# Ignatius J. Reilly

Ignatius Jacques Reilly is a fictional character and protagonist of John Kennedy Toole's posthumous 1980 novel A Confederacy of Dunces. Described by Walker Percy as a "slob extraordinaire, a mad Oliver Hardy, a fat Don Quixote, a perverse Thomas Aquinas rolled into one", Reilly has become one of New Orleans's most iconic representatives in fiction.

## Fictional biography

Ignatius J. Reilly is a morbidly obese, flatulent, and extremely rude unemployed 30 year old man that lives with his mother. He is simultaneously a loquacious, erudite medievalist who received a master's degree in medieval studies from Tulane University. He is particularly obsessed with the works of Boethius and Hrotsvitha; his intense study of Boethius's De consolatione philosophiae has resulted in him developing a superstitious view of the Rota Fortunae. Whenever things do not go his way, he accuses Lady Fortuna of "spinning [him] downward" on her wheel. Reilly avoids stressful situations by claiming that they cause his pyloric valve to close, causing gas and pain.
Despite being a staunch reactionary who wishes to return to a world of medieval virtue and authoritarian popes, Reilly is incredibly slothful, prideful, prone to wrathful outbursts, a glutton, and a chronic masturbator. He believes that getting a job and moving up in society will deprive him of the asceticism (in spite of his taste for modern pleasures, such as Dr. Nut) and poverty necessary for genius and the cultivation of virtue. Reilly constantly bemoans the loss of "taste and decency" and "theology and geometry" within society, and believes he is cultivating a "rich inner life."
Reilly speaks with a very distinct idiolect, struggles to understand beliefs he does not share, is traumatized by change (a traumatic bus ride to Baton Rouge to look for work at what is presumably Louisiana State University is constantly brought up by Reilly), and dresses in the same outfit every day. For these reasons, some psychiatrists, disability activists, and sociologists believe that he is an autistic person.
The events of A Confederacy of Dunces begin when Reilly picks a fight with Patrolman Mancuso while waiting for his mother under the D. H. Holmes clock. After escaping arrest with his mother, they visit the "Night of Joy," a dive bar involved in illicit activities. While attempting to drive home, the drunken Mrs. Reilly accidentally crashes her car, damaging property and putting the household into debt. This forces Reilly to find employment.
Reilly's attempts at employment both end in disaster, as he attempts to use his working class job and tenuous associations with ethnic and sexual minority groups to spite Myrna Minkoff, a Jewish beatnik from New York City he knew while at Tulane. What little money he makes is wasted on frivolous things and tickets to see movies. These visits to the theater invariably end with him ranting at the screen, having been disgusted by the perceived degeneracy on display.
His first job, a secretary for Levy Pants, is spent throwing away his work, making decorations, and conspiring to lead a revolt of the black factory workers against his boss. After losing this job, he is hired to sell hot dogs while dressed as a pirate for Paradise Vendors; he chooses to eat most of the food is he meant to be selling.
At the end of the novel, Reilly has alienated everyone in his life and has publicly humiliated himself multiple times. His mother, having given up hope for him, flees the house and calls for him to be involuntarily commited to a mental asylum. An unexpected turn of fate beings Myrna Minkoff to his doorstep just in time to avoid capture. The novel concludes with the two driving away from New Orleans, fate having forced Reilly into a new chapter of his life.

## Legacy

A Confederacy of Dunces would not be published within its author's lifetime. Robert Gottlieb, who corresponded with Toole about the book for two years, did not understand the meaning of Reilly's misadventures despite finding them humorous. This conclusion is similar to criticism of the character today; critics argue that the character, while amusing, lacks character development and is not dynamic.
Reilly has been seen as precursor to or prediction of contemporary archetypes and figures. Tom Bissell describes Reilly as "the godfather of the Internet troll, the Abraham of neckbeards, the 4chan edgelord to rule them all" while America described him as "what Donald Trump would be like if he were poor and Catholic."
On July 9th, Spanish speaking fans of the character celebrate "Ignatius Day" (Spanish: día de Ignatius) similar to how Ulysses fans celebrate Bloomsday.

### In New Orleans

Ignatius J. Reilly has become an iconic literary representative of New Orleans. Several fans of A Confederacy of Dunces have made pilgrimages to New Orleans to follow Reilly's footsteps. In 2016, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities created a walking tour called "An Ignatian Journey" to guide visitors through the city by tracing Reilly's misadventures.
The character is immortalized with a statue outside the former D. H. Holmes (now a Hyatt Centric) building where Reilly waited for his mother in the novel.

#### During Mardi Gras

The character of Ignatius J. Reilly has appeared at Mardi Gras, with men in costume and parade floats depicting him, such as a 2006 float by the Krewe of Rex. Reilly's beloved dog, Rex, was named for this very Krewe. Reilly is often compared to Mardi Gras, as a sort of walking carnivalesque spectacle that captures the spirit of New Orleans.
The Ignatius J. Reilly statue is only taken indoors during Mardi Gras; Historica states that "Reilly seems to represent Mardi Gras throughout the year until next year's festival kicks off."