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Pructus Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

From Catch 22

The Texan wanted everybody in the ward to be happy but Yossarian and Dunbar. He was really very sick. But Yossarian couldn’t be happy, even though the Texan didn’t want him to be, because outside the hospital there was still nothing funny going on.

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The underlined part reads ambiguous to me...

Does it mean, "the Texan didn’t want him to be happy" or "the Texan didn’t want him to be unhappy"?
  

Top answer

I agree. I think it would read more correctly if you change 'even though' to 'just as'

— English 1b3

  • I agree.
  • I think it would read more correctly if you change 'even though' to 'just as'
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12 Answers
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I agree.

I think it would read more correctly if you change 'even though' to 'just as'
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In the first sentence, "but" means "except." He wants everybody else to be happy (except Y. and D.) Clearly, the Texan does not want Y. to be happy, according to the excerpt as quoted. If the text is accurate, we're led to assume that the author believes Y. would be happy if he could, just to spite the Texan.
It's very bizarre, and makes me want to look up the original text to be su
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It's so ambiguous...

Does it mean, "the Texan didn’t want him to be happy"

OR does it mean "the Texan didn’t want him to be unhappy"?

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pructusIt's so ambiguous...

Does it mean, "the Texan didn’t want him to be happy"

OR does it mean "the Texan didn’t want him to be unhappy"? It's not ambiguous!
It says very clearly that the Texan wanted everybody to be happy - except him (and D.)

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Hi again, Avangi

I think his confusion stems from the choice of the subordinator 'even though'
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Of course it does! I did my best to explain that. You try. Emotion: happy
It's unusual, but that doesn't make it ambiguous.
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Thanks for your effort to let me understand!!

"Yossarian couldn’t be happy, even though the Texan didn’t want him to be"

So it means, "even though the Texan didn't want Yossarian to be happy, Yossarian couldn't be happy"?

In that case, "even though" sounds unnecessar here. Is it just intended for fun of words?
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I'm afraid I'll only muddy the waters!
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This re-write should help show that 'even though' in fact works.

Here goes: (Avangi may want to add/correct something):

The Texan wanted everybody in the ward to be happy but Yossarian and Dunbar. He was really very sick. But Yossarian tried to be happy (but couldn't be/failed to be happy) even though the Texan didn’t want him to be, because outside the hospital t
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Thanks a lot, 1b3!!

I understand what Avangi and you are explaining.

But restricting our focus on this sentence, isn't it weird?

It's like, "I couldn't do it, even though he didn't want me to do it".
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