Disparity between the dunce and the genius in Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces"When a true genius appears in the world, you can recognize him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederation against him -Jonathan Swift In Swift's words, there is a potential for the existence of a genius, indicated by the group of dunces acting in opposition. Ignatius J. Reilly plays both the role of the genius and the dunce As Ignatius plays both roles, the Wheel of Fortune determines the path of events in his life even if he is not aware of it; Fortuna's rotation is also determined by his actions. Just as the wheel is circular, so are the events of his life. Ignatius moves through his own bildingsroman, showing the qualities of a genius in his words. a dunce in his actions during Night of Joy, Levy Pants, Paradise Salesmen and (to come full circle) again during Night of Joy. As the novel opens, Ignatius and his mother escape the clutches of the police by entering a nearby bar, the Night of Joy. Ignatius and his mother encounter Darlene and the bartender during a sudden visit. When talking to Darlene, Ignatius's stories are unimportant but he tells them in an elevated manner. Although the content may be trivial, Ignatius uses words that give the stories meaning. For example, in his account of vomiting while traveling aboard a Greyhound Scenicruiser, he says, “It was the only time I ever left New Orleans in my life. I think maybe it was the lack of an orientation center. it could have upset me"(10). Ignatius continues to speak with an educated style to the bartender, even though his message is condescending. Ignatius tells him that "it is your duty to isolate yourself... middle of paper. .. he is called a “dunce”. He eventually breaks free from Fortuna's circles when he flees to New York with Myrna Minkoff, but his "freedom" is limited only by a new location. The reader must believe that Ignatius will create more circles and spins in New York. In Confederacy of Dunces, Toole highlights the disparity between the “corporeals.” " dunce and "intellectual" genius to emphasize the impossibility of separating the mental and physical capacities of his characters. Works cited and consulted Clark, William Bedford. "All Toole's Children: A Reading of A Confederacy of Dunces." Essays in Literature 14.2 (1987): 269-280. McNeil, David. “A Confederation of Dunces as Reverse Satire: The American Subgenre.” Mississippi Quarterly 38.1 (1984-1985): 33-47. Toole, John Kennedy A Confederation of Dunces Grove Weidenfeld: New York, 1980.