The Dreamer

“At the moment, no one lived next door. Still, Neftalí always imagined a friend on the other side, waiting for him—someone who might enjoy watching flotsam drift downriver, who collected twisted sticks, liked to read, and was not good at mathematics, either.”

Neftalí’s interests, like reading and exploring nature, and his perceived flaws, like his lack of skill in math, make him who he is. His longing for companionship and connection significantly shapes his experience of life. Both his experiences with Inspiration, Influence, and Identity and his experience of the world are critical ingredients in the creation of Pablo Neruda and his art.

“He heard footsteps. Was it Father? He had been away, working on the railroad for a week, and was due home today. Neftalí’s heart pounded and his round brown eyes grew large with panic.”

The author’s treatment of Neftalí’s father aims to display his complexity and the underlying reasons for his dictatorial parenting style. He is portrayed in moments of kindness as well as meanness, and he is not shown physically abusing Neftalí, which may create a perception that he’s like any father who sometimes loses his temper. This line belies that notion by demonstrating how afraid Neftalí is of him. Its subtext allows the reader to understand the detrimental effects of Father’s behavior toward his children.

“I am small and many say much too thin. I may not appear big and strong on the outside, but I am perfectly capable on the inside…just like you.”

The Dreamer’s main conflict is between Neftalí and his father, and more specifically, between Neftalí’s true self and his father’s efforts to change him. Father’s main focus is on what he perceives as Neftalí’s weakness and his efforts to make Neftalí stronger. These efforts establish a contradiction between ideas of strength and weakness and what they really mean.