Eccentric characters as social commentary: A comparative analysis of Ignatius J. Reilly and Kilgore Trout

John Kennedy Toole and Kurt Vonnegut Jr. are among the prominent American authors who have secured a lasting place in the annals of literary history through their masterful use of satire and dark humor to critique social issues. In the works examined in this thesis, both authors position eccentric, anti-protagonist figures at the center of their narratives. Through these protagonists, they critique capitalism, consumerism, the degradation of social structures, and the structural inequalities faced by Black individuals, topics that will be explored in detail in subsequent sections, along with each author's distinctive techniques of satire. This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of A Confederacy of Dunces (1963) and Breakfast of Champions (1973), within their historical and sociopolitical contexts, highlighting how the periods in which of these novels were written are reflected in the authors' works through a theoretical framework. Additionally, this study will investigate the relationship between the authors and their protagonists as well as an analytical comparison between these two authors and the characters, questioning whether these characters represent literary alter egos or merely serve as fictional characters created to satire societal problems in an unserious, ironic manner.