In 1980, due to the concerted efforts of his mother, author John Kennedy Toole posthumously published his contemporary masterpiece of satire, A Confederacy of Dunces.
The novel follows the protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly, as he bumbles through the lower depths of New Orleans, encountering timeless characters such as his beatnik ex-girlfriend, a strip club owner, an utterly inept cop, and a down-and-out janitor.
Ignatius, in true form, sees himself as resistance against the new world.
He stands in the French Quarter, obese and slothful, clad in a hunting cap, scarf, and baggy flannel shirt scanning the crowd to point out those who have bad taste. Subtle humor like this merely pulls the reader in further.
Ultimately the novel functions on multiple levels. What JKT has achieved is a modern retelling of Don Quixote, with Ignatius in the role of the titular hero. He is eccentric to the point of self-delusion, seeing conspiracies all around him. He also takes pleasure in his hatred for modernity, even though he prescribes to its wonders almost wantonly.
Toole, also puts wrong information in the text about certain geographical areas within the city as a dash of self-deprecating humor.
Unfortunately, the author was unable to see any success from the novel as he committed suicide eleven years prior to its release. However, the hard work ended up in a posthumously-awarded Pulitzer Prize.
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