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Who Is Don Quixote Foil

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In the story Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra it talks about a man named Don Quixote, who is a fifty-year-old that lets his imagination take over, from the region of La Mancha in Spain. After reading some books about chivalry, he becomes obsessed with it and decides to revive chivalry in the world. He wants to bring justice and peace back to the world. He sets off on his first adventure and returns unsuccessful, so he decides he needs a squire. He persuades Sancho Panza, a poor laborer to leave his wife and become his squire, as well as join him on his next adventure. Although the protagonist in the story is Don Quixote, his squire Sancho plays a big part in it as well. Throughout the story, we will see that Sancho function …show more content…

He sometimes scolds Don Quixote for his obsession with fantasy, which in a way kind of makes him Don Quixote’s foil. He sees things for what they truly are when Don Quixote can't. According to SparkNotes, this is because "Don Quixote is too serious for his own good and that Sancho has a quick sense of humor". For example, Sancho has a real wife that he truly loves named Teresa while Don Quixote has a woman he loves but has never even seen before. Don Quixote also likes to lie to himself and everyone else around him, while Sancho lies only when it is necessary and benefits him. This shows that Don Quixote gets so caught up in his imagination he thinks the things he is imagining are real. Whereas Sancho knows the true, but still goes along with him at …show more content…

He shows that he is a very wise poor farmer with a down-to-earth personality that is very different from the insane Don Quixote. According to Arellano, "He shows an admirable prudence in the verdicts he pronounces during his administration of Barataria isle. But the reader has to recognize his natural talent when Sancho decides to abandon his ruling experience; he recognizes that he is not prepared for this responsibility". By doing this, we can see how mature and wise Sancho has grown. He's not just a curious and greedy man anymore. He gives up on his dream of becoming a governor of his own isle because he sees that he is not ready. Also, when Don Quixote decides to go back home and retire, Sancho is the one to comforts him with the wisdom he has gained from his own experiences. This shows that he is not only a simple and loyal man but also very wise and

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