Angelica S.

Dalogdog
BEED3
Subject: World Literature (Don Quixote)
Instructor: Ms. Clarissa Alban

Activity
1. How does one tell from illusion from reality?
Illusion and reality explore the difference between what is real and what we think is real. Reality
is something that we have. Something that happens and we are sure that it’s true while illusion is
something that we aren’t sure if it's true or false. We doubt its existence. We aren’t aware of its
credibility. In simple, it's neither false not it's true. The human mind is steered toward illusions
that are adaptable to one’s needs and desires. But for me, it is difficult to tell where reality ends
and illusion begins.

Exercise
1. What is the meaning behind Don Quixote?
 Cervantes himself states that he wrote Don Quixote in order to undermine the influence
of those "vain and empty books of chivalry" as well as to provide some merry,
original, and sometimes prudent material for his readers' entertainment.

2. What causes Don Quixote mental illness?

 Don Quixote suffered from chronic insomnia due to ruminations and worries: Don
Quixote did not sleep too much at all during the night, thinking about his Lady Dulcinea.

3. What is the main idea of Don Quixote?

 Don Quixote is a novel about a man and his 'squire' trying to prove that chivalry is not
dead and aspiring to be heroes. There are themes of chivalry, romance, and sanity in this
two-part novel.

Assessment

1. Why does Don Quixote return home in a cage after his second expedition?
  Two of Don Quixote’s friends, the priest and the barber, come to drag him home.
Believing that he is under the force of an enchantment, he accompanies them, thus ending
his second expedition and the First Part of the novel.

2. What is the symbolism of Don Quixote?

 The books and manuscripts that appear everywhere in Don Quixote symbolize the
importance and influence of fiction and literature in everyday life. The books instruct and
inform the ignorant and provide an imaginative outlet for characters with otherwise dull
lives.

Post-Activity

1. Write your reflection about Don Quixote.

The adventurous travels of Don Quixote de la Mancha are presented to the reader by the
narrator as historical fact although the whole narrative is purely fiction. Don Quixote’s antics are
laughable from the readers point of view but considered to be the result of being possessed by
unnatural forces from the point of view of his family and friends. In an effort to rid themselves of
these malevolent influences, a priest is brought in to assist in the cleansing. The priest in this
case is actually an archbishop, which seems rather odd that he should just happen to be hanging
around some small town and be so friendly with the locals. It is this high-ranking priest that
decides to perform an inquisition like procedure to determine what should be done with the
books. The priest is encouraged by the housekeeper (who is referred to as “simple minded” in the
book) and she is more than willing to throw all the books to the fire immediately. The priest,
being more educated and experienced, buffers her barbaric pursuit and selects what is and is not
worthy of burning. It would seem that the author is writing a parody on the Inquisition and is
shadowing the characters normally involved in this fiasco. You have the archbishop, a high-
ranking church official that decides the fates of all. 

The story revolves around Don Quixote, a gentleman from La Mancha in central
Spain who has consumed far too many legends of knights and chivalry. I thought there
were many life lessons and many Spanish cultural aspects pointed out by Cervantes in the
plot. The main ones that struck me were the story concerning the donkey, the theme of
money with Master Pedro, and the madness that has completely engulfed Don Quixote.
Cervantes also frequently refers to themes such as pride, money, religion, and honor,
which all relate back to the Spanish culture of the period.
 The story told about the missing donkey in Chapter 25, I found very interesting
because I believe it takes place in the world all of the time. The actions of a person or
group (the magistrates), causes a conflict with an entire community or even country. Don
Quixote's feet hardly touch the ground as he lives in the symbolic order. His universe is
ethereal, flimsy, and made of paper. Nonetheless, as will be shown in subsequent articles,
he makes a significant difference in his surroundings. He is a sign, not an individual, and
he is a pure representation of the knight archetype.