Part II of this story is changing like how Don Quixote’s fantasy is changing, and it is turning a part as the story goes on. Reality is rising up in his imaginative world, and he starts to doubt his views. He is beginning to see the reality around him, and in one point he sees inns as inns not castles; also, he realizes that the peasant girl to whom he is falling is a normal peasant girl not the princess he has portrayed.
“For what I want of Dulcinea del Toboso she is as good as the greatest princess in the land. For not all those poets who praise ladies under names which they choose so freely, really have such mistresses. . . .I am quite satisfied . . . to imagine and believe that the good Aldonza Lorenzo is so lovely and virtuous.” (Don Quixote, Ch. 25) From this quote of the first part, Don Quixote explains to Sancho that the real characteristic of Aldonza is not important for him because he has already portrayed his ideal characteristic of her in his imagination. Readers of the novel have no chance to meet the real character of Dulcinea because, throughout the novel, she is only seen via Don Quixote’s imaginative figure. His imagination and fantasy have created an ideal figure for her that takes place of reality
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Until his last chances of defense, Don Quixote tries his best to believe in his illusion and influence others around him that his visions are real; however, when there is no chance and he is left with only reality, Don fears the truth of living in real life without a purpose. The last defeat of this character is at the hand of a claimed knight who in reality is only a normal man from the same hometown as Don Quixote. Due to his defeat, Quixote has to take an oath to give up on his adventure and return to his place. After his arrival to his hometown, Quixote’s health gets worst and he is dying of fever; however, just before his death in the last chapter, he claims that his sanity has returned and his visions of his fantasy are no longer in control. Therefore, he no longer is Don Quixote while he dies; he is the well-read Alonso Quixano of Spain.
Authors like Miguel want to blend reality and fiction as their source of inspiration to show the relations and limitations between the real world and the fantasy world we imagine in our minds. Through Don Quixote, it is clear that no matter the likeliness between fiction and reality, they are never the same. The consequences of blending fiction with reality can be disastrous and lead to distractions as happened in Don Quixote.
As he lives in his fantasy Don Quixote is a brave man and he succeeded his battle against his enemies; however, in the last chapter readers feel Don Quixote's fear of raising reality and fading illusion, and his will to die is clear. Miguel has provided Don a purpose for is life. Don is so attached to his dream and illusion that he becomes a part of it and readers are drawn into it. Miguel has created an environment of fantasy where his character can be himself and function as he wants while in reality, those functions would be difficult for the character. Readers can feel the value of the illusion and imagination that are done in the book as Don Quixote is all illusion.
In conclusion, Don Quixote is a novel that engaged the idea of blending fiction into reality in the history of writing. The main character, Don, sends a message through this novel which is that our reality is what we create or want to be. There will be no exact description for Don’s personality and behavior as he was real but living in illusion at the same time. Don Quixote was not a saint either he was mad, he was a man living his determined self. The major concepts of this novel can be identified as imagination, illusion, personality, humanity, sanity, madness, and fantasy. Throughout this novel, individuals are influenced to determine their dreams and identify their true selves to live in their own reality.
The book is known to spread positivity among the readers because of the personality of Don who has seen the beauty in everything. For example, he has seen a prostitute woman as a virgin and innocent lady until the woman herself believed in Don and has seen herself as worthy of good things. This positive reflection of the novel made more and more readers day by day. Also, Don’s openness for great changes in life is one way of motivating readers of this novel to take action and determine their story instead of the society writing their story.
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