A Confederacy of Dunces

A Confederacy of Dunces

by

John Kennedy Toole

Dr. Talc Character Analysis

Dr. Talc is a professor at the university which Ignatius attended. Dr. Talc claims to be a specialist in English History, but is, in fact, a fraud and does not know his subject well. It is implied that Dr. Talc is a pervert and preys upon his young female students. He felt that he was persecuted by Ignatius and by Myrna Minkoff, who ganged up on him in his class and challenged his academic positions.
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Dr. Talc Character Timeline in A Confederacy of Dunces

The timeline below shows where the character Dr. Talc appears in A Confederacy of Dunces. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 5, Part 5
Appearance, Identity, and Disguise  Theme Icon
In his office at the university, Dr. Talc , a lecturer and academic, hurriedly works on a talk he must give the next... (full context)
Chapter 9, Part 5
Sexuality, Attraction, and Repulsion Theme Icon
Appearance, Identity, and Disguise  Theme Icon
Hypocrisy and Self-Interest  Theme Icon
In Dr. Talc ’s office, a young girl tells him that she loves his course and his approach... (full context)
Medievalism, Modernity, and Fate Theme Icon
Hypocrisy and Self-Interest  Theme Icon
Dr. Talc begins to root through his filing cabinet, searching for the girl’s essay. As he does... (full context)
Chapter 13, Part 3
Medievalism, Modernity, and Fate Theme Icon
Freedom Theme Icon
Appearance, Identity, and Disguise  Theme Icon
In his office, Dr. Talc peruses the morning papers and thinks miserably about his situation. The notes he received from... (full context)
Medievalism, Modernity, and Fate Theme Icon
Freedom Theme Icon
Appearance, Identity, and Disguise  Theme Icon
Dr. Talc remembers Ignatius and Myrna with a shudder. They were his worst students, and always made... (full context)