Harold Lauder and John Kennedy Toole

[Opopanax]

This reading I couldn't help but compare Harold to Ignatius Reilly, Toole's iconic, odious not-hero from A Confederacy of Dunces. Anyone else see that?

 

[GNTLGNT]

...having never read it, no...

 

[skimom2]

I can see the comparison. It's been a while since I read A Confederacy of Dunces, but it seemed to me that Ignatius had a pathos that Harold lacked, though. He was just as annoyingly know it all, but there was a sense of panic and doubt beneath his bluster that Harold lacked (IMHO). Even when he writes his 'Sorry' note, I never really felt pity for Harold. Down below his tremendous ego, Ig seemed more pathetic in the classical sense.

 

[Opopanax]

I can see the comparison. It's been a while since I read A Confederacy of Dunces, but it seemed to me that Ignatius had a pathos that Harold lacked, though. He was just as annoyingly know it all, but there was a sense of panic and doubt beneath his bluster that Harold lacked (IMHO). Even when he writes his 'Sorry' note, I never really felt pity for Harold. Down below his tremendous ego, Ig seemed more pathetic in the classical sense.

I do think that Harold is a much darker version of that character, but I did pity him at the end, and mourned what he could have been if he hadn't been so blinded by insecurity, resentment and thwarted desire.