In chapter 20, Sancho Panza seems to have become the voice of reason. It is odd that as he becomes more and more wrapped up in Don Quixote's fantasy he also becomes more logical and useful. He begins to show his value by contributing rather than constantly complaining (though he still does plenty of that as well) He points out to Don Quixote that the lush grass indicates there is water nearby, demonstrating that he is not entirely stupid and has his own sort of rustic-farmer wisdom. He even shows some cunning in his fooling Don Quixote by hobbling Rocinante instead of simply trying to talk Don Quixote out of wandering into a potentially "dangerous" situation. He appeals to his master in a way that he knows he will understand and accept, by blaming the horse's immobility to the wicked sage who fouls so many of Don Quixote's plans. Sancho Panza's character grows and changes as the story proceeds where as Don Quixote is more of a static character who shows little maturation.
When Don Quixote encounters the chain-gang in chapter 22, it occurred to me that he and the prisoners are some what alike in the sense of how they view their transgressions. As he asks the convicts what they are being punished for, the first replies "for being in love", the second for being a "canary-bird" or a musician originally presenting themselves as completely innocent and wrongly persecuted but as it turns out they were all true criminals, whether for petty theft or treason. Just as Don Quixote does not view his mistakes and wrongful attacking of innocent bystanders as a crime, but rather act of necessity as a knight, so too do the convicts see their "mistakes" as being natural to their lifestyle. However they all accept their prison sentence to the "tubs" most nobly and rely on God to save them.
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