Lazarillo de Tormes Chapters 3-4

Chapter THREE

1. What is Lazarillo's first impression of the Squire? 

2. How does Lazarillo describe the passage of time on the first day with his third master? What effect does this create in the work?

3. How is the house described? 

4. What is the Squire like?  What do we learn about his circumstances from his behaviour toward Lazarillo's bread?

5.  How does Lazarillo describe his way of informing the Squire about himself? 

6.  What is the bed like?   What does Lazarillo think about as he lay in bed? Why? 

9.  How does Lazarillo  describe the Squire's process of dressing and comporting himself? What reflections does he make about people like the Squire? What values is he criticizing? 

11. Who are the women whom Lazarillo observes with the Squire? How does the Squire act with them? 

12.  How does Lazarillo show charity toward his master?  What do we learn about Lazarillo from this? 

12. What edict does the Town Council issue? How does this affect Lazarillo and his master? 

13.  How does the Squire comport himself upon going out after not having eaten anything?  How is this a defect?

14. Explain what happens when Lazarillo, on going to market, crosses a funeral procession? What does this episode reveal about Lazarillo? The novel's humour? 

15. What does the history of the Squire reveal about his values? Why he left his city, about the honor code?  Describe his  “posesions” in Valladolid. 

16.  How does this episode end?

Chapter four 

1. What is the Friar of the Order of Mercy like?

2. Why does Lazarillo leave him? 

Chapter five 

1. How does the Pardoner gain the favor of the local clergy in order to sell indulgences? What strategies does he use?

2. What tricks does he play?  

3. What is Lazarillo's role in this chapter?

Chapter sIX

1. What are Lazarillo's first real jobs? How does he do?

2. What does he do to buy "fine" clothes and a sword?  What does this indicate about Lazarillo's ambitions and values?

Chapter seven 

1. What other job does Lazarillo try? Why does he leave?

2. Who is the Archpriest of San Salvador? What does he arrange for Lazaro?

3. Why is he and his wife the subject of gossip?

4. How do his wife and the Archpriest react to the rumors? What does the Archpriest advise him?

5. How does Lazaro respond to the provocations of others that his wife and the Archpriest have a less than respectable relationship?

6. In what historic moment does Lazaro's story of the "matter" take place? What is the parallel between this event and Lazaro's present?  

7. How do you interpret Lazaro's final words "At that time I was at the height of my good fortune" (79)? Has Lazaro arrived at the height of his good fortune? Why or why not?