Motorcycle Diaries Connections

“The Motorcycle Diaries” is a personal journal that young Ernesto Guevara kept with him as he made his way from Argentina to America. His memoir tells of his journeys throughout South and Central America with his friend Alberto Granado. Starting as two young adventurers wanting to explore the vast range of their continent quickly learn about the social injustices that plague South America. Soon after their journey Ernesto went to Guatemala to seek a cause or purpose to support. This is where the documentary, The True Story of Che Guevara directed by Maria Wye Berry, takes its main starting point. It is a detailed retelling of the life of Che Guevara, as he became one of the worlds leading revolutionists. The documentary tells of how Ernesto Guevara turned to “el Che” and focuses on the events following his treacherous journey through the Americas. The book and documentary are quite similar describing Ernesto’s life and events that transpired, however the documentary goes into further details on how Ernesto spent his later years after the expedition. One of the main themes throughout the documentary and book is “the search for purpose”. This is one of Ernesto’s primary goals in life, to find a purpose, whether its trekking through miles of deserted Peruvian lands or leading a guerrilla attack on severe dictators. Another recurring theme in “The Motorcycle Diaries” and The True Story of Che Guevara, is “doing good in the world”. When he was young Ernesto so eagerly wanted to see a leper colony to observe and help a part of society shunned by many. This idea stuck with him into his later years when he helped liberate Cuba from Batista (President of Cuba prior to the Cuban Revolution) and further down the road as a guerrilla leader. Current Bolivian President Evo Morales shares Che’s ideology and wishes they had Che around today to unite the people of Latin America. “Now is when we need Che, not for the armed force, but for the defense of humanity” said Morales, explaining that Che could be helping in todays world. This shocked me that when he was alive only a few shared his goals for Latin America, but after his death many can only dream of a leader that was devoted to the greater good for Latin America.