Part 2: Chapter 11 - 12 Summary and Analysis

Don Juan next has Castaneda smoke and practice walking while under the influence of the drug. He has a great deal of trouble with this at first, and then he notices something very strange about don Juan's face. It has turned luminescent, with many shining fibers giving off the light. His normal face comes back, and then Castaneda again sees the shining face. Don Juan orders him not to stare but to look anywhere else. They walk to the irrigation ditch where Castaneda looks at the water. The next day don Juan answers Castaneda's question as to whether the author had seen in the special way: "'When you see there are no longer familiar features in the world. Everything is new. Everything has never happened before. The world is incredible!'" (p. 159).

They go for a walk...