Snowden
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Snowden is also the name of a single by Doves.
Snowden is a character appearing in Joseph Heller's Catch-22 (ISBN 0684833395).
Snowden's character is vital to Heller's story, acting as catalyst for fundamental change in the mentality of the main character Yossarian.
Snowden is a member of Yossarian's flight on a mission during World War II (the setting of the novel). After their plane takes heavy anti-aircraft fire, Snowden is mortally wounded. Yossarian attempts to come to Snowden's aid and does his best to treat his wounds. Critically, however, Yossarian only notices and treats a wound on Snowden's leg. Eventually Yossarian notices the major wound, a belly/chest wound, and realizes that his care for Snowden was useless and there was nothing he could have done to save him. Snowden grows weak and cold in the chill of high altitude flight, and dies muttering "I'm so cold." In a last, vain effort to save him, Yossarian tries to warm the boy up by wrapping him in a parachute.
Before Snowden dies, the contents of his intestines and other body-matter empty out onto his uniform. The sight shocks and horrifies Yossarian who realizes that a body without a soul is simply an empty shell, which is nothing more than garbage.
The experience on the plane and his realization after Snowden's death quickly and dramatically changes Yossarian's attitude towards life. He now looks only to protect his own life and, to a lesser extent, the lives of his close friends. Yossarian also turns against the military after this flight and refuses to wear a uniform. His justification is that Snowden died in one, and his remains were soaked into Yossarian's.