106 pages • 3 hours read
John Kennedy TooleA Confederacy of Dunces
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1980A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Essay Topics
Ignatius J. Reilly is a strange, captivating character. But is he a sympathetic one?
Given the multiracial nature of cities like New Orleans, how does the novel represent African Americans?
Ignatius and his mother have a particularly volatile relationship. But how does the dynamic between them change and evolve throughout the novel?
A Confederacy of Dunces is inextricably tied to its location. In what ways does the author portray New Orleans as a unique city?
With so many anti-consumerist elements and frequent criticisms of capitalism, how does the novel represent labor and working-class struggles?
In what ways does the novel critique consumerism? How is this portrayed, especially through Mr. and Mrs. Levy?
Given that the novel’s dramatic climax includes the return of Ignatius’s estranged girlfriend, does it seem possible that Myrna could change or help Ignatius in the future? Does their reunification seem short-lived?
Ignatius is frequently described as crazy, mad, and out of his mind, as are several other characters. But how does the novel portray mental health issues?
Rather than equipping a person for a successful future, academia only burdens them with enough baggage that they become unable to function in the real world. To what extent does this statement apply to Ignatius Reilly?
As one of the novel’s only examples of a functioning family, the Levy household is nevertheless beset by many issues. How do Mr. Levy’s relationships with his daughters, his wife, and his father affect his character and his actions?
