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Part 2

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1. What is more astonishing to you, Don Quixote's madness or Sancho's stupidity?

2. Is Sancho questioning his master's "explanation of the Latin "quando caput dolet" more closely this time before agreeing to set out again?

3. Is Don Quixote more interested in how others regard him and what they say about him than he was in Part I? How does he respond when Sancho tells him the unvarnished truth?

4. What did the university student, Samson Carrasco, tell of an account of their adventures by the historian Sidi Hamid Benengeli? How does Don Quixote react to this news?

5. Are you more confused or amused at Cervantes, as Sidi Berengeli, reporting the response of actual readers of Part I through Samson?

6. Who appears to be more single-minded and motivated to get back on the road, Don Quixote or the squire? Why does Don Quixote decide he's ready to go?

7. Does Sancho appear to exhibit more influence and control over Don Quixote as he stipulates that Don Quixote must do all the fighting?

8. What does Teresa Panza reveal about a woman's position at this time?

9. What does the irrelevant argument between Sancho and his wife over their daughter's future husband reveal about lower class concern for social mobility?

10. How does Don Quixote react to his niece's arguments that everything he knows of knight-errantry is pure fiction, that he is too old and feeble to continue this quest and above all that "poor men can never become knights?"

11. What is Don Quixote's problem with Sancho's request for a set salary? Is he so certain that Sancho will go with him, even without the promise of a salary?

12. Were you as surprised as Don Quixote must have been when the healthy, young Samson volunteered his services as Don Quixote's squire?

III

13. What does Don Quixote intend to accomplish in Toboso when he meets Dulcinea?

14. Does Don Quixote regard the author of the book his enemy, an evil enchanter who has changed some of his bravest deeds into folly?

15. Does Sancho's choice of Don Quixote's three foals over future “rewards” reveal his doubt that they stood to gain anything of value in their adventures?

16. Do you see a role reversal now, as Sancho explains his visions to his master, who sees only reality?

17. What is the strange cart of actors described as the "Cortes de la Muerte," the "Parliament of Death" supposed to represent?

18. How does Sancho's quick thinking help to avoid a bloody skirmish with the actors?

19. What does Don Quixote mean when he says that when Death takes away our "costumes," everyone is equal?

20. How does the other squire explain away his coarse references to Sancho's wife and daughter?

21. Why was the story about Sancho's wine tasting ancestors and their keen ability to detect impurities in wine included here?

22. "He who chooses to seem mad can walk away from it whenever he wants to." Does Samson demonstrate his own madness by refusing to walk away and vowing to get revenge on Don Quixote?

23. How does Don Quixote react when he discovers cottage cheese in his helmet? How does Sancho get out of taking the blame for this?

24. How did the lion keeper persuade Don Quixote not to tempt fate the second time? What new name does Don Quixote take?

25. What did you think of Don Quixote's advice to the young poet - if he chooses poetry, he'd be more likely to win fame if he allows himself to be guided by other people's opinion? Is this strange advice coming from Don Quixote?

26. What makes the wedding between the farmer's daughter, Quiteria, and Comacho the Rich such an extraordinary event?

27. Is there a parallel between the two fencing students, ("skill always defeats strength") and Basilio's chances against Comacho?

28. Did you think it strange that the parish priest had choreographed the skit portraying the contest between Love and Money?

29. What does Sancho say about the union between Quiteria and Comacho? What is Don Quixote's response?

30. What do you think Basilio means when he appears at the wedding and tells Quiteria that she cannot marry anyone as long as he is alive? Do you sense that the two had a previous agreement?

31. What is Don Quixote's role in this episode

32. When Don Quixote says that the marriage between Quiteria and Basilio was not based on deceit because the ending was virtuous, is he saying that in this case the end justified the means?

33. What advice does Don Quixote give to anyone considering marriage that impresses Sancho as extremely wise advice from someone who had never been married?

34. What once again convinces Sancho that Don Quixote has had a relapse and is once again a madman?

35. What was the odd request made by the peasant girl in the vision in exchange for his promise to free them from enchantment?

VII

36. Why is Don Quixote amazed that the puppeteer has not been brought before the Inquisition? What convinces him that Master Peter has entered into a pact with the Devil?

37. When he calmed down, what was Don Quixote's comment that indicated he was not completely rational as far as knight errantry was concerned?

VIII

38. Why is the Duchess so taken with Sancho?

39. Are the Duke and Duchess determined to go to such great lengths to indulge Don Quixote's madness simply for their own entertainment?

40. Don Quixote is now "fully convinced that he is a real rather than an imaginary knight errant" after the royal treatment he receives at the castle. Why is this problematic?

41. Why is Don Quixote so nervous about what Sancho might say or do at the dinner table? Why did Sancho's story of the nobleman and the farmer cause his master to turn “one thousand colors”?

42. Why does the priest scold the nobleman?

43. Why is the Duke laughing at the priest's fury when he promises Sancho that island? Why does this disturb the priest?

44. Do you think Sancho "funnier" and "crazier" than his master, as the Duchess does?

45. Does Don Quixote reveal his true feelings about his squire in this chapter?

46. Does the Duchess believe Sancho is just as crazy as his master to follow him? Why hasn't he left Don Quixote if he thinks he's a lunatic?

47. How does the Duchess convince Sancho that he's been tricked by the evil enchanters and that the peasant girl really was Dulcinea? What is his reaction to this possibility?

48. Why would the Duchess want to face the wild boar?

49. What is Merlin's strange remedy for lifting Dulcinea's enchantment?

50. Does Don Quixote sound jealous that his squire will become a governor before he does?

51. Do you find Don Quixote’s advice to Sancho sound?

52. Is Don Quixote exhibiting his sense of humor when advising Sancho on personal hygiene required of a governor, or is he serious?

53. Do you see a conflicted Don Quixote when he overhears Altisidora sing of her love for him? Is this the same situation that led him to Maritornes' window?

54. From his replies to the questions put to him for judgment, does it seem that the people of his "island" might prefer Sancho's justice over that of whose who really govern them?

55. Hoe did Sancho resolve the case of the farmer and the tailor?

56. Did Sancho display the wisdom in his handling of the case of the defiled woman?

57. Would you have expected the hungry governor to eat the meal the bogus doctor had forbidden? What is Sancho's reaction to the letter from the Duke?

58. What caused Dr. Pedro to let Sancho have his dinner - in violation of the maxims of Hippocrates - (or the Duke)?

59. What did the butler give Sancho his vote of confidence in the name of all the inhabitants of the island?

60. What is the purpose of Sancho's patrol? Does he really think he can rid the island of all indecent people who do not work? Does this include the nobles?

61. Did you think that Sancho rendered justice to the man who won while gambling? Or the man who lived on tips? Does the story of the maiden kept locked up by her father sound familiar to you from a story in the first volume? Why did Sancho tell her to go home and stay there?

XII

62. Do the Duke and the Duchess seem less malevolent than before? If it was not their intention to hurt Don Quixote with their little bells/cat joke, what was their intention?

XIII

63. Why would the Duke and Duchess plan the "invasion" of Sancho's island?

64. Is there irony or truth to Sancho's observation that he had more freedoms in his old life as a squire?

65. Did the people of the island agree that being ruled by one of their own was a better form of government?

66. What do we learn from Sancho's former neighbor about the expulsion of the Moors from Spain?

67. Why did Sancho turn down Ricote's offer for a share of his buried treasure?

68. When Don Quixote hears Sancho moaning and groaning in the pit what does he conclude has happened to him?

69. Why is Sancho not concerned that the acorns Teresa has sent to the Duchess will be construed as a bribe for the governorship?

70. Is Altisidora singing her mournful song of accusations to keep Don Quixote from leaving the ducal palace?

XIV

71. Where did Sancho get the nerve to stand up to his master's demands that he begin to administer the lashings without delay? How does Don Quixote respond? Will he lose whatever self-esteem he has left?

72. Does Rocque fit the profile of a bandit? How did he become an outlaw?

73. Is Rocque the first person to truly befriend Don Quixote, in spite of his madness?

74. Would the troublemakers at the city gate have stuck the prickly brambles into any horse and donkey, or were they instructed to do so to humiliate Don Quixote?

75. Was the appearance of the Knight of the White Moon with his challenge to Don Quixote completely unexpected? Did you think it was a joke? What made you think he didn't intend to harm Don Quixote?

76. Were you surprised when the Knight of the White Moon's identity was revealed? Does his concern for Don Quixote's sanity and cure seem genuine?

77. Do you think Don Quixote will abide by the terms of the challenge and refrain from knight-errantry? Do you think he's mentally strong enough to wait for a year?

78. What is Don Antonio's surprising reaction when he realizes Don Quixote has agreed to suspend his knightly duties?

79. Does Cervantes satisfy his continuing concerns about the problematic false volume in convincing Don Alvaro Tarfe that the real Don Quixote is right in front of him?

80. Do you agree with Sancho that Don Quixote has won his battle with himself?