Chile - Culture: Pablo Neruda

Think about the place where you live. Is it a big city or a small town? Are there lots of people there? What about the school you attend? Do you have lots of friends there? Do you think you live in a nice country, with lots of opportunities to do what you want with your life? What are some problems with where you live?

Now think about how you would describe where you live to someone else. Think about your talents. Could you write a song that would describe your home? Could you paint a picture? Maybe you could photograph where you live. There are lots of ways to talk about your home, depending on your talents. Not so long ago, there was a talented writer in Chile named Pablo Neruda. He loved to write about his home.

Neruda was born on July 12, 1904. He was born with a different name, Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He was born in the town of Parral, Chile. He was born to average parents; his father was a railroad worker and his mother was a teacher. Soon after he was born, his mother died and he and his father moved to Temuco, where Neruda would grow up. It was in Temuco where Neruda would become a writer.