'A Confederacy of Dunces as a Criticism of Higher Education\r'

'Whether in an effort to become to a greater extent enlightened and to draw much lucrative chores or due to the unavoidableness for better gentility in an increasely expert job market, the United States has seen a rising make surface in the percentage of individuals who choose to att extirpate college and grade schooltime. non only has the number of individuals seeking high(prenominal)(prenominal) program line increase, but criticism of high(prenominal) information has increased as wellspring.\r\nCommon criticism has include the idea of colleges and universities be more(prenominal) concerned with financial aspects than with their scholars, as well as the idea of students using higher discipline not to become more educated individuals, but to increase their chances of earning higher wage after college or tweak school. A league of Dunces satirical focus on cultivation and encyclopedism provides examples of these and other criticisms of higher education.\r\nM ore specifically, the characters of the theme line of battle the ratifier the educated atomic number 18 not perpetually the integritys who f are the best in ground of their unrestrained well- existence and their ability to function in society. In looking at the characters in the novel on that point seems to be an inverse relationship in terms of the amount of education a character has genuine in comparison to that characters ability to function familiarly in society (to not ca utilize others di filter, to apply physically and mentally, etc. ) For example, Ignatius has the greatest amount of education and folds himself the or so well-disposedly backwards, followed by Myrna, then by Mrs.\r\nLevy, an overconfident psychologist with no more than community college experience. Also, the commentator is shown that the intimately educated characters are also the nigh satirized and laughable characters in the story. Two obvious characters, the characters of Ignatius Reilly and Myrna Minkoff, illustrate some of the possible detrimental effects of higher education. Although it is difficult to comment on Myrna, evidence is provided throughout the novel that portrays Ignatius as a much more sociable and pleasant individual before his years at college.\r\nFor both of these characters education has distorted their plenty of society in such a substance that it makes them miserable to be part of such an â€Å" terrible and debauched” society. Ignatius complains throughout the novel about others inadequacy of intelligence and their supposedly â€Å"distorted” view of society. Not only has Ignatius and Myrnas view of society been affected by higher education, but their ability to function socially in society has been affected as well. neither character is able to maintain a coherent lasting relationship with others than themselves.\r\nAlso, Ignatius has difficulty finding oeuvre and has even greater difficulty keeping both job which he obt ains. Myrna herself would undoubtedly face standardized difficulty if she did not receive substantial mount from her father. Finally, Myrnas view on sex, one that clashes with the social norm, and her tilt to discuss this subject almost gets her raped by a university janitor. Another character who is highly twisting in academia, professor talcum, helps to illustrate the criticism of college being a business for those who run it and by those who twist for it.\r\nProfessor powder himself admits that he does not realize or teach much at all-that his lectures are vague, that he is only popular be start of his humor, and that he is not qualified to teach college level Social Studies. Talcs neutrality in educating his students supports the idea that legion(predicate) professors view their execute only as a upright job with substantial benefits. Another example of Professor Talc illustrating criticism of higher education comes in the occurrence of his clash with a female stude nt.\r\n bandage Talc originally believes that the student secure up the meeting either because of her interest in his class or because of her interest in him, the actual motive of the student is only to find out the grade of her most recent project. This episode represents the third estate criticism of higher education simply providing a means to an end. While the primary address of a college education was at one time to become a more educated individual, this goal has shifted to receiving skinny grades, obtaining a dangerous job, making a lot of money, etc.\r\nIn the authors final attempt to satirize, and therefore ping, higher education, Professor Talc, the novels symbol of higher education itself, ends the story being mocked and ridiculed by both teachers and students. In comparing the less-educated characters of the story, the proofreader is shown that although these characters may not be the most materially well-off or have the greatest cerebral capacity, they do finish the story as the most emotionally, and in some cases financially, stable characters of the story.\r\nAlso, although they are not formally educated, these characters are able to function well in everyday, practical situations. One such illiterate character who finishes the novel better off than umteen of the educated characters is Ignatius mother. By the end of the story, Mrs. Reilly is free of Ignatius, who oppresses her social interests and forces her to cook and clean, and has a chance at marrying Claude Robichaux, a well-off and apparently sympathetic man. Mrs. Reilly has dwarfish education and therefore seems to expect and disposition little. Unlike those who desire a good job and a good income simply because they attended college, Mrs.\r\nReilly is satisfied by more sincere pleasures: the company of friends, dancing, bowling etc. Her simple pleasures illustrate the ideal of the Zen road to affluence-if you do not desire a lot, it takes very little to be happy. In comparin g this to higher education, once again many of those individuals who attend college and/or graduate school do expect and desire more: a more lucrative job, more socially large friends, a wealthier, more attractive spouse. Higher education may also perpetuate the need to be competitive-the need to work increasingly hard in order to get ahead.\r\nEvidence of this idea laughingstock be found in the fact that an increasing percentage of the population attend college and/or graduate school than in years past. No semipermanent is a high school education equal to secure a well-paying job. Both Darlene and Jones also prove to be less educated characters who end the story in better emotional and financial situations than many of those characters who have received some type of higher education. Both Darlene and Jones finish the story with better, more secure employment as well as new happiness. Darlene, who is portrayed in the novel as slenderly flaky, demonstrates the idea that  "ignorance is bliss”.\r\nAs a topic of her lack of intelligence, Darlene expects very little, and her highest goal is only to be a well-paid exotic dancer. After reaching this goal at the close of the novel, Darlenes exuberance again shows that if one does not have a lot, it will not take much to become content. Although also appearance ignorant, Jones proves to have a great deal of common sense that allows him to function in society. In this federal agency Jones provides the reader with evidence that experience gained through higher education is not the only type of knowledge one needs in order to be successful and achieve goals.\r\nIn comparing Ignatius with Jones the reader notices this difference between â€Å"book smarts” and â€Å"street smarts” and their use in functioning in society. Using his common sense, an intelligence that Ignatius clearly lacks, Jones can tell when whites are scared of him, and is also able to figure out Lana Lees scam, using it to maintain job security and last to get a more desirable job. In an apparent attempt to both satirize and criticize higher education, John Kennedy Toole creates characters in A confederacy of Dunces who offer proof that the business of higher education perpetuates competition and the desire to achieve more than others.\r\nThis increased competition in turn causes both stress and an increased likelihood of falling short of set goals, both eventually leading to unhappiness. Also, as seen in the character Ignatius, the intelligence gained as a progeny of college or graduate school may cause the educated to look down upon and even to hate the members of society with middling or below average intelligence. The author further mocks education by leaving each character in a token position at the end of the novel. While the uneducated characters tend to end up better off, the educated characters generally prove unhappy by the end of the story.\r\n'