Paz often addressed themes concerning the impact of the ancient native cultures of Mexico on twentieth-century Mexican culture and society. Learn more about the ancient civilizations of Mexico, such as the Aztecs and the Mayan peoples.

The work of Paz is often categorized with that of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda and Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes. Read a poem or story by one of these authors. What central themes does he address, and what stylistic elements does he employ? How would you compare the work of this author to that of Paz?

Paz was strongly influenced by the French literary movement of the post-World War I era known as surrealism. Read a section of Manifestoes of Surrealism (1924), by André Breton, the father of surrealism in literature. What are the basic tenets of surrealism? Can you write a surrealist story or poem, according...