Amparo Dávila

Who is Amparo Dávila?

Amparo Davila born 1928 in Zacatecas, Mexico is a Mexican author. Dávila was the sole surviving child of her parents. The oldest son died at childbirth. The next son died as a result of meningitis, and the last son died during his infancy. She learned to love reading at an early age from spending time in her father's library. Her childhood was marked by fear, a theme that appeared in a number of her future works as an author. Her first published work was Salmos bajo la luna in 1950. This was followed by Meditaciones a la orilla del sueno and Perfil de soledades. She then moved to Mexico City where she worked as Alfonso Reyes's Secretary. In 1966 she was a part of the Centro Mexicano de Escritores where she received a grant to continue writing. In 2008, Davila was recognized by el Palacio de Bellas Artes de Mexico.

Davila is known for her use themes of insanity, danger, and death, typically dealing with a female protagonist. Many of her protagonists appear to have mental disorders and lash out, often violently, against others. Many times the women are still unable to escape from their mental issues and live with the actions they have taken. She also plays with ideas of time. She uses time as a symbol of that which we cannot change.