The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Che Guevara

The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey by Ernesto "Che" Guevara is a memoir that chronicles the author's travels across South America in the early 1950s, before he became a revolutionary icon. Written as a personal journal, the book captures Guevara’s journey with his friend, Alberto Granado, as they set out on a motorcycle trip to explore the continent. The journey begins in Argentina and takes them through several countries, including Chile, Peru, and Venezuela.

The narrative is a blend of travelogue, personal reflection, and social commentary. As Guevara and Granado travel, they witness the stark social and economic inequalities that plague much of Latin America. Along the way, Guevara is deeply moved by the poverty, exploitation, and injustices he encounters, particularly among the indigenous and working-class people. These experiences significantly influence his later political ideology and commitment to Marxist revolutionary ideals.

Throughout the journey, Guevara reflects on issues of class, race, and the exploitation of workers and indigenous peoples, offering a critique of the social structures that perpetuate inequality. While the trip is largely an adventure of exploration and youthful enthusiasm, it becomes a transformative experience for Guevara. His exposure to the harsh realities of life in South America shapes his worldview and his decision to become involved in revolutionary politics, namely his later commitment to armed struggle and his role in the Cuban Revolution.

The book offers a more humanized and personal portrait of Che Guevara, showing him as a young man filled with curiosity and compassion (and a little deviousness), not yet hardened by the politics and violence that would later define his life.

Questions for this book included:

• Did the book match your expectations? Did you like the writing style of this travel journal?

• What are your opinions of Che during this excursion?

• How does the book balance adventure, travel writing, and political awakening?

• How does Guevara’s relationship with his travel companion, Alberto Granado, shape the journey? What did you think of their dynamic?

• How does the journey transform Guevara?

• The book explores inequality, poverty, and oppression across Latin America. Which moments or encounters stood out to you the most?

• The book raises questions about privilege, social responsibility, and activism. Did it inspire you to think differently about these issues?

• Guevara’s journey is filled with hardships—crashes, hunger, and illness. Do you think these struggles made the journey more meaningful?

  
  

Because this book was a personal journal, it lacked a lot of background information and deeper reflections into the social injustices he witnessed. As a result, we wished for more context, especially given what we knew of him becoming a well-known revolutionary leader later.

As a group, we talked about our overall impressions of Che based on his journal, about his interactions with the people that he met, and the moments that were impactful for him. This lead to conversations about how he often used people on his journey: getting free food and room & board when possible (often bending the truth about his medical qualifications). We chatted about the friendship between him and Alberto as well as the disbanding of them towards the end of the book: why do we think this happened? Furthermore, we discussed the parallels between Guevara's experiences and challenges faced by individuals and communities today.

We didn't get to watch the movie together as a group, but watching it after reading the book allowed for additional context. However, the movie might portray Che as more of a hero than he really was, based on his own journal's claims.

Group mean rating: 6.3/10