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Chapter 5, Part 4
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Confederacy of Dunces, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Medievalism, Modernity, and Fate
The Legacy of Slavery
Sexuality, Attraction, and Repulsion
Freedom
Appearance, Identity, and Disguise
Hypocrisy and Self-Interest
Summary
Analysis
In his office at the university, Dr. Talc, a lecturer and academic, hurriedly works on a talk he must give the next day on his special subject: the history of the British monarchy. Dr. Talc does not, really, have a good in-depth knowledge of this subject, although it is his life’s work. He covers this up with sarcasm and generalizations. While he searches through his desk for a paper, he comes across a note which attacks his academic qualifications, signed “Zorro.” Dr. Talc wonders what happened to the student who sent this to him.
Dr. Talc knows that he is not what he claims to be and must put on a false persona using humor in order to trick his students. The student who sent Dr. Talc the note has clearly seen through his disguise and despises him for pretending to be something he is not. This suggests that, although Dr. Talc is generally convincing, he cannot keep up this charade forever.
Themes
