Monday, October 12, 2009
Charm City Cameo
I was overcome with joy when I began Chapter Ten, and within the first paragraph (235) Toole mentions that Mr. Levy had a peanut vending friend in BALTIMORE. I don't know why, but it always excites me when our city, Baltimore, is recognized in a publication. I know that my excitement for Baltimore to be mentioned in Confederacy of Dunces does not qualify as a bolg post alone, so I thought that I would analyze this short passage further. It is interesting that Toole only gives us detail about this one acquaintance of Gus Levy, but upon further analysis I think that I realize why. This peanut vendor is interesting because the profession for which he is named directly parallels Ignatius' job as a hot dog vendor. The peanut vendor, however, seems to be an active member of society, seeing that he has a relationship with Gus and he sends him a Christmas card every year, unlike Ignatius. Toole uses this passage to further show that Igantius is not trapped by any boundries, his profession does not limit him, as Jones' race limits him for example. Thus, Toole forces the reader to consider and analyze Ignatius in a league of his own.
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Tyler makes a great point in looking at this passage because Ignatius is only imprisoned by his profession if he lets it imprison him. Another person that is also imprisoned by his profession is Mancusco because he lets the Seargant and everyone else totally boss him around. The profession of a police officer is not a limiting profession yet Mancusco appears to be imprisoned in his job. His imprisonment is inflicted by himself because he is weak and cannot stand up for himself so I believe that he relates to Ignatius in this sense.
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