Chapters nine to eleven conclude Castaneda’s lessons with don Juan. These last chapters are the most exciting and really challenge the reader to suspend their disbelief. We’ve tried so often to rationalize the events that take place while Castaneda is under the influence of don Juan’s various hallucinogenic mixtures and the final chapters really challenged my rational thoughts.
I have to say that the end of the book was a bit of an anti-climax. Castaneda is able to defeat the diablera, with don Juan’s fighting procedure, and win back his soul. This is the climax of his journey, yet it seems as if the book just drops off a bit after this event. Castaneda no longer seeks don Juan’s teachings and he concludes his narrative with “I do believe I have succumbed to the first enemy of a man of knowledge.”
I still haven’t gotten a clear idea of how Castaneda feels about all of his experiences. Does he choose not to pursue further teachings because he is afraid of losing his soul again? Is he content with the knowledge he has gained? In his structural analysis, he realizes the coherence of don Juan’s teachings and is able to break everything down into logical sequences.
But, in the end, what does it all mean? I’m curious to hear what the class thinks about Castaneda’s analysis.
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