Orr's Secret Plan and Escape

Orr's seemingly foolish behavior masks a deliberate plan to escape to Sweden.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Orr's oddities

The Eccentric The Crab Apples Orr walks around with crab apples in his cheeks to get big cheeks. He tinkers endlessly with a stove valve. He giggles at everything. The Crash Landings Orr is shot down repeatedly but always survives. He ditches planes with skill. He seems unlucky but is actually practicing. The Hint Orr invites Yossarian to fly with him, saying it would be good practice. Yossarian refuses. Orr's hints are missed.

The final ditch

The Escape The Crash Orr is shot down again over the sea. He ditches the plane. He ends up alone in a raft while the others are rescued. The Disappearance Orr is not found. He is presumed dead. Yossarian mourns him. But Orr has actually begun his journey. The Preparation Orr had stocked the raft with supplies: chocolate, fishing line, a compass, a map. He planned everything.

News of Sweden

The Revelation The News The chaplain brings word that Orr has washed ashore in Sweden. Yossarian realizes Orr rowed there deliberately. He is overjoyed. The Inspiration Orr's success gives Yossarian hope. He decides to desert and try to reach Sweden himself. Orr's escape is a model of cunning and perseverance. The Legacy Orr, the apparent fool, turns out to be the smartest of them all. His escape is a triumph of individual will over the system.

Throughout the story, before his final ditch

During the second Bologna mission

Near the end of the novel, in the hospital