I don't think the 'what' distinguishes a good novel from a bad one but rather the 'how.'

I could not write about a subject sacred to me because I would be too flippant. Fortunately, there are no subjects sacred to me.

"What would they do to me," he asked in confidential tones, "if I refused to fly them?" "We'd probably shoot you," ex-P.F.C. Wintergreen replied. "We?" Yossarian cried in surprise. "What do you mean, we? Since when are you on their side?" "If you're going to be shot, whose side do you expect me to be on?" ex-P.F.C. Wintergreen retorted.

Success and failure are both difficult to endure. Along with success come drugs, divorce, fornication, bullying, travel, meditation, medication, depression, neurosis and suicide. With failure comes failure.

He knew everything about literature except how to enjoy it.

I had examined myself pretty thoroughly and discovered that I was unfit for military service.

Clevinger had a mind, and Lieutenant Scheisskoph had noticed that people with minds tended to get pretty smart at times.