A Confederacy of Dunces
by John Kennedy Toole
About_
A Confederacy of Dunces follows Ignatius J. Reilly, an eccentric, self-important man living in New Orleans with his
long-suffering mother, as a chain of comic mishaps upends his life and the lives of everyone around him. This study
guide covers the fourteen chapters summarized here, tracking Ignatius’s misadventures at Levy Pants, the Night of
Joy, and beyond. It includes factual recall questions, critical thinking prompts, a crossword puzzle, and a character
focus activity centered on Ignatius. This study guide contains 182 questions across 14 chapter sections (140 Factual

• 42 Critical), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity.
  What’s Included_
  This study guide features 14 sets of 10 Factual Questions with an answer key (140 total), 14 sets of 3 Critical
  Analysis Questions (42 total), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity (8 traits + evidence
  prompt + critical thinking question).
  Target Grades_
  Grades 11-12 (AP/College-level)
  Teacher Note_
  This guide is designed to save you preparation time while giving students a rich entry point into a dense, satirical
  novel. The factual questions build comprehension and close reading, while the critical questions push students to
  grapple with irony, hypocrisy, and moral ambiguity in a way that sparks real classroom discussion. Enjoy watching
  your students debate whether Ignatius is a fool, a victim of circumstance, or a bit of both!