New Orleans is a city that is unlike any other. The hustle and bustle, the unusual traditions, and the unique inhabitants all contribute to the character of the city. The city’s personality is enriched by the individuals that live there and the way that they live their lives. Their speech patterns also illustrate how New Orleans is different. Regardless, the heart and soul of the city, the attribute that makes it distinct, is the people. They truly embody what New Orleans is and represent their city to the tee. John Kennedy Toole in Confederacy of Dunces, uses his characters and their speech patterns to try to demonstrate this uniqueness.
Ignatius J. Reilly is quite the character. He is extremely educated, as he went to college and ended up …show more content…
He dresses and parties lavishly, and his lifestyle is reflected in his speech. The character itself represents the homosexual side of New Orleans, and how fairly big that community is. Dorian’s party perfectly demonstrates the wildness that New Orleans boasts, and how comfortable the gay community is with each other. When Dorian and Ignatius stumble across Timmy who’s chained and Ignatius hits him on the head, Dorian says, “Oh, hit him again, what fun!” (313). Dorian’s vocabulary is full of flowery words and he tends to insert at least one in every sentence. His interest in things that are not usually associated with gay men, “Isn’t that wild? It’s better than all of that tacky crepe paper. I did buy some crepe paper, but nothing I could do with it satisfied me” (316), also illustrate how comfortable he is with saying things that might not be accepted in other places in the U.S. Additionally, his flamboyancy with his sexual orientation expose the acceptance of the gay community. His mannerisms and vocabulary also indicate the way New Orleans’ upper class acts. His grammar is proper, and he talks a bit like a socialite, which shows that New Orleans also has a side of …show more content…
His story, and the fact that he has to find a job so he doesn’t go back to jail, forces him to accept a job at $20 a week, a wage that is below minimum. However, despite that, he still accepts the job, and reassures Lana, “Don worry. I come in regular, anything keep my ass away from a po-lice for a few hour. Where you keep them motherfuckin broom?” (32). His speech patterns indicate his lower class status, and how he mostly likely didn’t get very high in the educational ladder. The fact that he is also black contributes to his lower class status. Jones essentially represents the lowest you can get on the social food chain in New Orleans. Because it is a city that boasts almost complete freedom, many blacks live there. Unfortunately, this adds more circumstances that make it easier for racism to appear, which, again, is evident in the way Jones talks and his situation with the police. Lana talks to him like he is a lower being, and Jones responds in a way that is both sarcastic, and accepting of his
Ignatius J. Reilly is quite the character. He is extremely educated, as he went to college and ended up …show more content…
He dresses and parties lavishly, and his lifestyle is reflected in his speech. The character itself represents the homosexual side of New Orleans, and how fairly big that community is. Dorian’s party perfectly demonstrates the wildness that New Orleans boasts, and how comfortable the gay community is with each other. When Dorian and Ignatius stumble across Timmy who’s chained and Ignatius hits him on the head, Dorian says, “Oh, hit him again, what fun!” (313). Dorian’s vocabulary is full of flowery words and he tends to insert at least one in every sentence. His interest in things that are not usually associated with gay men, “Isn’t that wild? It’s better than all of that tacky crepe paper. I did buy some crepe paper, but nothing I could do with it satisfied me” (316), also illustrate how comfortable he is with saying things that might not be accepted in other places in the U.S. Additionally, his flamboyancy with his sexual orientation expose the acceptance of the gay community. His mannerisms and vocabulary also indicate the way New Orleans’ upper class acts. His grammar is proper, and he talks a bit like a socialite, which shows that New Orleans also has a side of …show more content…
His story, and the fact that he has to find a job so he doesn’t go back to jail, forces him to accept a job at $20 a week, a wage that is below minimum. However, despite that, he still accepts the job, and reassures Lana, “Don worry. I come in regular, anything keep my ass away from a po-lice for a few hour. Where you keep them motherfuckin broom?” (32). His speech patterns indicate his lower class status, and how he mostly likely didn’t get very high in the educational ladder. The fact that he is also black contributes to his lower class status. Jones essentially represents the lowest you can get on the social food chain in New Orleans. Because it is a city that boasts almost complete freedom, many blacks live there. Unfortunately, this adds more circumstances that make it easier for racism to appear, which, again, is evident in the way Jones talks and his situation with the police. Lana talks to him like he is a lower being, and Jones responds in a way that is both sarcastic, and accepting of his