READING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR: "RECOGNIZING THE OTHER"
WEEK 9

I. Reading Questions

From Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Castaways

1. What is the purpose of Cabeza de Vaca's trip? What is his official role in this fleet? [5]

2. How many men departed from Sanlúcar de Barrameda? [5] How many men do they lose in Santo Domingo [Hispaniola]? [5] How many men arrive in Florida? [10]

3. Why do they want to go to Apalachee? [14]

4. Why does Cabeza de Vaca not want to abandon the ships and march inland? [14] Why does he request the scribe to put his opinion on the record? [15] 

5. How does he describe the Indians' arrows? [25] Why does he say that the "good weapons they [Spanish soldiers] carried were of no use"? [25]

6. How did the Spaniards survive while they were building boats? [28]

7. How many boats depart from Florida? How many men are there now? [30]

8. What do they want when they see a small island? [32]

9. Explain why the Spaniards looked "like the very image of death"? [41-42]

10. Explain the episodes of cannibalism by the Spaniards. [46, 58]

11. How are the Indians convinced that the Spaniards do not have special powers? [46]

12. How do the Spaniards become shamans [medicine men]? How do they cure? [49]

13. How does Cabeza de Vaca manage to survive, after escaping from the Indians who held him captive? [52]

14. How did the other Spaniards die? [53]

15. What kinds of things the Indians [possibly, the Coahuiltecans, according to Appendix B] eat? [60, 61]

16. How was Cabeza de Vaca able to resuscitate a dead man? [72]

17. Who is Bad Thing? [73]

18. Why are the Spaniards very happy? [100]

19. What determines the Spaniards route? [103]

20. How many different languages did Cabeza de Vaca learn? [105]

21. Why does Cabeza de Vaca have altercations with the Christians? [112]

22. What kind of distinctions do the Indians make between the "Christians" and the four survivors? [113-114]

23. Why is Cabeza de Vaca not able to wear any clothing? [120]

II. Discussion Questions

1. What is the difference between Gonzalo Guerrero (from Bernal Diaz' book) and Cabeza de Vaca? Did Cabeza de Vaca assimilate to the Indian culture? Did he become an Indian?

2. Compare Cortés' success with Cabeza de Vaca's failed expedition.

3. What are Cabeza de Vaca's main occupations during his journey? Discuss the relevance of those occupations for Indian societies.

4. Explain the process by which Cabeza de Vaca is able to recognize the other, that is, the Indian.