Themes in Literature/Isolation and Community/Julio Cortázar

Julio Cortázar was an Argentine-Belgian author, best known for his short stories, poetries, and novels. He was one of the authors at the forefront of the Latin American Boom, a literary movement from the 1960s to 1970s where Latin American works became popular throughout the world. This movement was heavily influenced by the effects of the Cold War. Many novels written during this period were defined by its unique portrayal of time and uses of magical realism, which is also what makes Cortázar's stories so appealing.

Cortázar lived in Argentina during his childhood until early adulthood, when he moved around in various parts of Europe. In Argentina, he was a professor of French literature briefly until he had to resign due to political pressure from Peronists, who were supporters of the authoritarian party at the time. They often used education as a means of propaganda to further their agenda, thus Cortázar had no place as a professor. This incident might be a source of inspiration for his seemingly anti-Peronist short story, "House Taken Over", which he wrote in the same year he lost his profession. Later, Cortázar settled in France, where he primarily stayed until his death. There, he was also an active supporter in combating the abuses of human rights in Latin America.