eden along with Yossarian alluded to being Adam portrays