Chronicle of the Narvaez Expedition

How did Cabeza de Vaca assimilate with the Indigenous people he encountered? How did he not?

Why does Cabeza de Vaca never describe individual Indigenous men or women? Can we tell whether he formed friendships with any Indigenous people?

Is Cabeza de Vaca an impartial and objective observer, or an active participant who is subjective? Why?

Research the writings of other 16th-century explorers and colonizers. How does Cabeza de Vaca’s chronicle differ from other accounts? How is it the same?

Compare and contrast Cabeza de Vaca’s chronicle with Bartolomé de las Casas’s A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies. Can Cabeza de Vaca’s chronicle also be considered a polemic against Spanish mistreatment of Indigenous people?

How would Cabeza de Vaca’s contemporary readers respond to his claims of faith healing? Explore the biblical echoes Cabeza de Vaca relies on to supplement his descriptions of treating the sick.

Describe Cabeza de Vaca’s transition from conquistador to missionary. Is this transition legitimate or is there an ulterior motive present?

What is Cabeza de Vaca’s intention for writing his chronicle? Are there other possible reasons one can assume based on his writings?