I’m sailing along into Book 2 of Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote now. I see no reason to disagree with most critics, who think Book 2 is a little smoother and better-conceived than Book 1. The author has more control of his material, and has learned to exploit better the possibilities in his characters.

Sancho Panza, his squire, especially comes into his own. Sancho has always been smarter than his master, in matters of real life, and he’s learning to manipulate him (quite often for his own good).

The scenario at the start of Book 2 is that Don Quixote is resting, somewhat against his will, at home – but his family and friends perceive that he still longs to ride out and have adventures. A new character is introduced – “the bachelor Samson Carrasco.” (I find it amusing that the bachelor’s degree, which has become almost worthless nowadays, once carried enough prestige to function as a title, like “Doctor.”) The bachelor is a well-meaning young man, and he comes up with a clever plan to entrap Don Quixote in his own delusions and force him to give it a rest. Except his plan fails, leaving the old madman at liberty to ride forth to adventure again.

Sancho Panza is a little more successful operating along the same lines. When his master asks him to go to his fair lady “Dulcinea’s” village and find her for him, Sancho doesn’t know what to do, as he’s never actually seen the woman. He solves that problem by waylaying the first three peasant girls he sights riding along the road on asses. The inherent problems that none of the girls is at all beautiful, and that they have no idea what this old scarecrow in armor is talking about, are easily solved. Sancho simply talks Don Quixote’s own language to him – his perceptions, Sancho explains, have been confused by evil enchanters. The old knight is a sucker for evil enchanters.

As I read, I was struck more and more by the resemblance between Don Quixote and today’s Woke college graduates. They have both alike been driven mad through reading and believing insane books. I think it might be a good idea to study Sancho’s strategy, employing similar tactics to disarm the Woke. (The bachelor Samson Carrasco, perhaps because he’s a college graduate himself, was less fortunate in this strategy. Caution is in order.)

I also have to mention one of the actual laughs I experienced in my reading. Cervantes, in the style of his time, provides a long descriptive title to each chapter. But Chapter IX is entitled, “Wherein Is Related What Will Be Seen There.” That’s a nice, dry little gag.