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The title derives from the book's epigraph by appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the Dunce s are all in confederacy against him."'' ('' Thoughts On Various Subjects, Moral And Diverting '') The story is set in the U.S. city of New Orleans, Louisiana , at the start of the 1960s . The central character is Ignatius J. Reilly, an intelligent but slothful man still living with his mother in Uptown New Orleans, who, because of family circumstances, must set out to get a job for the first time in his life at age thirty. In his quest for employment he has various adventures with colorful French Quarter characters. MAJOR CHARACTERS revelers in the French Quarter costumed as Darlene and Ignatius]] Ignatius J. Reilly Ignatius is something of a modern '' Don Quixote '' — eccentric and creative, sometimes to the point of delusion. He disdains modernity, particularly of the Middle Ages , especially that of Boethius . Throughout the novel, Ignatius exhibits what would today be considered symptoms of depression. He operates under the mindset that he does not belong in the world and that his numerous failings are the work of some higher power. Indeed, he continually refers to the goddess Fortuna as having spun him downwards on her wheel of luck. This type of thought may be akin to the psychological idea of "external Locus Of Control " in which the subject believes that he is more or less powerless to alter the circumstances of his life through his own actions. Additionally, Ignatius shows the traits of an addictive personality in his inability to eat in moderation and regular bouts of chronic sexual self-fulfillment(He becomes sexually aroused by thoughts of his deceased dog and when he is lifted into the air by four african-american factory workers). Myrna Minkoff Myrna "The Minx" is a Jewish Beatnik from New York City whom Ignatius met while she was in college in New Orleans. Their political, social, religious, and personal orientations could hardly be more different, but Myrna and Ignatius have a fascination with each other. For most of the novel she is seen only in the regular correspondence which the two keep up since her return to New York. Officially, they both deplore everything the other stands for. Though probably neither of them would admit it, their correspondence indicates that, though separated by half a continent, many of their actions are taken with the intention of impressing the other. Irene Reilly Mrs. Reilly is Ignatius's long-widowed mother. She is fond of drinking cheap Wine and is occasionally Tipsy , although Ignatius describes her as a raving, abusive drunk. OTHER CHARACTERS
NOTES The book is famous for its rich depiction of New Orleans and the type of dialogue spoken there. Many locals and writers think that it is the best and most accurate depiction of the city in a work of fiction. Not all locals are enamored with it, however; some New Orleanians think it portrays the city and its inhabitants in an unfavorable light. The city described in the novel differs in some ways from the actual New Orleans. The first chapter mentions the Sun setting over the Mississippi River at the foot of Canal Street. As this direction is to the south-east, this is clearly impossible in our world. Possibly this is a joke by Toole related to the fact that the area across the river is known as the "West Bank," despite the fact that because of the twists of the river it is actually to the south or east from parts of central New Orleans. Such details are not likely to be noticed by people who are not familiar with New Orleans. A bronze statue of Ignatius J. Reilly can be found under the clock at the Chateau Sonesta Hotel at 800 Iberville Street, New Orleans, the former site of the D.H. Holmes Department Store. The statue mimics the opening scene: Ignatius waits for his mother under the D.H. Holmes clock, clutching a Werlein's shopping bag, dressed in a hunting cap, flannel shirt, baggy pants and scarf, 'studying the crowd of people for signs of bad taste.' John Kennedy Toole's only other novel is '' The Neon Bible ,'' written when he was 16 and also published posthumously. The structure of the book mirrors the structure of Boethius' '' Consolation Of Philosophy '' (Ignatius's favorite book; a copy of it is a central Plot Device ) in several ways. The book is divided into chapters, each of which is divided into a varying number of subchapters. Key parts of some chapters are outside of the main narrative; in ''Consolation'' these take the form of a Prosimeter , while in ''Confederacy'' they take the form of journal entries by Ignatius or letters between himself and Myrna. FILM ADAPTATIONS Given the book's cult status, there have been repeated attempts to turn the book into a film, although these efforts appeared to be as "cursed" as were the efforts to publish the book in the first place. At various times, John Belushi , John Candy , and Chris Farley were touted for the lead. All of these actors died tragically young. A version scheduled for release in 2005 starring Will Ferrell as Ignatius and Lily Tomlin as Ignatius's mother halted production in 2004 . EXTERNAL LINKS
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