Literature is the expression of a feeling of deprivation, a recourse against a sense of something missing. But the contrary is also true: language is what makes us human. It is a recourse against the meaningless noise and silence of nature and history.

Political thought
Originally Paz showed his solidarity with the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War but after learning of the murder of one of his friends by the Republicans themselves he became gradually disillusioned. Upon his return to Mexico Paz co-founded a literary journal Taller ("Workshop") in 1938 and wrote for the magazine until 1941. Paz wrote the play "La hija de Rappaccini" in 1956.