George Meredith once reasoned, “The true test of comedy is that it elicits reflective laughter.” » The importance of encouraging reflective laughter in comedy lies in its ability to humorously provoke thought about a larger idea or theme. In the dark comedy Catch-22, Joseph Heller delivers witty writing and action alongside meaningful themes, a combination that elicits that kind of "thoughtful laughter." In particular, the humorous confusion and frustration surrounding Doc Daneeka's supposed death clearly lends itself to this concept. Even if the ridiculousness of the humorous scene may seem trivial in light of the development of the plot, Heller encourages us to think about both the power of official documents and the dehumanization of soldiers by inhumane officers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Heller uses the scene as a way to reveal that in war, statements written on a form are of far greater importance than the news of the situation. In fact, the confusion surrounding Doc Daneeka's death comes from Sergeant Towser and the War Department's refusal to accept the reality of what is shown in the flight records. "With lips still trembling, Towser stood and reluctantly went out to tell Gus and Wes the bad news, discreetly avoiding any conversation with Doc Daneeka himself as he moved near the slight sepulchral figure of the surgeon of the air” (Heller 340). Towser acknowledges Daneeka's existence, but he avoids action because Daneeka "gave every indication of an even thornier administrative problem for him" (340). In addition to Towser's recorded excuse for disregarding Doc Daneeka, Mrs. Daneeka is having trouble with reporting. An illegible letter from her husband gave the woman hope after she received a telegram from the War Department stating that her husband had been killed in action. Eventually, however, she turns her "mournful cries of lament" (341) to rejoice in her newfound wealth from numerous insurance benefits as she begins to accept the War Department's continued denial. In a final, moving letter from Doc Daneeka, he pleads for his wife to recognize his existence; however, this response is immediately countered by Colonel Cathcart's overly generic response: "Dear Mrs., Sir, Miss or Mr. and Mrs. Daneeka: Words cannot express the deep personal sorrow I felt when your husband, your son , your father or brother was killed, wounded or missing in action” (344). This constant battle between the smudged, poignant letters that clearly come from an emotional Daneeka and the detached responses from the bureaucracy, while ridiculous in nature, serves to illuminate a major theme of the story. novel: the power of documentation on humanity. To a large extent of the novel, Catch-22 is simply documentation that may or may not exist, but certainly dictates the activity of the soldiers. Because of the significance of this scene in the text, the audience is able to elaborate on the humor by questioning or confirming the veracity of Heller's claims about official documentation, thus eliciting thoughtful laughter. This chapter also elicits thoughtful laughter due to Heller's hyperbole on the dehumanization of soldiers. The inhuman character of Colonel Cathcart is particularly targeted through his letter to Mrs. Daneeka. One might predict that the commander of a slain man's group would write a more concerned letter rather than such a superficial and standard sentence. This letter is all the more significant..