In Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's "Don Quixote," a key theme is the distortion of reality that fear can cause. The character Don Quixote argues that fear can cloud judgment, leading individuals to misinterpret what they encounter. This suggests that one's perceptions can be manipulated by emotions, creating a disconnect from the true nature of things.

The quote highlights how fear influences personal feelings and perceptions, leading to a skewed understanding of the world. This theme resonates throughout the narrative, underscoring the idea that our emotions can significantly alter our viewpoints, causing us to see things not as they are, but rather as fear makes us believe them to be.