Pan's Labyrinth

This movie incorporated a lot of fantasy into the film, like what we saw from Grimm’s Fairy Tales. In the beginning it talked about a Princess who had escaped, and was blinded by the sun and erased her memory, and then she died. The Father was a King, and knew the daughter would return in another baby. Ofelia was seen as the girl who was the princess of their world, and she was the one who needed to complete three tasks. In the beginning of the movie, we see a sense of fairytales. She finds the fairy, and goes into the labyrinth. Instead of having an evil stepmother, she had like an evil step father type figure, the captain. He didn’t care if Carmen died, he just wanted her to have a son. To me, Mercedes was like a servant, just like in these Grimm’s stories, or even Disney movies. She would have to clean the house, make the beds, bring the food, and she wasn’t happy being there. Ofelia would talk to her brother in her mom’s stomach, tell a fairytale story of a magic rose with poison thorns.
The Faun in the Labyrinth told Ofelia she needed to complete 3 tasks before the moon becomes full. Like in the Grimm’s fairytales, everything happens in threes. In the first task in the Book of Crossroads, she needed to throw 3 magic stones into the frogs mouth to receive a key. This book reminded me of Harry Potter with the diary, because it would show up with writing from blank pages. Again, with the number three in these fairy tales. When I first saw the frog, it reminded me of the Frog Prince. Ofelia completed the task, throwing the stones in the mouth, and retrieving the key. For the second task, the Faun gives Ofelia chalk to draw a door. Since this was the second task, it would become more difficult for Ofelia to go through with it. When Ofelia saw the blood in the book, I instantly thought death or violence was coming up. The mother ended up bleeding a lot. Another time I was reminded of Harry Potter was when the Faun gave Ofelia the mandrake root for the mother to put in milk and a couple drops of blood. The second task, Ofelia was warned not to eat the food from the feast. This instantly reminded me of Snow White, with the poisoned apple. For this task, she had to come back before the hourglass was finished. The guy who was at the table was pretty creepy, had eyes on the table. Ofelia found a dagger in one of the locks. There were three locks, and three fairies, again with the emphasis on the number three. When he chased after Ofelia once she ate the food, he would go after her with the eyes in his hands to guide him. I thought this part was pretty funny of watching him chase her. Ofelia almost failed this task, by not listening to the Faun, and eating the fruit. This goes along with the Grimm’s stories again by the role of women in the stories, she doesn’t think. If the fairies weren’t there to help her, like the dwarfs in Snow White, she would have failed. Since Ofelia failed at this task by eating the grape, the Faun said she would die like everyone else. The last chance Ofelia had of completing the task was to bring her baby brother to the labyrinth. She promised to do everything he asked. Though when it came the time to give the Faun her brother, she didn’t want to. She didn’t trust the Faun, but the captain came and shot Ofelia.
At the end of the movie when Ofelia was shot, she was brought into this world of fantasy of being the princess, and her parents were there on high chairs, (again there were three chairs). But in reality, she was still lying on the ground, dead. There wasn’t that much of a happy ending here, the ending of the movie was similar to the beginning, when it showed Ofelia all bloody. Though Mercedes was able to take the baby boy.

Run Lola Run

In the beginning of Run Lola Run, we see a sense of fantasy, because it shows Lola running as a cartoon character breaking names. Another time she was a cartoon character, was when she was running down the stairs in her apartment, trying to get past the man and the dog. It took her three times to go through everything until something good happened. Just like in the Grimms Fairytale, it happens three times. And there needs to be a happy ever after. At the end of the movie, they ended up with the extra $100,000, after Manni paid the man. The film switches from reality to fantasy. In the beginning, the reality was she didn’t show up to help Manni, so Manni was in trouble. If she had not been late, then he would not have been in trouble. They lost the bag of money of $100,000 on the train. Lola had to try and find $100,000 some way, to save her boyfriend. The first time we see the fantasy after this reality, she sees an old man show up, like a cartoon. Then she sees flashes of people pop up in her mind, like her mom, dad, and others who will be part of this movie. The cartoon of Lola was shown as her having curly red hair, and big eyes. The first time Lola runs by the man and his dog, the dog growls. Whenever Lola ran by someone on the street, something bad would happen to them, this is another sense of reality, it’s real, you can’t change it. On the street, the lady with the baby went to jail, the lady in bank died, the guy in car crashes. The second time it was a rerun, Lola ran down the stairs as the cartoon character, and tripped down the stairs from the man. This tells me that the reality will not be off to a good start, and they have one more try to get it correct. This time, when Lola bumped into someone on the street, something good would happen to them, or something bad. For instance, the lady on the street wins the lottery. Every time she saw her father in the bank, it would be a different story. This time, she throws things at her father. Manni almost made it through with the money on this scene, but he was on the street and once he heard Lola call his name, he got hit by a car. So they were pretty close in this second flashback, and they had one more time to get it right. The third time, I knew it was off to a good start, when in the fiction world of the cartoon character, Lola jumped over the man and the dog. Another instance of something happening three times, is her screaming very loud. She was able to win everything back by going to the casino.
There was also an interesting color change, of a red screen, after Lola or Manni got hurt, and it was like a flashback to them in bed. Lola asked Manni if he loved her, and Manni asked Lola what would happen if he died. This was right after they both got hurt, and having their own flashback. I see this “red” as signifying Violence, like in Perceval. The third time, they got through the violence, and was able to receive the money.

Ogre 4

1. Throughout the book, Abel was blind to all the signs around him. Abel was told that signs brought Abel to where he is today. This is hard for me to understand because Abel never really saw any signs around him, he was always blind to the signs. If Abel had seen the signs throughout the book before the end, then he probably would not have ended up where he did. He would not have been working under Hitler’s commands, killing animals, because he used to care for the animals previously. Abel is alienated on himself, he doesn’t see signs. Finally at the end, Abel sees what he has been doing. It said, “For these symbols are diabols, and no symbolize anything. And saturation with them brings the end of the world.” This I found interesting because it said the signs he went through brings them to the end of the world, or the Revelation, as in the apocalypse, the end of the Bible. This is the end of the World. Whatever Able did throughout the book, brought him closer to reaching the end of the world. The book talks about the sign of Jesus Christ on the cross, and the veil of the temple. These signs bring us back to the bible.

2.Tiffaugues always had been fascinated by the phenomenon of twins. According to the bible the beginning of the world began in Genesis. When Tournier described about the mirror twins, the first that came to my mind was Abel. It said Haro’s left half corresponds to the right half of Hajo, and Haro’s right to Hajo’s left. They are mirror twins who can be superimposed on one another face to face, not one on top of the other like the others.” One of Tournier’s main theme is duality, which makes me see that these twins are part of his duality theme. The Narcissic Myth is mirror upon mirror, which is like looking at a mirror with because of these twins. Abel is left and right handed, which goes back to the sinister warnings. I think that Tiffauges sees Lothar as a reflection of himself, because it said he could already see himself galloping through the triumphant light of the setting sun.

Ogre 3

2. Tournier writes about a lot of animals in this book. In the previous chapters, it was talking about how he nurtured the pigeons, and the Elk. That’s probably one reason why there have been an increasingly number of animals in this book, because he takes the time to care for them. But in these chapters, instead of taking care of the animals, he does the opposite, and kills the animals. He does not like doing this, because he faints. Tiffauges had to exterminate the boars that ate the crops. He would shoot with a pistol and hit behind the ear. We see a whole different side of Tiffauges in regards to the animals. When he actually is working under Hitler’s commands, he has to kill the animals. The other animals were the prehistoric bulls, also known as the auroch. Tiffauges was supposed to talk about the encounter of the aurochs, and when he gave information, the Master of the Hut just laughed. Tiffauges was wearing glasses, which the Third Reich hate men in glasses, they symbolized intelligence, study, and speculation, also known as, a Jew. It was surprising how Tiffauges was compared to a Jew here, because after all, he is working under Hitler’s commands. It just shows that Tiffauges is blind, until he finally understands what is going on. Auroch also resembles the resentment of abandoned children. This can go back to Nestor the Ogre, because Ogre’s usually eat children, but Abel doesn’t hate children, he likes children. Another animal was the lion. What I found interesting about the lion, was they bit the legs of the person, and it was passed to the ogre to eat. Nestor as an ogre doesn’t like to eat people.

3. For the Bluebeard fairytale, the main character was married, and after that was avoided by girls. I can see this as Abel, because after he was with Rachel, no girl wanted to be with him. When it said, “But he soon realized that this recollection was superficial and rested on a confusion. In fact, when he was rubbing his horse’s coat until it shone, he was really repeating the modest satisfactions of polishing his boots and shoes, raised to an incomparably higher power.” In stead of tending to other animals, it seemed as if he was tending to himself. Giving him the courage he needed to rise to a higher power. I see this as foreshadowing, because Abel will rise up to a higher power by the end of the book. He will continue to rise higher in power under Hitler’s command, once they know he is capable of completing the tasks.

The Ogre- Day Two

The first one was the pigeon. Tiffauge had a really great interest in the pigeons. Tiffauge had two pigeons, one of each hand, that represented twins. What I really found interesting about Tiffauge and the pigeons is when he found the pigeon who was half dead, hungry and cold. He made the pigeon a nest, took care of him, and fed him. For this section, it was easy for me to visualize how Tiffauge tried to feed this pigeon. Putting the food in his mouth, then giving to the pigeon. Just like the Elk, Tiffauge took care of an animal who needed help, and was hard to take care of themselves on their own. It was interesting how when Tiffauge was trying to leave because the Germans were coming, he stopped to save the last pigeon, who was a black shadow. When I think of black shadow, I think that it foreshadows death.


The second time Tiffauges fed an animal was the elk, also known as “the Monster.” I found it interesting how the Elk was considered a monster just because it was blind, even though the Ogre is really considered a monster. Tiffauges told the “Monster,” he was “beautiful and gentle, strong and without malice.” I can visualize Tiffauges telling this to Nester the Ogre. It’s surprising how the man called the Elk a monster, even though he wasn’t really considered a monster to Tiffauges. Tiffauges just wanted to help out the Elk. It just shows that people view animals as Monsters differently than others. The Elk could have been the sweetest Elk around, but it was considered a monster. The Ogre can’t see, and the Elk can’t either. Just like the Elk, Tiffauge is blind to everything around him, because Tiffauge cannot see the signs until the very end. I think that the Elk will continue to come see Tiffauge throughout the book.

The Ogre pgs 3-93

1. When I first read the beginning, and it said he was an ogre, the image that immediately came to my mind was Shrek. We then find out that Abel wrote about how Rachel saw him as an ogre. Even though he said he is not crazy, it seemed to me that Abel was crazy. He works in a garage, and writes about ogres, sounds like he’s crazy to me. When we find out about him as being the owner of a garage, he seemed more normal, because he talked about his life, and it made sense to the readers. Though I have to say, it was a bit confusing in some parts, reading through his letters, because it jumped back and forth. The mythical part of this book was in large part due to the ogre. It reminded me of a fairytale, when the ogre helped carry the guy across to the other side. Also, it reminded me of Don Quixote a little bit, when the ogre was fighting, like there were fighting scenes in Don Quixote, it wasn’t real. These two characters differs from one another. They live different lives, though Nestor is seen as the hero, saving Abel in different situations. Another fairytale character mentioned was Pinocchio, and the wicked fairy that turns the coach into the pumpkin.

4. I think that Rachel is an important character because she was the one who told Abel “You’re an ogre.” Because she said this, Abel probably wrote about the ogre, incorporated the ogre’s in the stories, and took a liking towards the ogre. Abel lost Rachel, which is why the Ogre is an important subject in the story. He already lost Rachel, he doesn’t want to lose the Ogre as well. He wrote about the Ogre, Nestor, so now it has become part of his life, his stories. In the bible, Rachel means purity. In the book, Nester said, “Condensation is full of intriguing mysteries. Because it is life. But there’s something about purity just the same. Purity equals nothingness, and we find it irresistibly attractive because we are all sons of nothingness.” This tells me that purity equals Rachel, which equals nothingness. Abel thought Rachel was nothing, so he created the ogre because of Rachel.

100 Years of Solitude 16-20

1. Meaning of flood & subsequent drought
In Macondo, it rained for four years, eleven months, and two days. On page 315 it said, “The sky crumbled into a set of destructive storms and out of the north came hurricanes that scattered roofs about and knocked down walls and uprooted every last plant of the banana groves.” The flood seems to symbolize Noah’s Arc. The town had been filled with so much water, that they would need a large arc save them. The flood and the drought affected the entire city of Macondo. Whenever something comes to the city, it doesn’t affect just one person, but the entire population. If they had brought in an Arc into the book, it would have expanded to the modernity in the town. On page 316, “The worst part was that the rain was affecting everything and the driest of machines would have flowers popping out among their gears if they were not oiled every three days, and the treads in brocades rusted, and wet clothing would break out in a rash of saffron- colored moss. The air was so damp that fish have come in through the doors and swum out the windows, floating through the atmosphere in the rooms.”

5. Assassination of Aureliano Amador
On page 374 it says, “It was Aureliano Amador, the only survivor of Colonel Aureliano Buendia’s seventeen sons, searching for a respite in his long and hazardous existence as a fugitive. He identified himself, begged them to give him refuge in that house which during his nights as a pariah he had remembered as the last redoubt of safety left for him in life. But Jose Arcadio and Aureliano did not remember him. Thinking that he was a tramp, they pushed him into the street. Then they both saw from the doorway the end of a drama that had begun before Jose Arcadio had reached the age of reason. Two policemen who had been chasing Aureliano Amador for years, who had tracked him like bloodhounds across half the world, came out from among7 the almond trees on the opposite sidewalk and took two shots with their Mausers which neatly penetrated the cross of ashes.” Aureliano Amador tried to get forgiveness for what his brothers brought into the town, the big force brought in. It was sad that they didn’t recognize him, and pushed him into the street. It seems like Amador really wanted forgiveness because he didn’t mean for any of it to happen. It was interesting how the cops had shot him on the cross of ashes, because it had been referred to before. Aureliano Amador was the only brother who tried asking for forgiveness, and seeking shelter, but was turned down. It was the only place left for him to go, and he was not even recognized by his family. This ties back to the fact that members in Macondo were being forgotten, just like how his family didn’t recognize him.

100 Years of Solitude Chapters 11-15

4. Arrival of modern inventions in Macondo
The arrival of inventions was definitely a big impact on the town. It shows how much the town expanded, from the citizens not being able to remember what thing were, to actually having modern inventions arrive. It probably seemed like magic to them, because they haven’t seen it before, and it doesn’t fit into what they see as reality. It started with them all being amazed by the electric bulbs. Next they were able to go to the movies, use the phonograph, telephone, ticket window. All these inventions had mixed results on the town; some people didn’t know how to feel because they’ve never seen it before. Some were excited, some were disappointed, no one really knew what reality was any more. If more and more inventions are brought into Macondo, it will change their whole perspective in how they live their lives. The importance of these new inventions being brought into the towns was it could change how they perceive what the view as being real. I think that if we kept getting new inventions in our society today, we would perceive it as being different, by taking our chances in trying them out. If these inventions are successful, then someone will make a newer and improved version. With improved technology, it will be easier to make more products.

7. Ursula clairvoyance
Ursula grows very old quickly, and has been going blind. It was interesting how the author described how she was going blind, “She did not put the blame on her staggering old age or the dark clouds that barely permitted her to make out the shape of things.” When she was going blind, no one would notice. On page 236 it said, “She did not tell anyone about it because it would have been a public recognition of her uselessness. She concentrated on a silent schooling in the distances of things and people’s voices, so that she would still be able to see with her memory the shadows of the cataracts no longer allowed her to. Later on she would discover the unforeseen help of odors, which were defined in the shadows with a strength that was much more convicting than that of bulk and color, and which saved her finally from the shame of admitting defeat. In the darkness of the room she was able to thread a needle and sew a buttonhole and she knew when the milk was about to boil. She knew with so much certainty the location of everything that she herself forgot that she was blind at times. On one occasion Fernanda had the whole house upset because she had lost her wedding ring, and Ursula found it on a shelf in the children’s bedroom. Quite simply, while the others were going carelessly all about, she watched them with her four senses so that they never took her by surprise, and after some time she discovered that every member of the family, without realizing it, repeated the same path every day, the same actions, and almost repeated the same words at the same hour.” I think that Ursula was pretty intelligent in how she used her senses to figure out what was going on. Even though she couldn’t see, that didn’t stop her from doing her normal activities each day. She would still sew, and communicate with her family. Her clairvoyance was impressive; she was able to see beyond her senses. She was able to make images by seeing with her memory of things and people’s voices. Even though her family didn’t notice that she was becoming blind, she still tried her best to notice them, by using her remaining senses.

100 Years of Solitude Chapters 6-10

1. A theme I see in this novel is family. It seems like the numbers of these members in the families have been expanding, and it’s sometimes hard to keep track of who is related to who. On page 187, in chapter 10 it said, “For almost two months he shared the woman with his brother. He would watch him, mix up his plans, and when he was sure that Jose Arcadio Segundo was not going to visit their common mistress that night, he would go and sleep with her. One morning he found that he was sick. Two days later he found his brother clinging to beam in a bathroom, soaked in sweat and with tears pouring down, and then he understood.” It seems that the author keeps writing about the family, their brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents. In this scene, he writes about twin brothers, who have some similarities and differences, and who love the same women, Petra Cotes. Usually the writer talks about the incest, but she doesn’t with these twins in this scene. In this scene, they both switch places to be with the same women. I can relate to this because I have a twin sister, and we have similarities and differences. On page 172, it said, “That night, at dinner, the supposed Aureliano Segundo broke his bread with his right and drank his soup with his left. His twin brother, the supposed Jose Arcadio Segundo, broke his bread with his left hand and drank his soup with his right. So precise was their coordination that they did not look like two brothers sitting opposite each other but like a trick with mirrors.” I can relate to this because when I was younger, my sister and I were doing the same motions at the same time, thinking that it was really a mirror, but it wasn’t.


2. Another reoccurring theme in this story is Death. The death of Jose Arcadio Buendia was symbolized with yellow flowers falling from the sky, which I thought was interesting. On page 140 chapter 7, “Then they went into Jose Arcadio Buendia’s room, shook him as hard as they could, shouted in his ear, put a mirror in front of his nostrils, but they could not awaken. A short time later, when the carpenter was taking measurements for the coffin, through the window they saw a light rain of tiny yellow flowers falling. They fell on the town and all through the night in a silent storm, and they covered the roof and blocked the doors and smothered the animals who slept outdoors. So many flowers fell from the sky that in the morning the streets were carpeted with a compact cushion and they had to clear them away with shovels and rakes so that the funeral procession could pass by.” It was interesting how the author wrote this part because he really wanted to emphasize on death, with the yellow flowers. I see these flowers as being a part of a funeral, as maybe some people put flowers on the graves, or give to families. These flowers fell all throughout the town, which could symbolize that the death affected the whole town, and to not forget Jose Arcadio Buendia. I also think this symbolizes that death will keep having an effect on the town, because people keep dying. It was surprising how he described these flowers filling the whole town, blocking the doors, smothering the animals. As I was reading this scene, I could imagine the yellow flowers falling from the sky, in every direction. It was also interesting that these flowers began to fall, when the carpenter was taking measurements for the coffin that was for Jose.

100 Years of Solitude (Chapters 1-5)

1.I chose to write about Aureliano Buendia, because I feel he has an important role in the story, and it will continue to grow. I think that it shows how strong of person he is when he decides to become a commander in the Liberal army, because he doesn’t like what’s going on and what’s to see change. When he went to Gerineldo Marquez’s house and spoke with an authority in his voice, that was when I knew that he would become a strong character in the rest of the book. Even though they didn’t have any weapons, Aureliano still wanted to make it happen by taking the opposite sides weapons. They attacked with table knives and sharp tools, which I think is kind of crazy and they should have found another type of weapon, but it worked. I think that Aureliano will become a great leader of the army, and will remain and important figure in the book. But also, I think that this war might maybe change how Aureliano feels, and acts, because War can do that to people, when they least expect it.

2.A theme that I see in here is expanding the village, and trying to overcome insomnia and amnesia. Jose Arcadio Buenida went through the village, trying to put names on items, like table, chair, desk, etc. He didn’t want the memory loss to have a negative impact on the village, so he wanted to place names in locations for them to remember what they are. They put a sign on a street that said Macondo, and God Exists. I think its good how they put that God Exists on the sign, to keep their faith up. Even though they had a loss of memory, they still believed that God would help them make it through the day. It was interesting how when Jose went to the house and the visitor opened the door, he felt himself with the forgetfulness of death, not the forgetfulness of the heart, which is totally different.

Grimm's Fairy Tales (Day Two)

In Rapunzel, the reoccurring theme here resembles a Disney fairytale story. The story began with “Once upon a time,” which is the normal words that begin Disney stories that we all grew up with. This story also included a tower, where a beautiful girl was trapped, and the prince went to save her. Usually in Disney stories, the prince saves the women, and there is usually an evil lady, in this scenario the witch. The beautiful women always stays in the highest tower, trapped without much hope, until a handsome young prince comes to rescue her. The witch tried tricking the prince, and pretended she was Rapunzel, but the prince still ended up finding Rapunzel in the end. The Disney story usually has an evil character to set up some kind of conflict of the prince trying to save Rapunzel. It would not have considered a Disney story if the Prince did not find his wife that he loved at the end. One that always concludes the story is the Happy Ever After. The Prince saves the “Princess” and they live happily ever after.

This was also a reoccurring theme of a Disney fairytale story in True Bride. Again it started off with “Once upon a time,” and ended with a “happily ever after.” This story starts off by introducing the “beautiful young girl” who had a stepmother. In all these Disney stories, the Stepmother is the evil one. She said she would beat her up if she doesn’t finish what her Stepmother wanted her to do. Of course in a fairytale, there has to be someone to help out the main character, which in this case was the old women who completed everything the Stepmother wanted the princess to do. It was “love at first sight”, and the story wouldn’t be complete without the prince magically finding the princess after the three chances he had, and they lived happily ever after.


In the Thumbling fairytale as well as The Travels of Thumbling, a reoccurring theme here is violence of getting eaten by an animal, and still ended up surviving. In Thumbling, he was eaten by a cow who got cut up, and the Wolf just happened to be there and eat Thumbling too. In order to get Thumbling out of the cow, his father used an ax to cut up the body. There is no way Thumbling could have really survived, and he could magically talk inside of the animal. In Travels of Thumbling, once again Thumbling was eaten by a cow. Maybe it was related to the cow who ate Thumbling in the other story. Once again Thumbling was able to talk to the animal while inside the body.

Grimms Fairy Tales Day 1

2. I think that gender plays a big role in these stories, in how the men and women act. In Hansel and Gretel, the stepmother was the one who gave the children the bread. Usually the mothers are the one’s who cook, and feed their children. In the story, Hansel would drop stones on the path so they could find their way back easier. This shows how Hansel was stepping up to be a man, leader for his sister to bring them both back to the house safely. It also reminded me of Hansel being a Boy Scout, and leaving marks on the trails to find their way back. In Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs, Snow White was left motherless, so she had no choice but to become a mother. She was on her own, so she had to take care of herself. The dwarfs said she could stay if she could take care of the household, cook, make beds, wash clothes, sew, knit, and keep everything in order. These tie into the roles of woman in real life. They are usually the one to keep all these tasks in order. In Rolland, there was also an example of female’s taking care of the household. Rolland found all the work done, room swept, chairs and tables dusted, water fetched, and the table set. The Handmaid was the one who put this all in order.

3. I think there was a lot of violence in these stories for being targeted for children. I don’t’ ever remember reading any violence in stories, maybe the children don’t pay much attention to it. I think more people pay attention to the violence when they read the stories when they are older, and think “How can this book be targeted for children with all this violence?!” I think violence plays an important role because it grabs the children’s attention, they will enjoy the stories more. The children don’t realize the intensity in someone cutting up a girl and eating them, or chopping off a head with an ax of their own daughter. In “Little Red Riding Hood”, the wolf’s body was cut open with a pair of scissors to find Little Red Riding Hood. In the “Handless Maiden”, the daughter’s hand was cut off. Though it ties with the title being the “Handless Maiden”, so it would be assumed that the Maiden wouldn’t have a hand. In the “Robber Bridegroom” they cut up the girl, and ate her. So a lot of these stories included some kind of cutting up girls and eating them, or cutting open an animal. In “Rolland”, the witch chopped off the head of her own daughter with an ax. This reminds me of something that would be in a slasher film, with cutting off heads. Another scene of violence was in the “Juniper Tree”, where the sons head fell off because the lid slammed against him, and the lady tried putting his head back on the body, but it fell off again. There is too much violence in these stories, but the children don’t pay attention to it much. I think the Grimms Brothers put on a whole different meaning of these stories.

Don Quixote 46-52

3. In chapter 47 it says, “Learned and very grave historians of knights-errant have I read. But I never read, saw, nor heard of enchanted knights being transported in this manner, and so slowly as these lazy, heavy animals seem to proceed; for they were usually conveyed through the air with wonderful speed, enveloped in some thick and dark cloud, or on some fiery chariot, or mounted upon a hippogriff, or some such animal. But to be carried upon a team drawn by oxen- before Heaven, it overwhelms me with confusion! Perhaps, however, the enchantments of these our times may differ from those of the ancients; and it is also possible that as I am a new knight in the world, and the first who revived the long-forgotten exercise of knight-errantry, new modes may have been invented.” This is an example of what Don Quixote wants to see in reality. He reads about these chivalrous knights who had quick speed, and rode an animal. The only time in this book that Don Quixote imagined this kind of travel was when he was fighting and imagined Rozinante growing wings and flying. Don Quixote reads about how these knights travel in these books, and wants to travel the same way. Don Quixote wants to be quick like these knights, he wants to travel like them. Don Quixote says that he is a new knight, so he is the one to be a leader.

2. In chapter 51, “I will not say it in one, you must immediately release that fair lady, whose tears and sorrowful countenance clearly prove that she is carried away against her will, and that you have done her some atrocious injury. I, who was born to redress such wrongs, command you, therefore, not to proceed one step farther until you have given her the liberty she desires and deserves.” Throughout the book, a recurrent theme was Don Quixotic as a quixotic figure. He promised Dulcinea that he would stay with her and protect her. He kept his promise until the end. People thought he was crazy to help someone who wasn’t who she really is. Don Quixote saw everyone as being equal, and wanted Dulcinea be treated as an equal. After everything Don Quixote has been through, he still kept his promise in protecting Dulcinea. Quixotic figures had a big impact in this book, and these figures never gave up.

Don Quixote Chapters 36-45

Lela Zoraida has multiple identities, and it I was able to distinguish in different circumstances. I think the novel presents us with this character because it tries to give a different perspective in their religion. The first description we have of her is, “Her face veiled, a brocade turban on her head, and covered with a mantel from her shoulders to her feet.” This first description leads me more to thinking she’s Muslim, because she wears the veil. When she took off the veil, it said she had the most beautiful face they had seen. She doesn’t understand much of the Spanish language. She isn’t really a Christian yet, except by heart. It’s interesting how the author wrote about Lela because she looks like a Muslim by clothes. She is a Christian by heart, but will be baptized soon. She also doesn’t understand the Spanish language much. If I were to pick one religion that I see her most as, I would pick the Muslim. She is not really a Christian yet, except she believes she is. But she dresses like a Muslim, and bows her head like them too in thanking others. Her character has to say about 17th century Spain and today is that you are free to practice whatever religion you want.

In chapter 37 it says, “I verily believe it,” answered Don Quixote, “for I have had the most monstrous and dreadful battle with the giant that ever I expect to have in the whole course of my life; with one back stroke I tumbled his head to the ground, and so great was the quantity of blood that gushed from it, that the stream ran along the ground like a torrent of water.” I thought this was a creative way in how Don Quixote thinks he defeated the giant. In reality, he fought wine-skin. This was a nice scene for me to visualize, because it said there was so much blood like in a stream of water. I could imagine the blood flowing down the stream. This was again another time when Don Quixote imagines fiction, but this time, it’s in his dream. He thinks he’s dreaming of the giant, so tries to fight him. He thinks he fights him in one punch. If Don Quixote were really fighting the giant, he would not have beaten him in one try. It would have taken several hits, to make it seem like a close fight. Don Quixote doesn’t like to hear that he was dreaming, and was really fighting something else. He doesn’t’ want to believe it.

Don Quixote 28-35

In Chapter 29, it says, “The curate then informed Cardenio and Dorothea of their plan for Don Quixote’s cure, or at least for decoying him to his own house. Upon which Dorothea said she would undertake to act the distressed damsel better than the barber, especially as she had apparel with which she could perform it to the life; and they might have reliance upon her, as she had read many works of chivalry, and was well acquainted with the style in which distressed damsels were wont to beg their boons of knights-errant.” I see a recurring theme as dressing up to get Don Quixote’s attention. This was also represented in chapter 26, where the barber dressed up as a damsel. It’s interesting because I can see this theme reoccurring in the book, with people dressing up as damsels in distress to get Don Quixote’s attention, because he won’t pay attention to them any other way. In the beginning, Don Quixote was the one who saw people and thought they were someone else, like the protestant’s seen as princesses. Now, the people disguise themselves to get Don Quixote’s attention. I don’t think this theme will stop. Don Quixote has to learn to listen to the people so they don’t have to disguise themselves. It makes me wonder whether Don Quixote will also disguise himself in this story to make the other’s listen to him, as they did to Don Quixote.

In chapter 35, it says, “So saying, he rushed into the room, followed by the whole company; and they found Don Quixote in the strangest situation imaginable. He was in his shirt, and on his head a little greasy red cap which belonged to the innkeeper. About his left arm he had twisted a bed-blanket, and in his right hand he held his drawn sword, with which he was laying about him on all sides, calling out as if in actual combat; his eyes were shut, being still asleep, and dreaming that he was engaged in battle with the giant: for his mind was so full of adventure which he had undertaken that he dreamt that, having reached the kingdom of Micomicon and engaged in combat with his enemy, he was cleaving the giant down with a stroke that also proved fatal to the wine-skins, and set the whole room afloat with wine.” I found this to be an interesting part because Don Quixote thinks he defeated a big giant even though he was sleeping. So this goes along with the fiction, and what is not really there. This was an unexpected encounter with the Giant because Don Quixote thought he was in actual combat, even though he was asleep. He dreamt he was in battle, even though he wasn’t. This was the first time that Don Quixote had a dream of being in battle, even though he wasn’t, and I can see it occurring again later in the story.

Don Quixote Chapters 19-27

In chapter 19, it says, “A lacquey that came on foot, seeing the man in white fall, began to revile Don Quixote, whose choler being now raised, he couched his spear, and, immediately attacking one of the mourners, laid him on the ground grievously wounded; then turning about to the rest, it was worth seeing with what agility he attacked and defeated them; and it seemed as if wings at that instant had sprung on Rozinante- so lightly and swiftly he moved!” This again goes along with the theme of Don Quixote seeing the fiction where he is. He really wanted to defeat these men quickly, and he wanted his horse to have a part of the defeat. So because Rozinante was really fast, it seemed like there were wings. This is a pretty big imagination because it concerns the horse actually flying, while fighting, which we know is pretty impossible. But Don Quixote doesn’t see it as being impossible, he sees himself where anything is possible. I’m curious to whether Don Quixote will see his horse fly in the future, because it was a pretty big step to show this. I can picture this happening again in the rest of the book. Maybe when Don Quixote is in trouble, and he needs his horse to fly and save themselves.

In Chapter 26, it says, “Which was, that he should perform himself the part of a damsel-errant, and the barber equip himself as her squire; in which disguise they should repair to Don Quixote: and the curate presenting himself as an afflicted and distressed lady, should beg a boon of him, which he, as a valorous knight-errant, could not do otherwise than grant; and this should be a request that he would accompany her whither she should lead him, to redress an injury done her by a discourteous knight; entreating him, at the same time, not to desire her to remove her mask, nor make any farther inquiries concerning her, until he had done her justice on that wicked knight.” I found this to be funny because it was a major turnaround in the story where other characters dress themselves up purposely to talk to Don Quixote. Don Quixote do not imagine them as being damsel-errants, they dress up as damsel-errants. It was not his fictitious imagination. He will maybe use his fictitious imagination in what he portrays them to be. He may portray them as being princesses again. I found it interesting because I didn’t expect these men to dress up as women just for Don Quixote to recognize them. This time, these men were trying to put an image in Don Quixote’s mind of two beautiful women.

Don Quixote chapters 10-18

In chapter 12, pg 53, it says “Don Quixote turned, and seeing that it really was so, he rejoiced exceedingly, talcing it for granted they were two armies coming to engage in the midst of that spacious plain, for at all hours and moments his imagination was full of the battles, enchantments, adventures, extravagancies, amours, and challenges detailed in his favourite books; and in every thought, word, and action he reverted to them. Now the cloud of dust he saw was raised by two great flocks of sheep going the same road from different parts, and, as the dust concealed them until they came near, and Don Quixote affirmed so positively that they were armies, Sancho began to believe it.” An example of this corresponds with the constant play between truth and fiction. The truth is they were really sheep, and Don Quixote thought they were men, so he wanted to fight. The novel expands among this because it goes along talking about a big battle. In reality, men don’t fight sheep’s in battle, they fight men. Everything that he puts together in his imagination, came from books that he had read. This brought me back to the books that were burned in the library. Maybe that affected him, and because of what happened to the books, he uses what he read in the books as part of his imagination. If Don Quixote uses his imagination like this from what he’s read from books, then it will expand along his adventure.

In chapter 15, page 68 it says, “to perform these offices the barber was now on his way, carrying with him his brass basin. It so happened that while he was on the road it began to rain, and to save his hat, which was a new one, he clapped the basin on his head, which being lately scoured was seen glittering at the distance of half a league; moreover, he rode on a grey donkey, as Sancho had affirmed. Thus Don Quixote took the barber for a knight, his donkey for a dapple-grey steed, and his basin for a golden helmet; for whatever he saw was near, without staying to reason the case with him, he coughed his lance, intending to run him through and through without more ado.” This again goes along with the theme with the constant play between truth and fiction. The man was really a barber, and he portrayed him as a knight. This shows that how people aren’t even closely related to being a knight, and Don Quixote still imagines them as it. The barber didn’t know how to act when Don Quixote went to charge at him. The barber doesn’t have any experience of fighting, like the knights. Since Don Quixote thinks that he is a knight, he feels like he needs to be a hero and fight anyone who he sees.

Don Quixote Chapters 1-9

In Chapter 2, on page 8, the author writes, “Now as everything that our adventurer saw and conceived was, by his imagination, moulded to what he had read, so in his eyes the inn appeared to be a castle, with its four turrets, and pinnacles of shining silver, together with its drawbridge, deep moat, and all the appurtenances with which such castles are usually described.” This immediately tells me that the character of Don Quixote doesn’t live in the “real world.” He has a big imagination, of things that he wants to see, he imagines it in his head, and they appear. Like in this example, he has been on the road, and imagined a castle, so all these images that represented the castle showed up, like the silver, drawbridge, moat, and even the princesses. I can see using his imagination as an ongoing theme in the story, because later on he imagines Giants, even though they are really Windmills. I think the text states about Don Quixote as a character, is he is not like most people. He could be seen as being courageous, brave, and heroic, but he does some things that don’t make sense. It was a pretty creative to have an Inn and turn it into a castle in Don Quixote’s head.

In Chapter 7, page 29, the author writes again about the imagination of Don Quixote. This is when we first hear about the windmills. “He recommended himself devoutly to his lady Dulcinea, beseeching her to succour him in the present danger, covering himself with his buckler, and setting his lance in the rest, he rushed on as fast as Rozinante could gallop, and attacked the first mill before him. having run his lance into the sail, the wind whirled the latter about with so much violence that it broke the lance to shivers, dragging horse and rider after it, and tumbling them over and over on the plain, in very evil plight. Sancho Panza hastened to his assistance, as fast as he could carry him; and when he came up to his master, he found him unable to stir, so violent was the blow which he and Rozinante had received in their fall.” This was funny, why would anyone attack a windmill? Giants are not even close to looking like windmills! But, I’m going to continue with the theme that I said before, with the imagination. Don Quixote has an interesting imagination, seeing things that aren’t really there. He thought he saw Giants, so wanted to attack them, when in reality they weren’t Giants at all. I think that his imagination will get him into trouble in the future. He sees things differently, so he will get penalized for it. It makes me wonder what else Don Quixote is going to see, that is mistaken for something else. I know there will be more times that Don Quixote uses his imagination in seeing something that’s not really there.

Inferno 28-34

In Canto 28, verse 118, it says, “I surely saw, and it seems I still see, a torso without a head walking like the others of the sorry flock; and his severed head he was holding up by the hair, dangling it from his hand like a lantern; and the head was gazing at us, saying: “Oh me! Of himself he made a lamp for himself, and they were two in one and one in two; how that can be, he knows who so disposes. When he was directly at the foot of the bridge, he raised his arm far up, head and all, to bring his words close to us, which were: “Now see my wretched punishment, you who go still breathing to view the dead: see if any is great as this. And that you may take back news of me, know that I am Bertran de Born, he who gave the young king the bad encouragements. I made father and son revolt against each other. Architopehl did no worse to Absalom and David with his evil proddings. Because I divided persons so joined, I carry my brain divided, alas, from its original which is in this trunk. Thus you observe in me the counter-suffering.” I chose this quote because it was a pretty severe form of punishment. It was fairly good imagery as well, I could picture the headless souls, who were carrying their heads on the side by the hair, like the lantern. It was the first time in the book that Dante referred to counter-suffering, which I thought was interesting. A theme I see here suffering. I know that a lot of the book is about suffering, but this goes along with it because the head was not attached to the body, it was divided, for the punishment of dividing persons. It was interesting to see that kind of punishment for that. It makes me wonder whether it would have been a different punishment if it weren’t father and son. It was interesting how they said they made a lamp for themselves. This I took as the lantern they would look to in order to lead them the way around. This lantern would give them their light, to help guide them in their path.

In Canto 34, verse 55, it talked about the souls who had the greatest punishment. “In each of his mouths he was breaking a sinner with his teeth in the manner of a scutch, so that he made three suffer at once. To the one in front the biting was nothing next to the clawing, for at times the spine remained all naked of skin. The soul up there who has the greatest punishment is Judas Iscariot, with his head inside, waving his legs outside.” Judas is portrayed this way because he betrayed Christ, so Dante wanted to give him the worst punishment. Since Judas’ head was inside, I think that Dante put it that way so that Judas would not have to see anything else that was going on. His head will be on the inside, and he will not be able to see any of his men. He had a very severe punishment. With the legs waving on the outside, I think that he had it that way so he won’t have to run away. He will have no support, because his legs are dangling, so if tries to move his legs and run, he won’t get anywhere. Dante also had two other men in this last punishment. They were Brutus and Cassius. “Of the other two whose heads are below, he who hangs from the black muzzle is Brutus- see how he is convulsed, but does not say a word- and the other is Cassius, who seems so powerfully built.” I know that these were the last three men with the punishments, and were supposed to be the most severe, but I think it could have been harsher. I know he makes three men suffer at once, but there has been a lot of suffering, usually more than one at a time. Brutus hangs from the black muzzle, so he can’t speak. This makes sense, because there is a muzzle.

Inferno 21-27

In Canto 24, Verse 91 it says, “Amid this harsh and savage plenty were running naked, terrified people, without hope of a crevice or a heliotrope: their hands were bound behind them with snakes; these thrust through the loins their tails and heads and were knotted in front. And behold, a serpent hurled itself at one near our bank and transfixed him where the neck is knotted to the shoulders. Neither O nor I has ever been written so fast as he caught fire and burned and was all consumed, falling to ashes; and when he was on the ground, destroyed, the dust gathered together by itself and instantly became the same one again. Thus the great sages profess that the Phoenix dies and is reborn, when it approaches its five hundredth year.” I found it surprising that these shades were thieves, and they were reborn after being burned and falling to ashes. This seems as a big punishment because they are always reborn, and it hurts to do that, they will keep being reborn, for the sins they had performed. These people were terrified, and didn’t want to be burned, or become the same person again. The theme here is being reborn, but as a huge punishment. I would have thought that this punishment should be for a shade that performed a worse act than stealing. Maybe murder? But I think that the author wanted these shades to really learn their lesson. There’s not much that these shades can do, they are stuck here. Once they are burned to death, they will suffer the consequences and fall in one piece again. I found it interesting that these shades resembled a Phoenix, which is another animal reference. The animals keep having a major impact in the continuation of the story.

4)Ulysses was with another shade Diomedes, who both suffered for the same punishment. Dante really wanted to talk to Ulysses, he said “If they can speak within those flames, master, much do I beg you, and beg again that each prayer be worth a thousand, that you not refuse to wait until the horned flame comes here: see that I bend toward it with desire.” Dante wanted to hear Ulysses story, I think that he didn’t know why Ulysses ended up where is he. Dante wanted to try and figure out what brought Ulysses there. I think Dante was confused in why Ulysses was there. Ulysses told Dante what happened to him. Ulysses tried to save his men on the ship, but failed. “My Companions I made so sharp for the voyage, with this little oration, that after it I could hardly have held them back.” Dante probably felt pity for Ulysses here because they died suddenly from the whirlwind, and Ulysses couldn’t save his other men. I think that Dante wanted to reward his heroism. They were very happy that they saw a mountain, and then they died suddenly. I think that Dante felt pity for this man, but it didn’t really show it.

Inferno Canti 14-20

In Canto 15, Verse 46, it says, “What fortune or destiny leads you down here before your last day? And who is this showing you the way”? “Up there above, under the clear sky,” I replied, “I lost myself in a valley, before my age was full.” “Only yesterday morning did I turn my back on it: he appeared to me as I was returning there again, and is leading me back home by this road.” And he to me, “If you follow your star, you cannot fail to reach a glorious port, if I perceived well during sweet life; and if I had not died so early, seeing the heavens so kindly toward you I would have given you strength for the work.” The theme I see here is Dante being a great leader. The shade was foretelling Dante’s future, saying that he will be rewarded for Dante’s heroism. Dante didn’t think much of this, and said whatever will come will come. By the star, Brunetto meant the astrological sign Gemini. In the Gemini sign, it is shown as the people being versatile and flightiness. I can see Dante as being both of these, versatile and have flightiness. I can see him as being versatile because he is able to go to these different circles, and try to adapt to the situation there. Some situations are easier for Dante to adapt to than others, because some he feels pity for. I can see him as having flightiness later on because he may start to become irresponsible later on, because he may not want to listen to his next guide.



In Canto 20, in Verse 10, it said, “As my gaze went lower on them, I saw that each was marvelously twisted between the chin and the beginning of the chest, for the face was turned toward the kidneys, and they were forced to walk backwards, since seeing forward was taken from them.” Later on verse 37 it said, “Look how he has made his breast his back; because he wished to see too far ahead, now he looks backward and treads a backward path.” This was a pretty frightening sight, trying to imagine the shades with their heads in the wrong direction. I can see a theme here of not looking into the future, but only looking into the past, and how they had sinned wrongfully, that they got to where they were today. They are only allowed to look in their backward path, for what they have done wrong. If they had been able to see into the future, then they would not have had their faces facing in the opposite direction, which symbolizes to me that they can only see into their past. One of those who wanted to see ahead in life, has been forced to look backward for all of time.

Dante's Inferno Canto 7-13

In Canto 7 verse 109, “And I, gazing intently, saw people muddied in that slough, all naked, with indignant expression. They kept striking each other, and not only with hands, but with head and breast and feet, tearing each other apart with their teeth, piece by piece.” The themes that I see in this quote are animals fighting to save their life, and also people fighting. They are all striking each other, biting, not wanting to know what comes next. They are acting like animals, biting, scratching, tearing everyone apart. They can’t help it, they don’t like where they are, and all they can do is fight. Humans wouldn’t usually do all this, but some do. I think this is important, because this reminds me of the beasts whom Dante met in the beginning. I think that Dante will meet these beasts later on in the story as well, so this scene I see foreshadows the animals as the beasts coming back in the future. I also see this quote as the people dying, and then rebirth. These people are all naked, scattered about, hitting everyone. They are all going to die, because they are attacking each other, trying not to see their future. They are reborn when they are naked, in the mud, hitting each other because babies can do that when they get out of control. This scene shows how the mud can affect the people in how they act, mostly with the fighting and scratching.

In Canto 9, verse 76, it said, “Like frogs before the enemy snake, who scatter themselves through the water until each huddles on the bottom: so saw I more than a thousand shattered souls fleeing before one who was walking across Styx with dry feet. From his face he was moving that greasy air, waving his left hand before him frequently, and only of that discomfort did he seem weary. Well did I perceive that he was sent from Heaven, and I turned to my master, who made a sign that I should stand still and bow to him.” When I first read this, I instantly thought of Moses raising his left hand and parting the water to cross. It said they were walking across with dry feet, so I thought of this as not getting wet because it had been divided. This is important to me because it foretells a well known point of history. It says that the animals were in the water, but the people walked through the water. It said that he was sent from Heaven, and should bow to him. I see this as being Moses again because he would be recognized as being a great leader, and we would show our appreciation. The theme I see in this quote is the crossing of the water, that ties back to Moses and the parting of the Red Sea. The author probably had another interpretation of this quote, but this is the first idea that came to mind, but I’m sure there are several interpretations.

Dante Inferno 1-6 Question 2

The Canti that I enjoyed the most was Canto 4, when Dante and Virgil entered the first circle. The first circle contained those who led virtuous lives. There were men, women and infants. What struck me was that in this first circle, there were famous figures from the past. I didn’t know what to expect in these different circles, especially this one. There were great poets, philosophers, and figures in the Old Testament in this Canti. I found it surprising in regards to who was represented in this section. It was interesting that this circle had the most people in it, which tells me that it had a lot more figures or leaders that weren’t mentioned. I can see this circle filled up with more figures in our history, not just those that are mentioned. It was interesting that the one’s who received permission to leave were those in the Old Testament figures, like Noah and Moses. I found this interesting because these men were Jewish. It was also interesting to me that a majority of the people didn’t receive permission to leave. When Dante goes toward the castle, he sees philosophers whom we have studied. These philosophers are Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato. A couple questions that I have are how many of these souls come into the first circle? How come there are some who receive permission to leave, and some are required to stay?

Dante 1-6 Question 1

Dante sets up the journey by finding himself in a dark forest, not knowing how he got there. I can see this whole story as Dante being lost, trying to find his way around and finding out some answers in the meantime. All he wanted to do was climb over the hill, but he had to pass through some obstacles along the way. He discovers new explanations to stuff that he never even thought about before. I can see Dante not remembering how he got to his destinations in the rest of this story. He probably would not want to remember how he got there, because it is a shocking experience for him. I know that he has a guide, but without Virgil, he would have been lost and not been able to find his way. His journey is to climb the hill, but pass through the place of eternal punishment and a place of lesser punishment, to reach God’s city. Dante probably had no idea what he was getting into during all this. The pilgrim’s state of mind at this time is he didn’t care much; he just wanted to get to his destination without being attacked by the beasts in the beginning. But through his journey, Dante realized what it was to suffer. He probably never thought it before like that, but now he has a better understanding of what it really means to be in another world suffering. Dante feels the soul’s pains, and has pity for them. He probably never thought before how much these people suffered, and now he feels pity for them. He never cared much before, and now through this journey, it is like he is becoming a new person.

The Story of the Grail

2) The blood on the snow reminds Perceval of Blancheflor. On page 391, Chretian writes, “The blood and the snow together reminded him of the fresh hue on his beloved’s face, and he mused until he forgot himself. He thought that the rosy hue stood out against the white of her face like the drops of blood on the white snow. Gazing gave him such pleasure that he believed he was beholding the fresh hue on his beloved’s face.” Perceval would always stare into this white snow, because he saw an image of Blancheflor. He remembered her rosy cheeks on her white face. When she went to see him, she was weeping over him in the castle. She was weeping over knighthood. Perceval dressed in red, and Blancheflor was known as the ‘white flower.’ I see this as am image of Blancheflor because he went out to find the knight who killed Blanceflor’s father. She saw him as being one of the best knights because he didn’t speak, even though he really wasn’t. The images of color that we get with them are red and white. Through this image in the snow, I mostly see death because of the blood. The way I look at it with red and white, is seeing it as life and death. The white also can resemble purity. Earlier in the story there were images of blood. We have seen this when Perceval was defeating the Red Knight, and with brother’s eye, these two also resembled the blindness of knighthood. The red knight was killed with a javelin through the eye, blood and guts fell out. Perceval learned that the crow ate his brother’s eye. I brought this back to knighthood because when Perceval kept staring into the snow, I think it resembled he didn’t do what he was getting into. He had been blind on his part, not knowing what the consequences were. Whenever a knight tried to defeat Perceval at the end, Perceval would look back at the snow after the battle. He would always look at the three drops of blood, which could also resemble the drops of tears that Blancheflor wept over him.

Story of the Grail (339-397)

2. Analyze the episode between Perceval and his mother. What is her reaction? What information does she try to impart to her son? Why do you think he reacts the way he does? Discuss his departure – how should he have behaved? (344, 376, 384)

We first hear about Perceval talking to his mother when he came back to his manorhouse with the men who wanted to acquire some information about some men and women who had passed by earlier. His mother had purposely refrained from telling her son about these Knights, because she didn’t want anything to happen to her son.
The mother told her son, “You have seen, I believe, the angels people complain of, and who kill all they meet.” (344) She was frightened for her son. He hadn’t heard of these men before, and once he finally met them, his mom was terrified. She fainted when he told her the story. She tries to tell her son that he had to be careful, and think about what he actually wanted. She didn’t want him to go out and become a knight. He wanted to be brave and go find the King, he believed that he could do it. With a little bit of training, he figured he will be right on track. She came from a family of knights, and didn’t want anything happening to him. She didn’t want to relay that information to him about his family earlier because she didn’t want that life to continue.
I think that Perceval acted the way he does because he wanted to prove to his mom that he was capable of becoming a strong leader. He wanted to keep the tradition alive with the family of knights. He wanted to meet the King, and his mother was still not proud of him leaving. She tried to stall him from leaving, but he left on his journey. If he had stayed with his mother instead of leaving, then she may have still been alive. She fell unconscious when Perceval left, and he didn’t go back to check on her. He found out later from his first cousin that his mother had died. If he had gone back to check on her, instead of going to find the King, then she would have been still alive. If this book was continued, I would have given him the opportunity to keep the knight tradition alive in his family.