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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Jones fear he will end up?

2. Who does Jones Jones say he is looking for?

3. What does George do with the newspaper article?

4. Who owns the book Mancuso is reading?

5. To whom is Jones too frightened to talk?

Short Essay Questions

1. What characters does Ignatius think have caused his downfall?

2. What do Dorian and his friends think of Mancuso?

3. Why does Ignatius think the Ladies' Auxiliary will be an important addition to his movement?

4. What is Dr. Talc's reaction to seeing the newspaper article?

5. How do the characters react to Claude's aggression towards Mancuso in Chapter 8?

6. Summarize Chapter 8.

7. Why does Claude not want to see Mancuso?

8. How does Ignatius react to Myrna's presence?

9. Why does Ignatius want to create a political party centered around old sodomites?

10. How does Annie react to the newspaper article?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine Toole's humor. What meaning does it give to the novel? What would the story be like without humor? Does it have any dramatic impact? Does the humor cover any deficiencies, for example, in the plot structure?

Essay Topic 2

Compare the Consolation of Philosophy to the novel. What comparisons can be drawn between A Confederacy of Dunces and the Consolation of Philosophy? Why do they think Ignatius uses Boethius' as a reference point?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the importance of New York as Ignatius' promised land. In what way was New York different to New Orleans in the 1960's? What can Ignatius find in New York that he could not get at home?

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