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
Annie, Ignatius’s neighbor, opens the morning paper and sees the reports about Ignatius. She is furious. As far as she is concerned, Ignatius and Irene give the street a bad name. Annie decides that she will start a petition and will force Ignatius and Irene to move out.
Although American society prides itself on being free, Annie’s reaction suggests that conformity is still extremely important. While people are technically free to live as they like, those who do not fit in will find it harder to find a place within society.
Themes
