In order to study children as literary characters in Latin American narrative it is necessary to contextualize the situation of children in that continent. In fact, if childhood is to be considered by authors a true source for their creation, there should exist first a social acknowledgement of a stage in life that had been ignored for a long time. Childhood, which may be considered a discovery of the 20 century, will enter - step by step - the literary universe in a peculiar way. We will try to understand then the reasons that justify the fact that authors choose children as literary characters, as well as their purpose when doing so.
 Received: 20-05-05/ Accepted: 23-06-05
 How to reference this article:
 Bouchard. O. (2005). Le personnage de l’enfant dans la narrative hispano-américaine. Íkala. 10 (1), pp. 197 – 221