throughout the story
The Dead Man in Yossarian's Tent
The belongings of a dead pilot, Mudd, remain in Yossarian's tent because he was killed before he could officially report to the squadron. The dead man's presence is a constant, macabre reminder of death. Yossarian is unable to get rid of the belongings, as the bureaucracy cannot process a man who never officially existed. The dead man is a symbol of the anonymity and absurdity of death in war.