Chief White Halfoat's Story

Chief White Halfoat, a half-blood Creek Indian, tells Yossarian the story of his family, who were used as human divining rods by oil companies. Wherever they pitched their tent, oil was struck, and they were forced to move on. This nomadic existence prevented him from getting an education. He is now determined to die of pneumonia as an act of revenge against the white man. His tale is a darkly comic allegory of exploitation and dispossession, and his chosen method of death is a passive-aggressive rebellion against the system that has used him.