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LSU Master's Theses Graduate School

March 2021

QUIJANO AS QUIJOTE: DECODING MADNESS THROUGH QUIJANO AS QUIJOTE: DECODING MADNESS THROUGH

PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY

Cristian Rivera

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QUIJANO AS QUIJOTE: DECODING MADNESS THROUGH

PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY

A Thesis

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the

Louisiana State University and

Agricultural and Mechanical College

in partial fulfillment of the

ii

I would like to thank the members of my committee for their guidance in completing my

thesis. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Carmela Mattza especially for

dedicating her time and expertise to this project and for being a caring advisor. I would also like

to thank my friends and family for the support and encouragement they have shown me

throughout this program and my entire academic career. Lastly, I would like to thank the

Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and the Hispanic Studies faculty and staff at

LSU for providing me with the many opportunities that have contributed substantially to my

success as an academic professional.

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1

1.1. Rationale and Research Questions .............................................................................2

1.2. Organization of the Chapters ......................................................................................3

CHAPTER 2. DON QUIJOTE’S MADNESS.....................................................................7

2.1. The Traditional Theoretical Approaches to Understanding Don Quijote`s Madness 7

2.2. Don Quijote’s Madness and New Directions in Psychology ...................................11

CHAPTER 3. READING DON QUIJOTE ......................................................................12

3.1. Alonso Quijano, Don Quijote, Rocinante and Dulcinea ..........................................12

4.2. Arguments of the Theory of Psychosocial Development .........................................25

4.3. Applications of the Theory to the Novel ..................................................................30

CHAPTER 5. NEUROSCIENCE AND MIRROR NEURONS........................................33

5.1. The Field of Neuroscience in Literature ...................................................................33

5.2. Neurons and Their Function .....................................................................................36

5.3. Mirror Neurons .........................................................................................................38

5.4. Consequences of Sleep Deprivation on Neurological Functioning ..........................40

5.5. Assessing Alonso Quijano’s Neurological Functions ..............................................41

CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................62

ENDNOTES ......................................................................................................................66

LIST OF WORKS CITED .................................................................................................71

VITA ..................................................................................................................................77

This thesis approaches Alonso’s Quijano’s conversion into Don Quijote from the point of

view of a psychologist. The aim of this thesis is to explain the cognitive and psychological

experiences that move Alonso Quijano to become Don Quijote and its impact in the development

of our current studies of the mind.

Thus, one specific question will direct my project although this question will be

main character of this novel in terms of its futurities, that is, as a path to explore and trace the

genealogy of many of our contemporary questions in regard to the human mind and its cognitive

development. Therefore, the aim of this research is to contribute to Alonso Quijano’s studies by

providing a behavioral and cognitive psychologist approach to the dichotomous Alonso

Quijano/Don Quijote state of mind and, in this way, to provide another bridge of conversation

between the humanities and the social sciences.

1

without eating and sleeping has had a strong impact on literary studies since it was created by

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Certainly, the novel has been approached from different areas of

expertise and not only from cultural, linguistic and/or literary fields. This Cervantine work has

captured the attention of fields beyond the humanities. For example, the story of Don Quijote has

served as a point of departure to illustrate many different studies developed inside the history of

aspects of the novel such as, for example, the analysis of the events and adventures experienced

by Alonso Quijano, the characters who accompany his journeys, their development, and

references to the real world.

In this regard, I am in particular interested in approaching Alonso’s Quijano’s conversion

into Don Quijote from the point of view of a psychologist. My own academic formation and my

development.

of the novel, show that this Spanish Golden Age novel illustrates real contemporary problems in

terms of the development of the human psyche. Therefore, the aim of this research is to

2

another bridge of conversation between the humanities and the social sciences.

approach in order to explain the cognitive and psychological experiences that move Alonso

Quijano to become Don Quijote and its impact in the development of our current studies of the

mind. Thus, one specific question will direct my thesis, although this question will be addressed

using a multidisciplinary psychological approach. The research question is “How can Alonso

Quijano’s psychological experiences and interpretations of the real world be explained today?” I

stressed my interest in approaching this topic from a contemporary perspective because

bibliography on the subject of how his symptoms reflect or not the depictions of those conditions

in the medical literature of Cervantes time is nowadays abundant.

The research question will be addressed by referencing five episodes in the novel which,

in conjunction with psychological theory, will provide support for the argument of this thesis. All

novel contribution to the existing literature. The interdisciplinary approach will incorporate three

3

will show that this Spanish Golden Age novel is able to illustrate real contemporary issues

In chapter two, a justification for the novel approach of the thesis will be presented within

the context of previous literary and theoretical approaches to interpreting Don Quijote. In the

first section, an overview of traditional theoretical approaches applied to the novel will be

presented. These works will include interpretations from the themes of madness, sanity,

melancholy, chivalry, realism, and existentialism. This will serve to put into perspective the

unique contribution of the thesis in comparison to the traditional approaches.

In chapter three, an overview of specific episodes in the novel will be provided in order

to limit and highlight those experiences this research will explore further. In order to present the

novel as it relates to the thesis, a summary will not be provided, but instead, the episodes relevant

to analyses for the argument of the thesis will be spotlighted and the importance of each scene

the foundation for the interpretation of Alonso Quijano’s perceived experiences through

4

I expound in relation to my research question. This episode will serve to bolster the main

Quijano encounters two Benedictine monks traveling alongside a woman in a carriage.

Misinterpreting her as a prisoner to the monks, Alonso Quijano attacks the monks in an attempt

to free the woman, which allows us to put into a wider perspective Quijano’s own conflict

between his wishes and the perception of reality.

The fourth episode to be included will come from chapters 23, 27, and 28. In this episode,

Cardenio learns that his love, Lucinda, has been betrothed to Ferdinand and he becomes

immensely angered and saddened. This episode will serve as a metaphor for the lack of romantic

fulfillment Alonso Quijano experiences with regard to his own life.

The last part of the novel to be included in the analysis will be the conclusion to the first

novel. The novel is concluded with the narrator stating that Alonso Quijano is forced back home

psychological theory, I will incorporate the theory of psychosocial development by Erik Erikson.

innocent and pure maiden for whom he can display his knightly skills, and his misinterpretation

It is interesting to consider the arguments of Gervin in particular within the context of the thesis

as a similar argument is made from the perspective of psychological theory. Specifically, the

theory of psychosocial development will be used as a basis for explaining the behavior of Alonso

Quijano. Given the age of Quijano as mentioned in chapter 1, it will be argued from the

perspective of this theory that he may in fact be experiencing an age-related existential crisis that

could have been influenced by his overconsumption of stories about knighthood.

The inclusion of the theory of psychosocial development as a basis for arguing that

Quijano is experiencing an existential crisis presents a novel approach in the literature to

understanding his behavior. This argument will be bolstered by the inclusion of two more

theories—the theoretical notion of mirror neurons and schema theory—which will also be related

piece together his traditional suit of armor, Quijano shifts his focus on acquiring a trusty steed to

accompany him on his adventures and add to his ensemble as a knight-errant of times past. In the

description given of the steed, the narrator states, “Fue luego a ver su rocín, y aunque tenía más

cuartos que un real y más tachas que el caballo de Gonela, que tantum pellis et ossa fuit, le

pareció que ni el Bucéfalo de Alejandro ni Babieca el del Cid con él se igualaban”

(31).

continues of Quijano, “al fin le vino a llamar Rocinante, nombre, a su parecer, alto, sonor, y

significativo de lo que había side cuando fue rocín, antes de lo que ahora era, que era antes y

primero de todos los rocines del mundo”

It is clear from the descriptions of Rocinante given in the previous example that Quijano

is presented with a rather objective experience of his environment; however, his interpretations

types of delusions that he creates for himself as a knight-errant in a time period that no longer

normalizes knighthood (De Armas 2006, 2006, 2015; Friedman 2005; Gonzalez Echevarria

2005, and others). Although it appears that Rocinante is not ideally fit to accompany him on the

knighthood and thus seek out opportunities to validate this identity.

this desire, the narrator states, “…se dio a entender que no le faltaba otra cosa sino buscar una

dama de quien enamorarse, porque el caballero andante sin amores era árbol sin hojas y sin fruto

y cuerpo sin alma

” (32-33). The comparison of a knight-errant without a mistress to a body

without a soul speaks to the degree of gravity and seriousness that Quijano places into creating

and shaping his alternate reality.

Although such a lady does not exist in his actual reality, he creates the opportunity for

himself in his alternate reality:

resolve a failed psychological conflict; in particular to resolve his internal state of despair and

This argument is further supported by the popular windmill episode in chapter 8 of the

novel. In this episode, Quijano, along with his partner Sancho Panza, encounters a plain of thirty

to forty windmills.

Turning to Sancho, Quijano offers his interpretation of what he perceives:

narrative of his newly formed identity.

on the road, which among them includes a lady riding in a coach. Don Quijote misinterprets the

lady in the coach as being held captive by the travelers, who in actuality are Benedictine monks

who happen to be travelling in the same direction. The following passage illustrates the

presented reality of what is actually occurring in comparison to the imaginative reality that is

manifested by the madness of Alonso Quijano:

Quijano further embellishes his fantasy as a knight-errant by declaring to the lady in the

(81)

meeting of Zoraida and the tale of the captive.

brave and noble challenges that Quijano encounters in his alternate reality that he can come to

develop a sense of fulfillment with is life. He is reliant on proving himself as a capable and

heroic figure to prove his worth to himself and to the world. By doing so, he will relieve his

psychological state of despair and move to a healthy psychological state in which he feels as

though his life has meaning, and he will have a lasting positive impact on the world.

The fourth episode to be spotlighted in support of the argument of the thesis comes from

chapters 23, 27 and 28 and, in comparison with the previous three episodes, offers a different

avenue from which to explain the behavior of Alonso Quijano. The previous episodes have

served to provide support to the claim that Alonso Quijano is seeking to leave a lasting mark on

love of his life, Lucinda, and has fallen into a state of utter despair.

however, warns Quijano of the state of madness exhibited by Cardenio recounting that, during an

extrana ligereza, hecho estro, se volvio a emboscar en la sierra”

background that is wealthy and of a noble social class, Cardenio exhibits behavior that is

impulsive, drastic and unreasonable.

The descriptions of Cardenio in chapter 23 by the goatherd further exemplify the great

degree of madness and insanity that can be paralleled with that of Alonso Quijano as his assumed

identity, Don Quijote. Although initially grief-stricken over the assault and begging for

forgiveness when confronted by the goatherd and shepherds, Cardenio suddenly snaps and is

thrown into a fit of rage. The goatherd describes of his last encounter with Cardenio to Quijano:

leaves him scorned over the loss of Luscinda. Don Fernando tricks Cardenio by assuring him that

advantage of the opportunity to pursue Lucinda. In his betrayal of Cardenio, Don Fernando

obtains permission to marry Lucinda and a secret marriage is arranged to be held two days later.

Cardenio receives news of the wedding in a letter from Luscinda and manages to watch

the ceremony in hiding. Luscinda informed him in the letter that if her parents would not listen to

her and allow her to be with him, that she planned to kill herself with a knife. When asked during

the wedding ceremony if she agrees to marry Don Fernando, Luscinda agrees and faints shortly

afterwards. Seeing this throws Cardenio into a fit of rage and jealousy and ultimately, “…se salio

de la ciudad desesperado, dejandole primero escrita una carta, donde daba a entender el agravio

que Luscinda le habia hecho, y de como el se iba adonde gentes no le visen” (286).

The loss of a partner, a figure of significant importance to the healthy psychological

psychological conflict experienced by Cardenio is directly related, potentially as a precursor to

psychosocial crisis that he is experiencing. It can thus be argued that Cardenio, as a result of his

be alone in life. Failure in stage six of psychosocial development, the stage of Cardenio’s

development, leads to an increased risk of failure in stage seven, the stage of Alonso Quijano.

Thus, the parallel between the behavior of these two characters provides support for the use of

this episode as a metaphor for the lack of romantic fulfillment Alonso Quijano experiences with

regard to his own life, which is also expressed through the theme of madness.

The final episode to be spotlighted comes from chapter 52 and is the conclusion to part I

of the novel. This episode provides further support for the argument of this thesis that Quijano is

seeking to contribute positively to the world in order to leave his mark; however, this final

episode also alludes to the idea that, despite his valiant efforts throughout part I of the novel,

this regard, the fact that Quijano conceives his last adventure as one with demons (470)

The third stage in psychosocial development is “Initiative versus guilt,” which occurs

instance, may begin to pick out clothes to wear and dress themselves without direction from the

caregiver. Children who receive positive feedback and praise from their caregiver for their

efforts will develop a healthy view of initiative and be confident in their ability to complete

tasks, indicative of a success in this stage. Conversely, children who are scolded or punished for

their failed efforts will learn to feel guilty about taking initiative and will develop an unhealthy

sense of confidence, indicative of a failure.

The fourth stage in psychosocial development is “Industry versus inferiority,” which

occurs between the ages of 5 and 12. In this period of development, the child learns the pleasure

of applying themselves to tasks deemed important by society. Children at this age typically

spend much of their time in a school environment learning new skills surrounded by their peers

which is ongoing during adolescence from ages 12-18 and is associated with fidelity. In this

unhealthy personality features that may be promoted by their peers, such as engaging in drug use

ongoing during young adulthood from ages 18-40 and is associated with feelings of love. In this

stage, the young adult continues to navigate the social world and is confronted with desires for

intimate love. The young adult attempts to form close relationships with others in an effort to

gain the capacity for intimate love. It is in this stage that, in the event of a success, the individual

comes to believe that they are capable and worthy of intimate love from another. In the event of

a failure, the individual believes the opposite—that they are incapable of obtaining intimate love

and thus, begin to feel socially isolated.

The seventh stage in psychosocial development is “Generativity versus stagnation,”

which is ongoing during middle adulthood from ages 40-65 and is associated with feelings of

care. In this stage, the adult seeks to obtain a sense of contribution to the world that will allow

stagnation and feel as though they lack purpose in life.

stagnation” is experienced during middle adulthood between the ages of approximately 40 and

lasting contribution to the world.

The eighth and final stage of psychosocial development is “Ego integrity versus despair,”

which is also relevant to the argument of this thesis. This stage is experienced in late adulthood

from age 65 until death. This stage is concerned with having had a purpose in the world and

feeling satisfied with the life that one has lived. The individual, when reflecting on their life, will

either feel a sense of fulfillment and purpose in the world which would be indicative of ego

integrity, or they will feel unfulfilled with their experiences and relationships and believe that

their life was ultimately not meaningful.

Those who have overcome the crisis associated with the final stage of psychosocial

development do not fear death because they are satisfied with the impact they have had on the

failed to overcome this psychosocial crisis, Quijano finds himself in a state of stagnation. In his

The descriptions additionally imply that Quijano has a drive, or perhaps need, to perform

meaningful and impactful deeds in the world which could arguably be to satisfy a lack of some

fulfillment, whether he is consciously aware of this or not. The following passage provides

support for the psychosocial state of Quijano by which his perceptions and behaviors will be

observed and decoded:

sense of fulfillment and completeness in life and, ultimately, acceptance of death without fear.

behavior of Alonso Quijano. The theory of psychosocial development provides a segue into the

next chapter by providing a psychological backdrop from which the motivations and intentions

of Quijano’s behavior can be decoded. Specifically, the argument of the following chapter can be

furthered bolstered taking into account the psychosocial crisis that Quijano is experiencing. The

concept of mirror neurons will also add another novel approach to the thesis argument by

providing a neurological basis from which Alonso Quijano’s perceptions may have been

influenced. This approach will be directly related to Quijano’s obsession with reading books

about knighthood and his resulting disconnect with reality.

leyendo de claro en claro, y los días de turbio en turbio; y así, del poco dormir y del mucho leer,

se le secó el cerebro de manera que vino a perder el juicio”

(29-30). It is important for the

purpose of the arguments of this thesis to highlight this description as it illustrates the idea that

Quijano is likely experiencing some form of mental impairment or disturbance as a result of

sleep deprivation and physical changes to his brain.

limited to only a brief description, the field of neuroscience can offer some insight into just how

his brain may have changed and adapted based on the types of experiences Quijano exposed

himself to and created for himself. Additionally, the field of neuroscience may be able to offer

insight into the behavioral consequences of such structural changes to the brain as well as the

effects of sleep deprivation.

neuroscience is the study of the nervous system, which includes the central and the peripheral

nervous systems. It aims to understand the fundamental properties of neurons, which are basic

cellular units of the brain designed to transmit information, and neural circuits, which are

consciousness, perception, behavior, memory, and learning (Kandel 19).

the lens of cognitive neuroscience, mental processes are studied as they relate to the underlying

system of neural circuits, also called neural networks, and neurological activity in the brain. The

aim of the field of cognitive science is to help understand the biological bases for various mental

faculties such as perception, language, emotion, reasoning, attention, and memory (Thagard).

Because neurological activity occurs as a function of behavior, including mental operations such

as information processing, neuroscience has also naturally come to be incorporated into the field

of literature.

for example, neuroscience has been used as a basis for helping to explain the role of previous

experiences in interpreting new experiences. The study of neuroscience has contributed to

the network of neurons that has been established by previous experiences can influence how

The accumulation of our individual experiences leads to the formation of neural networks that

neural networks that will be activated upon seeing the new type of snake and that will aid in

interpreting the stimulus as a snake. In contrast, if someone encounters a new animal that is not

similar to animals they have previously seen, the details of the new animal may not be well-

remembered because neural connections to decode physical traits and traits related to their

behavior have not been sufficiently developed. Therefore, the formation of neural networks and

establishing strong networks through recurring activation is essential for interpreting information

from the environment. These networks, then, can in turn influence how both old and new

information from the environment is interpreted.

types of behaviors associated with being a knight, including rescuing others and defending

knighthood would have been constantly activated and strengthened as he continued to consume

his stories. These well-established neural networks, according to Connor- Swietlicki and Raichle,

could subsequently influence how Quijano interprets and makes sense of his experiences in the

environment. But because his experiences of knighthood were acquired through readings, it

could be argued that they are essentially vicarious or second-hand experiences, which may be

inadequate experiences for Quijano in his goal of behaving like and being perceived as a heroic

knight.

development, it is important to shift attention to the function of neurons and the types of neurons

types of specific neurons will be explained in greater detail.

giants. Given that his accumulated experiences, albeit second-hand, are highly formed by and

established because of his overconsumption of books, which indicates that he will likely rely on

these neural networks for making sense of information in his environment. This, coupled with

the debilitating effects of sleep deprivation on neural functional connectivity and cognitive

impairment, could have potentially influenced Quijano’s perception of the windmills as

dangerous giants.

It could be argued that, given the movement of the fans on the windmill, Quijano related

this movement to the sentience of a living being and thus assumed that the windmill was a living

creature. Furthermore, it could be argued that, due to the gargantuan size of the windmills,

Quijano associated their massiveness with a monstrous figure. Given that his books on

knighthood likely included stories about knights getting into battles with giants, Quijano may

seen at the beginning of the novel when he assembles the pieces to his suit of armor and when he

aderezólas lo mejor que pudo”

Quijano notices that he is missing a helmet and a visor or face covering to fully protect his head.

The elements of a knight’s attire would have been a common description in his books about

knighthood, which provides support for the idea that Quijano may have been referencing these

stories as he prepared himself for his adventures.

The following quote further illustrates the degree to which Alonso Quijano misinterprets

the real world in his attempt to solidify his identity as a knight-errant:

This recurring theme of misinterpreting the environment due to the overstimulation of

neural networks associated with knighthood can be further examined in the following scene in

which Quijano recruits his trusty steed, Rocinante:

(31)

the horse of Gonela, a popular figure of Renaissance culture depicted as a skinny clown

stimulation of neural networks and accrued memories associated with knighthood as well as the

effects of sleep deprivation.

This chapter has elucidated the potential role of neuroscience in our understanding of

literature and literary figures. Specifically, this chapter has presented an argument for the role of

neurons, neural networks, and mirror neurons in the behavior of the protagonist, Alonso Quijano.

By relating the accumulation of Quijano’s subsidiary experiences of knighthood via books to the

formation of neural networks that influence information processing, it has been shown how these

networks could potentially bias his interpretations of the environment. His interpretations are

arguably biased in a manner that favors perceptions of the environment that will position him as

a heroic knight.

experiences. It has been established in this chapter that neural networks are formed as a result of

part of the thesis argument.

information from the environment are organized in a cognitive framework, which subsequently

aids in the organization and interpretation of additional information from the environment. The

concept of schemata and the formation of schemata, thus, provide another avenue from which to

decode and offer potential explanations for the reality in which Alonso Quijano appears to

immerse himself.

that the schemas that Quijano formed from his overconsumption of readings bias his perceptions

of the environment and, subsequently, his behavioral responses in light of his state of

psychosocial crisis.

6.1 Schema as a Psychological Construct

Rooted in cognitive psychology, schema theory was first introduced by British

In his book, Bartlett describes schema as:

Schemata can be more succinctly described as “organized bodies of information stored in

memory that subsequently bias the way new information is interpreted, stored, and recalled”

widely popularized by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, who was a prominent psychologist known

their experiences (King 298).

construct? Considering the previous arguments presented in response to research question one,

schemas are of considerable importance in relation to the theoretical notion of mirror neurons

and the behavioral implications of overstimulated neural networks. Additionally, schemas are

also important in that they are related to the construction and reconstruction of acquired

memories, including those acquired vicariously, such as from reading of the experiences of

others, which as has been argued, may influence an individual’s behavior.

Schemas can influence memory in specific ways; notably, they can: influence what we

pay attention to (Alba and Hasher 203-207; Brewer and Treyens 207-211; Desimone and Duncan

193-222), help simplify the world around us (Alba and Hasher 207-221; Brewer and Treyens

perceptions of the world. Subsequently, it will be argued that these biased perceptions influence

and overlook unusual or conflicting information. This concept was demonstrated in a study by

in the office.

The results showed that the participants were able to better recall items in the office that

fit into the typical schema for ‘office,’ such as a desk and chair. Many of the participants,

however, also reported seeing items typical of an office but that were not actually in the room,

such as different books. Given that books are commonly found in different types of offices, it is

expected that they would be a typical component of many people’s schema for ‘office.’

Additionally, many of the participants did not report noticing certain items that were placed in

the room but that were not typically associated with an office such as a skull. The researchers

argued that items not typically associated with a certain schema, such as a skull not fitting in

with the schema of ‘office,’ were overlooked possibly because they are not included in that

Additionally, when recalling a memory that activates a certain schema, it is possible that the

The potential influence of schemas on perception and memory can also be observed in a

subliminally primed with words that activated one of three psychological constructs; either the

construct rude or polite or, in a third condition, priming neither construct (a neutral priming

condition. To prime the construct in each condition, a sentence scramble task was given to

participants where, over 30 trials, they were instructed to form a sentence from five different sets

of words. In each of the 3 conditions, half of the words were related to the construct (e.g.,

aggressively, bold, and impolitely for the rude condition; respect, honor, and cordially for the

polite condition; and flawlessly, occasionally, and practiced for the neutral condition) and the

other half were control words kept the same across groups.

Following this task, the researchers executed a coordinated plan where they intentionally

put the participant into an inconvenient position. Specifically, the participant approached a

there was not a statistically significant difference between the polite and neutral conditions in the

and a neutral priming condition. In the elderly condition, the sentence scramble task contained

such as thirsty, clean, and private. Following the completion of the sentence scramble task, the

researcher thanked the subject for their participation and directed them to the exit down a

hallway. The dependent variable was then recorded which was the amount of time it took

participants to walk and reach a pre-marked distance down the hallway.

The researchers hypothesized that those in the elderly priming condition would

unconsciously be influenced by the elderly stereotype which would potentially manifest as a

slower walking time (i.e., a behavioral characteristic of the elderly) in comparison to a neutral

priming condition. Inferential test statistics supported the claim yielding a significantly slower

walking time for those in the elderly priming condition than those in the neutral priming

condition. The results of experiments one and two suggests that being exposed to a series of

A third experiment investigates the impact of priming in relation to ethnic stereotypes. In

example, when an individual is confronted with negative information about a political group with

in part because of the cognitive effort required to process and consider new information as well

as the cognitive effort required in the modification of existing schema (Padesky 267-278).

Two psychological processes that are involved in the modification of schema are referred

to as assimilation and accommodation, which were introduced by Piaget in his expansion on the

work of Bartlett. According to Piaget, these are two processes that are responsible for the manner

in which schema are developed and modified as an individual continues to encounter additional

information from the environment. These two processes are directly related to the development

of schemas and work in conjunction with one another to continuously make sense of information

more accurately from the environment. As a result of these processes, an individual will be able

to navigate themselves through their environment more effortless and efficiently.

with new information from the environment (e.g., people, objects, events), people will rely on

new information may be ignored or simply redirected to already existing similar schema.

assimilation in that it does lead to a change in schemas. For example, when seeing a cow for the

first time, a relationship between cow and horse will be made indicating that they have a shared

category as animals. Through the process of accommodation, however, the child will adjust the

schema for ‘horse’ to exclude cows based on specific physical and behavioral differences

between the animals. The child will additionally create a separate schema for ‘cow,’ excluding

horses based on specific physical and behavioral differences. This will allow for greater

distinction between the two animals and will also serve as an additional source of reference for

subsequent encounters with animals in the future. Thus, through the process of accommodation,

the reliability of schemas is improved so that they may serve as a more accurate source for

referencing.

his time. Given that schemas become increasingly more resistant to change as an individual ages

Taking into consideration schema theory, the theoretical notion of mirror neurons and the

conjunction with one another in offering a framework from which to give Quijano’s motivations

and behaviors meaning. It can be argued that Quijano’s state of psychosocial crisis places him in

a psychologically vulnerable position in which he questions the meaning of his life. Perhaps in

light of this crisis, Quijano’s perceptions of reality are distorted to align with those he has read

about in his books about chivalry. The theoretical notion of mirror neurons, it is argued, may

play a role in the formation of memories which can influence one’s perceptions of the

environment and resulting behavior. Together with schema theory, it is posited that Quijano’s

formation of memories and subsequent construction of various schema related to knighthood

influenced his quixotic interpretation of his world.

studies in literary analysis will be underlined as a means of offering unique and novel

perspectives on our interpretations of literature and literary figures.

The first theory introduced in support of the thesis argument was Erikson’s theory of

psychosocial development. Erikson theorized that humans advance through an ordered sequence

of eight stages in their psychological development from infancy into late adulthood and that at

likelihood of healthy psychological development. Similarly, continued failure at each stage

presents greater challenges for healthy psychological development and, if left unresolved, will

typically manifest later in life as problematic and unhealthy behavior.

It is argued that Quijano is in stage seven, the second to last stage, in his psychosocial

development and that he is attempting to resolve a failed crisis. He is specifically attempting to

contribution to the world which, according to Erikson’s theory, would result in a state of

generativity. Reaching a state of generativity is indicative of a resolved psychological crisis and

means that an individual believes they have made a positive contribution to the world and have

It can further be argued that Alonso Quijano faces an additional failed psychosocial crisis

world by the end of part 1 of the novel, which is evidenced by his forced return to home as well

as the continuation of his saga in part 2 of the novel. Thus, the theory of psychosocial

development can provide further commentary on Quijano’s behavior by arguing that he does not

see his life as meaningful and impactful and as a result, fears his impending death.

The second theory introduced in support of the thesis argument was the theoretical notion

of mirror neurons. It was argued that, because of the changes to Quijano’s brain, such as the fact

that it was dried up and diminished in size, and sleep deprivation, he is likely experiencing some

form of neurological and cognitive impairment. It is also argued that because he obsessively

overconsumed books about knights and knighthood, his perceptions of the environment were

largely influenced by the overactivation of mirror neurons. This is a type of neuron that fires in

neurons that his behavior was subsequently influenced by that high degree of stimulation. His

subsequently aids in the organization and interpretation of additional information from the

environment. Schema theory is used in support of the thesis argument by claiming that Alonso

Quijano’s perceptions and behaviors are highly influenced by the multiple types of schemas he

has constructed for ‘knighthood.’ Given that the types of schemas we develop, and the content of

those schemas, are highly influenced by the experiences we are exposed to, Quijano’s schemas

are likely greatly informed by his books about knights and knighthood. Therefore, schema theory

can offer another potential avenue for explaining the behavior of Quijano.

It is of particular interest to consider that the three supporting modern theories can be

applied to a character created three centuries before their conceptualization. Although Alonso

Quijano and Don Quijote are characters of fiction, products of the mind of Cervantes, Quijano’s

conduct corresponds and fits with a precise mental illness for which there exists in modern day

Neuroscience gives us a scientific perspective on the development of memories based on the

activation of mirror neurons. Neuroscience also offers explanations for the role of previous

experiences in interpreting new experiences. These fields of study can together offer very

. My academic background consists of a BS and MS in Psychology and a BA in Modern

Languages with a concentration in Spanish. My specializations within psychology include

experimental research design, data analysis, cognitive neuroscience, and second language

processing.

it would be wrong for the steed of such a celebrated knight, a horse with such merit of its own,

not to bear a famous name. (11)

he finally decided to call the animal Rocinante […]; which struck him as a truly lofty name,

resonant and also meaningful, because an old horse was exactly what it had been, before, while

now it had risen to be first and foremost among all the old horses in the world. (11)

…not too far from where he lived there was a very pretty peasant girl, with whom he was

supposed, once upon a time, to have been in love, although (as the story goes) she never knew it

nor did he say a word to her. Her name was Aldonza Lorenzo and he thought it a fine idea to

bestow on her the title of Mistress of his Thoughts. Hunting for a name as good as the one he’d

given himself, a name that would be appropriate for that princess and noble lady, he decided to

call her Dulcinea del Toboso…since Toboso was where she came from. To him it seemed a

singularly musical name, rare, full of meaning, like all the others he’d assigned to himself and

everything that belonged to him. (12)

Destiny guides our fortunes more favorably than we could have expected. Look there, Sancho

Panza, my friend, and see those thirty or so wild giants, with whom I intend to do battle and to

kill each and all of them, so with their stolen booty we can begin to enrich ourselves. This is

noble, righteous warfare, for it is wonderfully useful to God to have such an evil race wiped from

the face of the earth. (38)

The coach contained, as it became clear later on, a Basque lady on her way to Seville to join her

husband, who was sailing for the Indies to take up a post of some distinction. The friars were not

Now look, your grace, those are Benedictine friars, and the coach has got to belong to some

well-bred lady. (41)

…you don’t know anything about adventures…What I tell you is the truth, as you’ll see in a

moment. (41)

…we’re not masked deviles nor are we monsters, we’re just two Benedictine monks riding

you worry yourself about the name of your liberator, know that I am called Don Quijote de la

Mancha, knight errant and soldier of fortune, and captive to the matchless and most beautiful

lady, Dona Dulcinea del Toboso; In acknowledgement of the kindness I have extended to you, I

ask only that you direct yourself to Toboso and present yourself to that lady on my behalf, telling

her what part I have had in your liberation. (42)

white-robed men (98)

How can I be wrong, you punctilious traitor […] tell me: don’t you see that knight riding

towards us upon his dappled grey horse, wearing a golden helmet on his head? What I can see,

answered Sancho, is just a man on a donkey, a drab one like my own, who’s wearing on his head

something that glitters. (112)

A young man…good-looking and well-spoken (132)…we were all pretty well struck at how

good-looking he was. (133)

without saying a word just punched and kicked him something fierce, and then he went after

the pack mule and took all the bread and cheese it was carrying, after which, with that strange

quickness, he ran back and hid in the mountains. (133)

Macho, Carlos. “La construcción de un personaje: de Alonso Quijano a don Quijote.” Anales

Mancing, H.. The Cervantes Encyclopedia: A-K. Westport, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2004.

Ramirez, Alvaro. “Counterdefinitions of Reality: Translating the World in Alonso Quijano de la

Soufas, Teresa S. Melancholy and the Secular Mind in Spanish Golden Age Literature.

Thiher, Allen. Revels in Madness: Insanity in Medicine and Literature. Ann Arbor, University of

Triplette, Stacey. “Chivalry and Empire: The Colonial Argument of the Princess Micomicona

Triplette, Stacey. “Death and Ritual in Don Quixote.” Cervantes, vol. 39, no. 1, 2019, pp. 201-

Verweij, Ilse M. “Sleep Deprivation Leads to a Loss of Functional Connectivity in Frontal Brain

Master of Science in Psychology in May 2017. Cristian continued his studies at Louisiana State

University where he plans to earn a Master of Arts in Hispanic Studies in May 2021.

Following the completion of the Hispanic Studies program, Cristian will continue his

studies in the fall of 2021 at Cornell University where he will enter the Ph.D. program in

Psychology with a focus on perception, cognition and development. Cristian is the son of Kathy