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'''Julio Cortázar''' (August 26, 1914 – February 12, 1984), was an Argentine author who wrote many short stories and several novels. Although many of his greatest works were written during his time in France, he is considered one of the pinnacles of influence in the lives of many Latin American authors that followed him.  

'''Julio Cortázar''' (August 26, 1914 – February 12, 1984), was an Argentine author who wrote many short stories and several novels. Although many of his greatest works were written during his time in France, he is considered one of the pinnacles of influence in the lives of many Latin American authors that followed him.  

==Early Life==

==Early life==

Cortázar was born as Jules Florencio Cortázar, in Brussels, Belgium, to Julio José Cortázar and María Herminia Descotte, both Argentine citizens that were working abroad in the region on business.<ref name="bio">[http://kirjasto.sci.fi/cortaz.htm Julio Cortázar's Biography]</ref>. At the age of four, his family returned to Buenos Aires. Although his parents had tried to patch up their fragile marriage, they separated soon after their return and finalized their divorce within three years.  

Cortázar was born as Jules Florencio Cortázar, in Brussels, Belgium, to Julio José Cortázar and María Herminia Descotte, both Argentine citizens that were working abroad in the region on business.<ref name="bio">[http://kirjasto.sci.fi/cortaz.htm Julio Cortázar's Biography]</ref> At the age of four, his family returned to Buenos Aires. Although his parents had tried to patch up their fragile marriage, they separated soon after their return and finalized their divorce within three years.  

For still unexplained reasons, he was often He was frequently ill as a child and was rarely healthy enough to leave his assigned bed rest. Although his mom was officially a practicing Christian, she carefully selected what the young Cortázar read, and his early literary education consisted of almost entirely of science fiction and works of fantasy (most notably Jules Verne, whom Cortázar admired for the rest of his life).

For still unexplained reasons, he was often He was frequently ill as a child and was rarely healthy enough to leave his assigned bed rest. Although his mom was officially a practicing Christian, she carefully selected what the young Cortázar read, and his early literary education consisted of almost entirely of science fiction and works of fantasy (most notably Jules Verne, whom Cortázar admired for the rest of his life).

==Teaching Career==

==Teaching career==

Upon finishing high school, Cortázar completed the basic certificates, required by Argentine law at the time, to become a teacher. He began teaching basic philosophy, language, and literary criticism at several schools in nearby communities. Despite a lack of credentials and even basic fluency in the French language, the Argentine National University of Cuyo appointed him a full professor of French literature and French linguistics at the age of 30. <ref name="French">[http://www.mostlyfiction.com/latin/cortazar.htm Cortázar's professorship]</ref>  

Upon finishing high school, Cortázar completed the basic certificates, required by Argentine law at the time, to become a teacher. He began teaching basic philosophy, language, and literary criticism at several schools in nearby communities. Despite a lack of credentials and even basic fluency in the French language, the Argentine National University of Cuyo appointed him a full professor of French literature and French linguistics at the age of 30.<ref name="French">[http://www.mostlyfiction.com/latin/cortazar.htm Cortázar's professorship]</ref>  

==Exile to France==

==Exile to France==

==Support for Socialism and Communism==

==Support for Socialism and Communism==

Cortázar often fancied himself a supporter of human rights and the concepts of democracy, especially in Latin America; later in his life, however, he became an ardent and outspoken supporter of several virulently anti-democratic and Marxist movements in Latin America, including Fidel Castro's revolution in Cuba, the [[socialist]] [[Sandinista]] regime in [[Nicaragua]], and Salvador Allende's dictatorship in Chile, all of which practiced widespread violations of human rights during their regimes. To show his solidarity and support for these movements, he donated many of the royalties of his novels and short stories to them.<ref name="history"></ref> In his published work ''Nicaragua tan violentamente dulce'', he harshly criticized the Contra freedom fighters resistance to the government of Daniel Ortega, as well as President Reagan for his support for the liberation of Nicaragua.  

Cortázar often fancied himself a supporter of human rights and the concepts of democracy, especially in Latin America; later in his life, however, he became an ardent and outspoken supporter of several virulently anti-democratic and Marxist movements in Latin America, including Fidel Castro's revolution in Cuba, the [[socialist]] [[Sandinista]] regime in [[Nicaragua]], and Salvador Allende's dictatorship in Chile, all of which practiced widespread violations of human rights during their regimes. To show his solidarity and support for these movements, he donated many of the royalties of his novels and short stories to them.<ref name="history" /> In his published work ''Nicaragua tan violentamente dulce'', he harshly criticized the Contra freedom fighters resistance to the government of Daniel Ortega, as well as President Reagan for his support for the liberation of Nicaragua.  

==Literary Style==

==Literary Style==

*''Papeles inesperados''

*''Papeles inesperados''

==See Also==

==See also==

*[[Jorge Luis Borges]]

*[[Jorge Luis Borges]]

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