Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Confederacy of Dunces, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Medievalism, Modernity, and Fate
The Legacy of Slavery
Sexuality, Attraction, and Repulsion
Freedom
Appearance, Identity, and Disguise
Hypocrisy and Self-Interest
Summary
Analysis
Back in his room, Ignatius writes about his encounter with Dorian Greene and his idea to bring about world peace. He plans to form a group of homosexuals to take over the military and overthrow the government. Once this group is in place, he reasons, they will all be too busy sewing dresses and having parties to go to war and, therefore, world peace will be achieved. It will be easy, Ignatius thinks, as all homosexuals think the same way.
Ignatius has very stereotypical and reductive views about homosexuals, believing them all to think the same. This is obviously untrue and suggests that Ignatius views homosexuals in the same way he views black people (which was demonstrated when he organized the riot at Levy Pants), as things that he can use for his own ends.
Themes
Ignatius thinks that this scheme helps him relate to Boethius—he, too, led an uncivilized world out of darkness and toward civility. He feels that this is a real opportunity to annoy Myrna, who will wish she had thought of the idea. Ignatius feels Myrna could never come up with this sort of idea, however, because she is not progressive enough. Although Ignatius believes homosexuality is a type of “degeneracy,” he feels that it is worth it for the sake of world peace.
Ignatius believes that the modern world lacks moral and philosophical guidance, and that the medieval period, his area of specialty, was superior to modernity. Boethius’s work influenced culture in the changeover from the Roman Empire to the medieval period, a shift which many historians view as a change from civilization to barbarism. However, Ignatius views modernity as barbaric because it is obsessed with the material world rather than the spiritual. Ignatius is obsessed with Myrna’s opinion of him despite claiming to hate her, which suggests that his feelings for her are more complex than he realizes. Ignatius does not really care about world peace but uses his idea about homosexuality to try and impress Myrna.
Themes
Ignatius plans to make a film about his political achievements and begins to plan a series of lectures. He concludes his journal with a note about Irene, who he feels is dangerously out of control. He also notes that a new film is coming out which he is keen to see. He does not understand his compulsion to watch films when he usually hates them. He also notes that he has gained weight since he started his job at Paradise Vendors.
Ignatius pretends that his control over Irene is for her own good, to stop her from descending into chaos, but it’s really is to make his life easier. Ignatius is aware that he is both repulsed by and attracted to cinema and does not understand contradiction in himself. This also speaks to his relationship with sex and pleasure throughout the novel and suggests that Ignatius represses his genuine desires.
Themes
