A Confederacy of Dunces questions

We asked most of these and Sarah provided excellent questions. I would say that most of us liked the book (excluding myself but I'm glad I read it so at least I can have debates with people:)

1. The first chapter of A Confederacy of Dunces is generally thought to be among the funniest in American literature. Do you agree?
2. Why do you think he uses the word “abortion” a plethora of times?
3. Who is the most balanced person in the story? Why do you think so?
4. Is Ignatius sane? Cite at least three (3) episodes to support your judgment.
5. Is Irene Reilly a victim or a codependent of her maladjusted son.
6. The city of New Orleans plays a central role in the novel, seeming to be a character in and of itself. Could this novel have been set in another American city? Elaborate.
7. Ignatius thinks of himself as a knight errant seeking to set the modern world in line with his theories of good taste and solid geometry. Are his efforts doomed to failure? Has he chosen his quests unwisely or does the fault lie in his personality? Is the way he views the world askew?
8. Is Ignatius purely lazy or does his attitude toward work reflect his disdain for the modern world of commerce?
9. Although the book is longer than the average novel, Walker Percy fought against it being severely edited. What do you think of his decision? If you were to expand or cut something, what would it be?
10. The book is elaborately plotted, but does it work? What do you find unbelievable or improbable?
11. In the forty years since A Confederacy of Dunces was written our attitudes toward what constitutes pornography have changed. Given the same circumstances, would Lana Lee be arrested today for her bird show?
12. How do you think Ignatius will fare in New York?
13. Would you recommend this book to others, why or why not?
    

Optimist's Daughter Questions

Here were the questions asked during the Optimist's Daughter meeting in January:

1) What do you think of Eudora Welty’s writing style and in particular the story structure?
2) Why do you think Laurel’s friends still refer to themselves as the “bridesmaids”?
3) Why do you think Laurel’s father married Fay?
4) How do you think that setting of the story in the south plays a part in the plot?
5) How is grief portrayed in the Optimist’s Daughter?
6) What is the symbolism of the birds throughout the story?
7) Why do you think Welty waited to flesh out Laurel’s mother towards the last part of the story?
8) What is the significance of Phil appearing to Laurel?
9) Why does Laurel burn all her parents’ keepsakes?
10) What is the importance of the “breadboard scene” in the novel?
11) Would you recommend this novel to others?