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A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide
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Unlock the more straightforward side of A Confederacy of Dunces with this concise and insightful summary and analysis !
This engaging summary presents an analysis of A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, a picaresque novel which follows the life of Ignatius J. Reilly, an eccentric, self-absorbed layabout whose endeavours always seem to be doomed to failure. The novel’s comic tone stands in sharp contrast to its bleak portrayal of working-class life, and it has been lauded for its accurate and comprehensive depiction of the dialects of New Orleans. John Kennedy Toole was an American novelist whose work was not published until a decade after his suicide at the age of 31. A Confederacy of Dunces is generally considered his masterpiece, and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981.
Find out everything you need to know about A Confederacy of Dunces in a fraction of the time !
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
•A complete plot summary
•Character studies
•Key themes and symbols
•Questions for further reflection
Why choose BrightSummaries?
Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.
See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries !
This engaging summary presents an analysis of A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, a picaresque novel which follows the life of Ignatius J. Reilly, an eccentric, self-absorbed layabout whose endeavours always seem to be doomed to failure. The novel’s comic tone stands in sharp contrast to its bleak portrayal of working-class life, and it has been lauded for its accurate and comprehensive depiction of the dialects of New Orleans. John Kennedy Toole was an American novelist whose work was not published until a decade after his suicide at the age of 31. A Confederacy of Dunces is generally considered his masterpiece, and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981.
Find out everything you need to know about A Confederacy of Dunces in a fraction of the time !
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
•A complete plot summary
•Character studies
•Key themes and symbols
•Questions for further reflection
Why choose BrightSummaries?
Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.
See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries !
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A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (Book Analysis) - Bright Summaries
AMERICAN NOVELIST
Born in New Orleans in 1937.
Died in Biloxi (Mississippi) in 1969.
Literary awards:
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 1981 (for A Confederacy of Dunces; awarded posthumously)
Notable works:
A Confederacy of Dunces (1980), novel
The Neon Bible (1989), novel
John Kennedy Toole grew up in a middle-class environment which afforded him very few opportunities to exercise his creativity and often left him feeling suffocated. His mother was unable to help him overcome these issues, and he had a complex relationship with her: although they were very close, their relationship was characterised by conflict and rejection. However, she was the one who first introduced him to the world of art and literature by enrolling him in a comedic theatre class.
Kennedy Toole later attended Tulane University, after which he went on to study English at Colombia University. He also taught several university-level classes, and was fairly well-respected in the academic world. However, his career was interrupted when he was drafted into military service and deployed to Puerto Rico, although he continued teaching English Literature during his time there.
After completing A Confederacy of Dunces, Kennedy Toole submitted the manuscript to a number of publishers, but it was rejected every time. This left
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