The Big Green Caps (A.K.A.: Team 1)

1. The Big Green Caps(A.K.A.: Team 1) Narcissistic Personality Disorder & Ignatius J. Reilly By: Andrew, Anne, Connie and Diana

2. Narcissism

3. Greek Myth • Narcissus was beautiful and told he would live long if he did not look at himself. • He got lots of attention from the nymphs. One in particular, Echo, who he rejected was so distraught, she faded away into a whisper. • Nemesis heard of the rejection and sought vengeance and arranged for Narcissus to fall in love with his own reflection. • He fixated upon his own beauty and its reflection and there died.

4. Theorized that primary narcissism is a developmental stage in which all of the libido is invested in the self. Later if the libido was invested in others, less would be invested in one’s own ego. On the other hand, if the libido were not invested and was focused inwardly, the result would be the individual would be less connected and not be able to relate to others. What do you think? Sigmund Freud

5. A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following. DSM-IV-TR

6. DSM-IV Narcissistic criteria(1) Grandiose sense of self importance • When writing in his journal he notes of the “revolutionary innovations” he is contributing to Levy Pants Co., such as arriving to work late so he is refreshed and rested to work and by throwing the files in the rubbish to decrease potential fire hazards. (Toole, 1980, ch. 4) • “I shall act as a sort of mentor and guide for the movement, my not inconsiderable knowledge of world history, economics, religion, and political strategy acting as a reservoir, as it were, from which these people can draw rules of operational procedure” (Toole, 1980, p. 270). • *Where Ignatius is ignored by the group of party members and how it makes him feel, is in contrary to a “grandiose sense of self-importance” “Ignatius, feeling just as invisible standing there in Dorian’s living room, began feinting at some imaginary opponent with his cutlass to relieve his self-consciousness” (Toole, 1980, p. 333-334).

7. DSM-IV Narcissistic criteria(2)Preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love • “I hope that you carry liability insurance. If not, you may well lose this flamboyant property once my legal advisors have attended to you” (Toole, 1980, p. 336). • On page 269, Ignatius writes extensively about how he will infiltrate the military and the possibly the presidency with his new political party so they can overthrow all existing governments so that the world will no longer focus on war, but orgies. (Toole, 1980)

8. DSM-IV Narcissistic criteria(3)Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with other special or high-status people or institutions • When Mr. Clyde offers Ignatius a job pushing a hot dog cart, Ignatius is offended, like this is beneath him. (Toole, 1980, ch. 7) • “Clearly, an area like the French Quarter is not the proper environment for a clean-living, chaste, prudent, and impressionable young working boy. Did Edison, Ford, and Rockefeller have to struggle against such odds?” (Toole, 1980, p. 227). • “…for I mingle with my peers or no one, and since I have no peers, I mingle with no one” (Toole, 1980, p 142).

9. DSM-IV Narcissistic criteria(4) Requires excessive admiration • “A group of tourists wandered along the streets, their cameras poised, their glittering eyeglasses shining like sparklers. Noticing me, they paused and …..begged me to pose for a photograph. Pleased by their gracious attention, I acquiesced. For minutes they snapped away as I obliged them with several artful poses” (Toole, 1980, p. 231).

10. “Ignatius gave the driver a clipboard and a variety of instructions upon speed, direction and shifting. By the time they had reached Constantinople Street there was a hostile silence in the taxi, which was only broken by the driver’s request for the fare” ( p. 90). “Pardon me, Ignatius said. Mother are you going to entertain this gentleman all afternoon? I would like to remind you that I am going to go to the movies tonight and I am due at the theater promptly at seven so I can see the cartoon. I would suggest that you begin preparing something to eat” (Toole, 1980). DSM-IV Narcissistic criteria(5) Sense of entitlement

11. Ignatius takes it upon himself to lead the factory workers in a demonstration against Levy Pants after convincing them that they are treated unfairly and are being oppressed. He uses the factory workers and this bogus demonstration as a way to make Myrna jealous of his social crusade. (Toole, 1980) “The boy with the magnificent photographs was definitely a find. Ignatius wondered if he could blackmail him into watching the wagon every afternoon” ( p. 290). DSM-IV Narcissistic criteria(6) Is interpersonally exploitive

12. DSM-IV Narcissistic criteria(7)Lacks empathy • *Mother tells him that the doctor says her elbow has to be massaged due to her pain and Ignatius says, "I hope you don't want me to do that. You know how I feel about touching other people" (Toole, 1980, p. 12). • He is not interested in how his mother is going to come up with the money to pay for the contractor, he doesn't volunteer any solutions or anything. "We can mortgage the house. Mortgage the house? Of course we won't. What else we gonna do Ignatius? There are means Ignatius said absently. I wish you wouldn't bother me with this" (Toole, 1980, p. 49).

13. DSM-IV Narcissistic criteria(9)Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes • When George tries to buy a hot dog from Ignatius, he insults his pimply complexion, calls him a waif, rams him in the crotch with his cart and refuses to sell him a hot dog on the grounds that " I, for one, will not contribute to the debauchery of a minor" (Toole, 1980, p. 161). Referring to Angelo and Santa: • *"My mother is currently associating with some undesirables who are attempting to transform her into an athlete of sorts, depraved specimens of mankind who regularly bowl their way to oblivion" (Toole, 1980, p 119). Complaint from board of health for playing with a cat: • "I assure you that I have been the very soul of cleanliness. My intimate habits are above reproach. Carrying no social diseases, I don't see what I could possibly transmit to your hot dogs, that they do not already have. Look at these fingernails." (Toole, 1980, p. 207)

14. Final Thoughts • Ignatius exhibits eight out of nine criteria mentioned in the DSM-IV-TR. • We did not find any strong examples of Ignatius exhibiting criteria number eight. • (8) is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her. • Considering Ignatius exhibits more than five of the criteria; It is our unprofessional opinion that Ignatius suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

15. References American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author Dubin, William. Generic psychotherapy. Retrieved Feb. 24, 2008 from http://www.columbia.edu/~wd16/glossary.htm Toole, J. K. (1980). A confederacy of dunces. New York, NY: Grove Press Upright, M. (2004). Narcissus. Retrieved Feb. 22, 2008 from http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/europe/greek/articles.html GGC Wiki page link: http://wiki.ggc.usg.edu/mediawiki/index.php/PSYC3410_Psychopathology