Julio Cortázar Summary

Biography EssayIn all that Julio Cortazar ever wrote, be it novel, short story, play, poem, essay, or collage, he pitted all his intelligence, passion, and playful humor against unthinking acceptance ... Read more

Critical Essay by David I. Grossvogel Like most of Cortázar's short stories, ["Las babas del diablo"] is primarily a tale about the impossiblity of telling and about the f... Read more

Critical Essay by Martha Paley Francescato It is always Oliveira, Juan, Andrés that we hear about [in studies of Cortázar's works]. Why not La Maga, Hélène, Ludmill... Read more

Critical Essay by David William Foster One of the outstanding characteristics of [Libro de Manuel] is the blending of fictional narration and journalistic clippings, based on the organizing motif of ... Read more

Critical Essay by Roberto GonzÁlez Echevarria [Cortázar suggests] that there is no break between the 'real' and 'fantastic' in his stories but instead a mode... Read more

Critical Essay by Ana MarÍa HernÁndez Cortázar has always shown a keen interest in the Gothic aspects of vampirism. He is thoroughly acquainted with the numerous nosferoti preced... Read more

Critical Essay by Jorge H. ValdÉs Cortázar's intention [in A Manual for Manuel is] to provide the reader with an understanding of the "apparently" confused and unde... Read more

Critical Essay by Gregory Rabassa Julio Cortázar is a writer who has thrown off the restrictions of mental Calvinism imposed by the past century and still so much with us…. [He] finds t... Read more

In the following essay, Young provides a stylistic analysis of “A Place Named Kindberg.” “Lugar llamado Kindberg” (“A Place Named Kindberg”), a short story... Read more

In the following essay, Schmidt-Cruz elucidates the role of Oedipal desires in “Deshoras” and “Historias que me cuento.” I suspect that one of the reasons why Cort... Read more

In the following essay, McNab considers the symbolism in “Bestiary,” contending that “the reader must dispense with traditional notions in order to appreciate fully Cortáza... Read more

In the following essay, Musselwhite considers the model of the phantasm in “Babas del Diablo” and other stories collected in Las armas secretas. ‘Babas del diablo’ is pr... Read more

In the following essay, Tandeciarz views “Diario para un Cuento” as representative of Cortázar's recurring thematic interests and determines the influence of his experience... Read more

In the following essay, Holmes compares the question of home in Cortázar's “Casa tomada” and Ilse Aichinger's “Wo ich wohne.” In his short story &#x... Read more

In the following essay, which was originally published in 1992, King regards the examination of childhood as a central theme in Cortázar's short fiction. “What—is—... Read more

In the following essay, Sanjinés analyzes the narrative framework of “Blow-Up,” asserting that the story “is constructed on the principle of Chinese boxes.” I. All... Read more

In the following essay, Roemer perceives the idea of graffiti as folk practice to be a key theme of “Graffiti.” My focus here is both literary and folkloristic. I draw on the premises... Read more

In the following essay, Borland explores the role of protagonist/critic in several of Cortázar's short stories and essays. En algún lugar debe haber un basural donde está... Read more