Has anyone read Confederacy of Dunces?
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Soapbox
Uncreative — 1 year ago(January 21, 2025 04:12 PM)
I started it last night and immediately noticed something oddly familiar.
-It takes place in Louisiana
-The main character is a guy named Ignatius Reilly. An overweight unemployed man in his 30s with an unusual fashion sense.
-He's entirely certain that he's morally superior to everyone else around him.
-Completely dependent on a family member who he bullies into buying him excessive amounts of snacks.
-Doesn't know how to drive. Riding in the car at all makes him nervous.
-Constant references to his ex who is now long gone
-Has panic attacks at the thought or suggestion that he should get a job.
I can't quite place it but I feel like I've seen that character somewhere before. -
/.ㅤ — 1 year ago(January 21, 2025 04:20 PM)
Holy **** it's true:
The main character of A Confederacy of Dunces is Ignatius J. Reilly, a highly eccentric, overweight, and arrogant man in his thirties. He lives with his mother, Irene, in New Orleans and is often portrayed as pompous, with a strong sense of intellectual superiority. Ignatius believes himself to be a misunderstood genius, often criticizing modern society, culture, and even his own time. He holds contempt for nearly everyone around him, viewing them as inferior, yet he is also plagued by his own insecurities and struggles with his sense of purpose. His behavior and actions often lead to absurd and humorous situations, which drive much of the novel's plot. Ignatius’ worldview is shaped by his obsession with medieval philosophy, and his interactions with others are frequently marked by his arrogance and disdain for the ordinary world.
My password is password. -
Uncreative — 1 year ago(January 21, 2025 04:34 PM)
I'm only about 50 pages in but so far, yeah. On its own it would be entertaining enough. Seeing how recognizable the main character is takes it to another level that might not be appreciated by outsiders.
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∂³∑x² — 1 year ago(January 21, 2025 04:30 PM)
It's an exceptional book which recently caught fire again after Billy Connelly, the Scottish comedian, mentioned it in passing during a casual interview.
He apparently got in in a charity shop back in the early 1980's and loved it.
Anthony Burgess used to sing its praises too.
Much like the formidable Lovecraft and Van Gogh the artist died unrecognised and penniless. It was his mother who found his manuscript after his suicide and put it to publishers who, after some cajoling from people with their finger on the pulse, published it to a much welcomed fanfare.
It's a modern classic and one of the contenders for the Great American Novel (Which will never officially get recognised as such, but that's another story - pun intended) and, as such, is a pathetic attempt at an insult to compare anyone against its protagonist.
It's like calling someone Don Quixote in its short-sightedness.
Perhaps username checks out is appropriate on this occasion Uncreative
Call me ∑ -
∂³∑x² — 1 year ago(January 21, 2025 04:39 PM)
I'm not sure about ChatGPT but I welcome your healthy scepticism
I have the 2011 print with a foreword by Walter Percy and front cover illustrated by Gary Taxali. Find anyone you know with it (Or get it from the library) and ask me any page number and word on it and I'll rectify your doubt
Call me ∑
