Superstitions by Pablo Neruda (1943)
The poem explores the idea that superstitions are a way to cope with the unknown and the uncontrollable aspects of life. It delves into the human psyche's tendency to create myths and legends to explain natural phenomena, and how these superstitions can be both comforting and suffocating. The speaker describes their own experiences with superstitions, revealing a sense of disillusionment and skepticism towards these beliefs.
By Pablo Neruda · First published 1943 · Genre: Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Gothic Fiction · 659 words
First lines
Uncle Genaro would come back from the mountains. The man hadn't a whole bone in his body.
Everything had been broken by the earth, horses, bullets, bulls, stones, snow, his luck.
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- After Death by Juan Rulfo
- Ancient History by Pablo Neruda
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- The Hungry Stones by Rabindranath Tagore
Genres
- Magical Realism — The narrative blends fantastical elements with realistic settings, typical of magical realism.
- Literary Fiction — The work focuses on character development and thematic depth rather than a conventional plot.
- Gothic Fiction — The presence of supernatural elements, darkness, and themes of death align with gothic fiction.
- Fantasy — The inclusion of mythical figures like the Devil and surreal occurrences suggests a fantasy genre.
Tags
Poetry · Latin American Literature · Chilean Poetry · 20th Century Poetry · Modernist Poetry · Surrealist Poetry · Experimental Poetry · Free Verse Poetry · Lyrical Poetry · Imagist Poetry · Symbolism · Mythology
What this Textopian page supports
Superstitions is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 1943 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Pablo Neruda
- Date: 1943 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Fantasy, Horror
- Length: 659 words
- Structure: 1 section, 24 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Superstitions by Pablo Neruda
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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More by Pablo Neruda
- Body of a Woman (1959)
- The Light Wraps You (1954)
- Ah Vastness of Pines (1975)
- The Morning Is Full (1954)
- So That You Will Hear Me (1976)
- I Remember You As You Were (1952)
- Leaning Into The Afternoons Leaning into the afternoons I cast my sad nets towards your oceanic eyes (1954)
- White Bee (1974)
- All works by Pablo Neruda