Yossarian in the Hospital

Yossarian is in the hospital on Pianosa, feigning a liver condition to avoid combat. He enjoys the comfort and safety of the ward, censoring letters with creative abandon, signing them as 'Washington Irving' or 'Irving Washington.' His antics attract a C.I.D. man investigating the forgeries. The ward is a haven from the war, filled with other malingerers like Dunbar, who cultivates boredom to make time pass slowly. The arrival of a patriotic Texan disrupts the peace, driving everyone back to duty within ten days, including Yossarian, who reluctantly leaves the hospital.