“Don Quixote” by Cervantes (post 4): A Novel about The Novel, in which Don Quixote is novelist with multiple personality, and Sancho Panza the reader.

One of the most common pieces of advice given by established novelists to aspiring novelists is to read, read, read (works of fiction). Most novelists are avid readers. And this is true of Don Quixote. (He has been an avid reader of stories about knights-errant and chivalry.)

Another thing novelists must do, while they are writing a novel, is believe in the reality of their novel’s world and characters. It must all feel real to them. How real? As more than one novelist has said, “more real than real.”

Meanwhile, the reader, like Sancho Panza, in the hope of being amply rewarded, must go along for the ride.

“Madness”

Don Quixote, who represents novelists, often seems crazy. But it is not just any kind of madness. What kind is it?

He is described as having switched from his regular personality, Alonso Quixano, to an alternate personality, Don Quixote—who has his own view of reality, as do most alternate personalities—and as finally switching back to his regular personality, Alonso Quixano.

Switching between personalities is NOT seen in schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Indeed, it is not seen in ANY psychosis listed in the psychiatric diagnostic manual. It is seen ONLY in the nonpsychotic, dissociative identity disorder, multiple personality.

I don’t trivialize the clinical version of multiple personality, which may involve very serious distress and dysfunction. But novelists, like most people with multiple personality, have a normal version. That is, they have alternate personalities, etc., but do not have clinically significant distress and dysfunction. And without the latter, the former may be used to advantage.