I, Juan de Pareja is a children's novel by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino about a painter named Velazquez and his slave, Juan. The novel shows the dark and light sides of the Renaissance in Spain in the seventeenth century.

You can find several good quizzes and study guides online. In fact, enotes.com has a study guide for this (click on "study guides" on the top of the site). Click on Analysis and then scroll down to the questions (or follow the link below).

1. Why is Pareja not more resentful of the silly way his first mistress dresses him up?

2. Would Pareja have been better off if he had been left at the monastery rather than sent to live with Velazquez?

3. What are some of the ways Spanish society of the 1600s demeaned slaves? Note, for instance, how Pareja is called "Juanico" and how he is treated like a possession.

4. Why is Pareja so eager to be accepted as part of Velazquez's household?

5. Why is Pareja nearly always afraid?

6. How important is the concept of "truth" in I, Juan de Pareja? Note how truth is presented in different ways. There is artistic truth, being truthful with oneself, and being truthful with others.

7. Why does Pareja yearn to tell people of his painting when he knows that it could lead to severe punishment?

8. Will Lolis make a good wife for Pareja? She seems very different from him.

9. Is Velazquez a good man? Why does he not help Pareja much earlier than he does?

Another good study guide comes from the Glencoe Literature Library and McGraw-Hill (see the link below).

The best way to study for this novel is to take notes as you read and try to answer these questions as you go. It will help you comprehend and remember the material.