Walk the Line

I think authors include powerful, shocking, and/ or disturbing events in their texts to set the mood of the story. I think these events trigger the reader's emotions and they really feel emotionally attached to the characters. I think they are necessary to add because it makes the reader a part of the action and plot. I also thinks it takes the story to a whole new level once you become attached to the characters. I think society has a large impact on the events that occur. Amir and Hassan are raised very differently, yet they are all the generation of the coup and the republic. Societal acceptance towards characters is really what makes these situations occur.

Dipity Timeline

This timeline details Ernesto "Che" Guevara's life. It includes the places he went, parts of his journey from the book The Motorcycle Diaries, and the documentary about hi titled El Che.

Dipity

IR # 10 (Prompt 3, Chapter 10)

The final chapter of the book depicts the filming of the infamous Moneda Palace. Miguel and one of the crews are finally allowed to film inside Pinochet's office, and in doing so; they actually manage to see Pinochet himself. After this final shoot, Frankie and Miguel spend a few more days in Chile while the five crews drop their footage off in Madrid. Towards the end of those days, Frankie is under great suspicion and they leave the next morning. This chapter is ironic because they rush onto the plane to see officers checking passports. The flight attendant explains that someone is on the plane with an illegal passport, and once they hear this news, Miguel and Frankie sit back and cheers for having done the same thing.

Over the course of the journey, Miguel Littin changed a lot. When he departed for Chile in the first chapter, he was very apprehensive and he was very scared of the troubles to come. As the trip progressed, he became more comfortable with being clandestine, and therefore he let his disguise down a little. Later in the novel, he reveals to more and more people who he really is. I think that two months was too long of a time to stay in Chile because it made him want to break his new Uruguayan identity. Having the people and places surround him that had once been a part of him was too much for him to forget. By the end of the chapter, he is very relaxed and finds entertainment in the other passenger trying to do what they had done. Surprisingly, Miguel was never caught and I think the situations he encountered really helped him because he was able to show his intelligence and utilize it quickly to basically "out-smart" the police. I was happy at the end to know that Miguel left all his suits and disguises in Chile so that he could revert back to who he really is. It was important that he returned to his old self and not let the new identity overtake him. It was very interesting to see Miguel's transformation and he is an inspiration to the world even today.

IR #9 (Prompt 15, Chapter 9)

This chapter was very inspiring and very hopeful. Miguel heads into Argentina to shoot with the Chilean crew for the first time. After they shoot, they realize that it is after curfew and they must find somewhere to stay immediately. They end up driving to the nearest dirt road and they follow it until they reach a small house. As they pulled up, Miguel realizes that it was his childhood house and his mother still lived there. At the start of his journey, he was forbidden to see his mother because he would endanger her, but this was an exception according to him. At first, she did not recognize him, but after he let her in on his new identity, she was ecstatic. They talked all night and early the next morning she took Littin outside where he saw a small hut. It was an exact replica of Miguel's study house where he lived the day of the exile. Miguel says "I couldn't be sure whether my mother had created that painstaking reconstruction so that I would not miss my former home if I were to return one day, or whether it was left as to remember me by, should I die in exile" (Marquez 101).

I chose the picture above because I thought it really summed up the chapter and more so his mother's dream of his return. She never lost hope that one day her son would return again, and her optimistic attitude was very beneficial and her dreams became a reality. I think the girl in the picture is reaching for hope. The balloon is the hope that she is trying to hold on to just like Miguel's mother did for twelve long and painful years. On the wall in the picture, it says there is always hope, and that was the attitude of Miguel' mother.

IR #8 (Prompt 7, Chapter 8)

This chapter begins with Miguel meeting up with one of his good political friends, Eloisa. He uses his alias name of Antonio when he sends her a message asking to meet with her. She is shocked when she sees him and his new identity. The two of them then head out to see Clemencia Isaura, Eloisa’s grandmother. Littin asks both of them for their help in gathering five people that had been in resistance channels since the exile. After three days, one of the crew members of the French crew, Jean-Claude, shows Miguel an article published that day that said Italian crew under suspicion. At the beginning of the novel, Littin made it absolutely mandatory that the three crews are all independent of each other and that no one would know that the others exist. So, Jean Claude believed that they might be arrested too and wants to end the documentary. However, Miguel says they can take a few days break and he would see them later in the week. Immediately afterwards, Littin rushes to see Grazia one of the Italian crew members and asks her what happened. Grazia explains that an officer had been following them and they were caught without a permit. They are sent home after being arrested and now Miguel is left to worry about his own safety. The article published in the Italian newspapers revealed their names and their mission, which could be very risky if Chileans see it. Miguel is very fearful at this point and stays awake all night just to make sure he was alive in the morning. As soon as the sun rises, he dashes for the church and remains there.

At the beginning of the book, Miguel and Elena had difficulty getting through customs at the airport. After they finally got through, Miguel questioned his intentions for the journey and wanted to scream out his real name. I made the prediction that the journey would be very dangerous to begin with. I also said that as the trip progresses, the chance of getting caught will increase. Finally I believed that the police in Chile would suspect them after awhile and their disguises would begin to peel off. My predictions were correct and this chapter proved that. They have already stayed in Chile longer than they originally intended so they are going to be more recognized by police. Also, it was vital that the crew and Miguel always carried their identification, but the crew was caught without it and was sent home. Miguel needs to wrap up this adventure before he, too, joins his crew. I also think that Littin is becoming more comfortable in his old Chilean environment, and it is making him forget his disguise. When he met with Eloisa, he told her who he really was and his mission. He also reverted back to his old laugh just to prove that it was indeed he. I am getting nervous for him, and I think that after that scare, it is time to shoot the ending and get on a flight back to Europe.

IR #7 (Prompt 2, Chapter 7)

This whole chapter confused me. It starts out with Miguel returning to Santiago with Elena. Once he arrives, Elena scolds him repeatedly for leaving without telling her where he was going. She then gives him the good news that she set up an interview with the leader of the Patriotic Front. The Manuel Rodriguez Patriotic Front was a cult formed by men who were only in elementary school when the coup occurred. The leader tells Miguel and his crew to board the truck with him and the front. They were to ask no questions and everyone was to keep their eyes shut until they reached the destination. I was really confused at this part because the driver even made his men cover their eyes when they had most likely been to the destination before. I was puzzled by his actions. As the chapter progressed, they arrive and the leader orders them to open their eyes. They are standing in a clandestine hospital for Patriotic Front members and lying before them is Manuel Rodriguez. Apparently, he was the most wanted person in Chile and was shot in the head and arm a few days before. After they leave the hospital, Miguel separates from the Italian film crew and they return home. Miguel is so confused that he decides to go to the movies which is the only place he believes is safe. The movie turns out to be some kind of naked club and a woman begins to question him. After a long time, he is able to escape and dashes back to the hotel. Honestly, this chapter was very chaotic and overwhelming. I was not sure why the Patriotic Front took Miguel to see Rodriguez in the first place. Also, the whole seen with the women at the end was way over my head. I was confused how he ended up in there. I was more confused however of whom the woman was.

IR #6 (Prompt 1, Chapter 6)

President Allende was elected by democracy in Chile, and was killed in the Coup of 1973. After his tragic death, Pinochet took power and the world of dictatorship began. This chapter of the book depicted Allende's rule and also the death of writer and politician Pablo Neruda. Basically, this chapter serves as a tribute to their lives and their aide and devotion to Chile.














Although the chapter was significant to Littin and his past, I disliked it. I felt like most parts if not the entire entire chapter was unnecessary and it lost focus on Miguel's journey through Valparaiso. They discuss the coup and how Allende spent his last days. Littin then discusses Pablo's poetry. Miguel describes the cults in Chile today that focus on Neruda and Allende. The chapter also mentions that many people visit their graves and pay their respects to the men that fought for their freedom. I thought the chapter was interesting when it described their lives; however it really was not crucial to the story line.

IR #5 (Prompt 4, Chapter 5)

In this chapter, Miguel and friend Frankie head to Concepcion for footage of the infamous mines. They board the train and start their long trip. As they reach the city's center, they recount the tragedy of father, Sebastian Acevedo. It was at that plaza, which he revolted against the torture of his two children. They were arrested for the possession of firearms and were sentenced to torture. Sebastian sat outside the cathedral along with hundreds of spectators and covered himself in gasoline. He then threatened the police that he would set himself on fire if they do not let his children free. He told the crowd and the police that if anyone crossed the yellow line he would immediately ignite himself. Losing patience in the riots, a police officer stepped over the line and Sebastian set himself on fire pictured to the left. He burned for seven long hours until he was finally taken to the hospital where he asked to speak to his twenty-year old daughter. The doctors would not allow her to see the grotesque scene so she only spoke to him through the intercom. After his death, they let his children free and Concepcion is secretly called Plaza Sebastian Acevedo.

This whole story seemed unimaginable to me and I had a really hard time reading the description. For things to get that bad where people are setting themselves on fire is ridiculous and the police, at that point need, to be stopped. To die in such a horrifying way is inhuman and completely unethical. How can the police allow an innocent man to set himself on fire? Even now I still cannot come to terms with how shocked and disgusted that story made me.

IR #4 (Prompt 5, Chapter 4)

Miguel Littin's decision to go clandestine in Chile was very dangerous, and to me was ay too risky, not only to him, but to the crew accompanying him. In this chapter, Miguel says how they could only stay at a specific hotel for three days and that they could never go back. He then talks about how in 1973, the year of the coup d’état, he was at the film studio when they were told to flee, and he was luckily able to escape. Against his better judgment however, he went back to see the studio after the Moneda Palace was bombed and it was there that he was exiled. The movie below is the attack on the Palace on September 11, 1973. In the movie there are also interviews with officers that defended Allende and exiles.

The part of this chapter that moved me was when he was talking about all the hotels they have stayed at during the journey thus far. He emphasizes that they must stay in five-star hotels because they would be questioned in lower ones because of their dress and status. The problem with staying in five-star hotels is that the police guard them all the time. Miguel explains how they were blessed with good luck in two almost fatal situations. The one specific situation that moved me was when they stayed at the Hotel Carrera. Both Miguel and another couple checked in and stayed in neighboring rooms, but the couple had different intentions during their stays. While Miguel was trying to acclimate himself to life back in Chile, the other couple was setting up a tripod on which they mounted a delayed firing Bazooka that they aimed at Pinochet's office. Miguel checked out the next morning, and that day, the couple set the gun off, but the tripod gave out from the force of the gun and collapsed, causing Miguel's room to be blown up instead. As Miguel depicted this horrific incident, I was really taken back. The whole idea of Littin being in that room previously shocked me and he was very very fortunate.

IR #3 (Prompt 14, Chapter 3)

This chapter really depicted Littin's first encounter with the heart of Chile since his exile. He talks with his best friend from school, but his friend does not recognize him at all. His friend, Ely, explains how bad Chileans are and how lucky Miguel is to be Uruguayan. This really hits home two points to Miguel, first, his disguise is fault proof, and secondly, the exiles were suffering just as much as the citizens. The last sentence of the chapter reads

"It wasn't until that moment that I realized how long and devastating the years of exile have been. Not just for those of us who left--as I has thought until then--but also for the ones who had stayed" (Marquez 33).

This quotation was basically why Miguel Littin entered Chile despite the exile list. His goal was to reveal the true Chile behind closed doors. He wanted to expose the corrupt government and carabinero (Chilean police). After Ely was unable to recognize him, he had the revelation that he really was a new person. After this revelation, he began to question Ely and he soon realized how horrible it was to be in Chile after the coup d’état in 1973. Littin believed that Chileans would be the same as before the exile, but he discovered that they were far from it, and interestingly enough, this intrigued him and he switched gears on his movie and began to shoot along the lines of the people and the "unexiled". After this quotation, Miguel shapes the rest of his stay in Chile around these new factors. This point in the book was very influential to the rest of the book because it drove Miguel to his findings about the new Chilean life and how much his people struggled. The whole situation reminded me of Che Guevara in The Motorcycle Diaries because Ernesto set out to medically treat patients, who could not get treatment, but he soon discovered how corrupt the government was and also how poverty-stricken his country was.

Write Your Own Do Now

Che matured a lot through his journey especially after he was exposed to politics. Because Che was so young, do you think he was more susceptible to the influences of world around him? Had he been more experienced, do you think the outcome of his life would have been different?

I chose this do now because over the course of his journey, I feel like Che let the people he encountered and the places he went influence his ideals and identity. I think that had he been more exposed to politics or poverty prior he would not have been so easily manipulated.

IR #2 (Prompt 6, Chapter 2)

In this chapter, Miguel and Elena arrive at the Chilean airport and enter the world of danger. The must get through customs without anyone suspecting them. Littin heads to pick up the baggage from the plane while Elena waits. They make the crucial decision to separate while they are checked by customs so there are less problems. Miguel hands the officers his papers and they question why he has two suitcases. He answers quickly that they are for his long trip. Then, from across the room, another officer shouts to check one of the bags, and luckily he picks Littin's bag and not Elena's. They finally allow him to enter Chile, and it is Elena's turn to pass through customs. They question why she has no luggage and proceed to empty her handbag. After an incessant time, both gain entrance and head to the hotel. After settling, Littin leaves Elena and takes a walk through the city he had not seen in twelve years.

If I were to make predictions about Miguel and Elena's trip to come it would probably be very risky. I think that they are going to be put in pressured situations where they are pushed to the limits of their disguises. I also think that officers or government officials will be on to them after awhile and that they might get caught. Elena seems much more stable with the whole situation than Miguel, so I think she will be the safer one. In this chapter, Miguel says "I forgot my clandestine situation and returned for a moment to being myself. I had an irrational impulse to identify myself, to shout out my name, to tell the world it was my right to be home" (Marquez 18). This frightens me a little because he has only been in Chile a few hours and he already is returning to his old recognizable self. I think this will be his downfall and I believe his whole mission is too hard for him to handle.

IR #1 (Prompt 13, Chapter 1)

The first chapter of Clandestine in Chile jumped right into the life of a film director exiled from his home of Chile ten years before. Along with many others, Miguel Littin was exiled by Augusto Pinochet, the dictator at the time. After ten long years of exile, Pinochet issued a list of exiles who were allowed to re-enter their home country, but Miguel was not one of them. Soon after, Pinochet issued a second list of names that were forbidden to ever visit Chile again, and sadly, Miguel's name was on that list. Having seen the list, Littin decided to fight back against the Chilean government in an unthinkable way. He decided to go undercover and enter Chile with a fake passport and papers. His plan was to have three European film crews tape the horrific world that Chile has become. When Chapter one begins, Miguel is in Paris and begins his two year transformation into a Uruguayan business man. He goes to many different doctors and specialists to physically and mentally change who he was. He gets a haircut, glasses, new clothes, a new accent, and a new childhood. He also is given a wife, Elena that would travel with him for safety. After two years, in 1985, even his family could not recognize him.



I honestly think that Miguel's idea to go to Chile was extremely dangerous and risky. If I could give him advice before he left it would be to never travel alone, and to always fit in with the crowd. At this point in time in Chile, police were watching every corner of Chile and they checked papers of people all the time. I think Miguel needs to also watch who he talks to and formulate an escape plan if worse comes to worse. I would also offer positive advice and say discover what no one has and be a savior to the home you love.

Intro to Independent Reading

Clandestine in Chile
Gabriel Garcia Marquez

We had to choose an independent reading book that is related to the topics and/or cultures we are studying this marking period (Latin America). It may be related to the culture(s) by author, topic, content, religion/belief system, history, area of the world, themes, etc.

Could be Fiction (Traditional Fiction, Fantasy, Science-Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction), a Collection of Poems or Plays, or it may be Non-Fiction (Informational, Biographical, Autobiographical, Memoir).

While reading this book, we must create a blog that will document our thoughts.

Clandestine in Chile is a novel that Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote after a long interview with film director, Miguel Littin. Miquel was exiled from his homeland of Chile for 12 years and after 10 years in exile, a list was published of people allowed to return and when Miguel was not on the list, he became very upset. Soon after, another list was published that had a list of names that could not return to Chile and there was Littin's name. He decided to go undercover and make a documentary about the government and living conditions in Chile. For two years, he worked to change his identity and with the help of three European film crews, they departed for Chile. It would turn out to be a dangerous journey that risks many lives including Miguel's.

Columbia and Venezuela

A note in the Margin was very interesting because it showed a very optommistic Che. He has a lot of hopeful spirit and he basically sacrifices himself for humanity.



"But despite his words, I now knew...I knew that when the great guiding spirit cleaves humanity into two antagonistic halves, I would be with the people." (Guevara 164)

"My sin is greater because I, more astute and with greater experience, call it what you like, will die knowing that my sacrifice stems only from an inflexibility symbolizing our rotten civilization, which is crumbling." (Guevara 164)

"I steel my body, ready to battle, and prepare myself to be a sacred space within the bestial howl of the triumphant proletariat can resound with new energy and new hope." (Guevara 165)

These quotations are all very high spirited and show a new side to Che. I think he has all the intentions in the world to save the people he loves and the country he lives for. I think he wants to better humanity and change the poverty stricken nation he has dealt with for so long. I think he shows how dedicated he is to fighting this battle and shows that he will die trying to save humanity. With this energy and spirit, anything is possible. The picture I chose is of two poverty stricken children. I chose this picture because it is those faces that drove Che to sacrifice himself for the people. They were his driving force and it is those faces that he was willing to die for. It is also those people who found hope in Che and they finally believed change was coming.

Theme #6 Intro

1. I think the Harvard thesis website was the easiest to follow because it separated all the parts of formulating a thesis, and then it combined them at the end to form a solid thesis statement. I also like how they gave examples of good and bad thesis statements.

2. Ernesto Guevara thrived as an amiably audacious doctor, but he quickly lost sight and fell in to the complex world of Che. His brief encounter with militaristic power caused him to become a belligerent and malicious executioner whose intentions became questionable but nonetheless his original empathetic impact was vast.

Peru Diction Quiz

Alberto and Che arrived in Tacana first. They walked throughout the entire day looking for any civilization they could find. Unable to find civilization in the DESOLATE desert, they decided to spend the long, cold night on the ground. They were able to build a small fire using some small twigs put other than that, they were left to freeze. Early the next morning, they continued on their treacherous journey to Cuzco. They arrived at what the MESTIZOS called the “Land of Peron” There; they boarded a train with other animals and a few laconic Indians. As they traveled further, they realized how much of a language barrier there really was. Finally, a man representing the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance explained about the ritual the people of Peru do when they pass the famous stone pyramids. As they approached the pyramids, the Peruvians crossed themselves and the APRA man explained that the people used to bring stones as an offering to Pachamama, or Mother Earth, and when the pyramid of stones were completed, they placed a cross at the top. Finally, they reach bay Puno and head into a small market in Sicuani. They are told that when hey arrive in Cuzco, Dr. Hermosa, an ex-leprologist, will be helping them. After experiencing the town and the Indians, Che denounces that “the destiny of those unhappy individuals is to STAGNATE in some minor bureaucratic position and die hoping that one of their children thanks to the miraculous powers of a drop of colonizing blood in their veins might somehow achieve the goal they aspire until their last day” (97). Finally, they arrive in Cuzco. Che describes this place as “EVOCATIVE” and he seems in awe at first. They then discuss the history of the Incan civilization while on their way to Machu Picchu (Old Mountain). They travel to the Cathedral of Maria Angolo and find hospitality with Senor Soto for a while until they stop in Huambo and Huancarama Through their travels and the people they encounter, they glean together a lot of information about not only Peru, but also Latin America. Unfortunately, the truck driver IMPEDES their adventure when he explains that they cannot drive during Easter so the two must stay. Alberto and Che decide to go to church, but they soon discovered that the priest goes off on many TANGENTS, and the service became very long and near the middle, Che is BEFELLED by an asthma attack which forces them to leave. After another couple stops, they arrive in Lima where Che is ALLURED by the artistic style of the city. The stop at the Hospital de Guia and attend their first bullfight, and are taken back by the TUMULTUOUS crowd when they play the game of 21. At the end of their time in Peru, Che turns 24 and realizes how IMPETUOUS his life and journey has been.

Essential Question #2

Ernesto wanted to be a person of many talents. He wanted to use his doctor background as he traveled through the world. It was evident also, that Che was going on an adventure to see what else the world had to offer so with that in mind I am not sure if he had a set thing he wanted to do. Through his travels, he obtained new knowledge about his country and moreover politics in Latin America. After meeting the notorious Fidel, Ernesto, now called Che on his travels, had a sparked interest in this political control. He then switched gears and focused the majority of his attention on how he could be in that control and have all that power. This proved to be both his downfall and his heroism. I think Che wanted to be a person that could relate to the people and give them what they wanted while not losing sight of his power. The people adored Che and his mission, but Fidel was underwhelmed. It is hard to compete with an experienced politician, and sooner or later, the two people will not agree. This happened fairly quickly, and Castro had Che ambushed and later executed. Although Che lived a short life with a very abrupt end, he left a lingering impact on Latin America and the rest of the world. He was known as a revolutionary and almost a people pleaser. He was the hope of his people and the rest of Latin America. Although he had a very positive impact on the world, I honestly do not think those were his intentions when he set out on his excursion. His experiences shaped his identity and made him the T-shirt model he is today.

Chile

Near the end of the section, Che talks about the importance of the man Valdivia. He says " Valdivia's actions symbolize man's indefatigable thirst to take control of a place where he can exercise total authority. That phrase, attributed to Caesar, proclaiming he would rather be first-in-command in some humble Alpine village than second-in-command in Rome" (85).



This revelation about Valdivia really shaped Che in later life. At first, Che seemed okay with being second to Fidel, but soon, he craved that total authority. At the end of the page, he also says, He belonged to that special class of men the species produces every so often, in whom a craving for limitless power is so extreme that any suffering to achieve seems natural." I think Che really internalized Valdivia's character, and tried to be that "special class". I think the fact of this omnipotent ruler shaped Che's political ideals, and caused Che to want to be that man.Valdivia was a conquistador that ended up becoming the first governor of Chile. It is kind of ironic how Che begins as an adventurer and later becomes a political symbol.

6 Words

America now is what america was.

Apples to Apples

In the article it talks about how Americans have entered Pakistan with the intentions of helping the military with their combat tactics. I think it is an example of hypocrisy because as the americans are trying to help Pakistan although there are a lot of protests, yet the Pakistani government secretly supports the US efforts. It was confusing though, because later in the article, it says how the americans were trying to focus on changing the government and eliminating Al Qaeda and the Taliban from the tribal areas. In Bolivia, Che witnesses the Bolivian Revolution and begins to adapt revolutionary ideas. Then, instead of helping stabilize the government, he tried to use marxist and revolutionary ideas to completely change the lives of citizen.

Argentina

'Voice' in writing is defined/characterized by Diction (word choice), Detail (facts, observations, incidents), Imagery (verbal representation of a sensory experience), Syntax (grammatical sentence structure), and Tone (expression of attitude).

1. The first passage I chose was when Ernesto had fallen ill. He says "My green eyes refused to sleep and in them, a pair of green spots swirled, representing the world I had left behind me and mocking the so-called liberation I sought. The harnessed their image to my extraordinary flight across the lands and seas of the world" (Guevara 40).

This quotation really stuck out to me when I was reading and I think Ernesto's voice really surfaces here. The diction is very well done. He uses the words harnessed, extraordinary, liberation, flight. All these words sound so positive and they all infer freedom. Readers can sense his excitement and his crave for change. Also, his imagery was powerful. He describes the pair of green spots as they swirl through his eyes. The detail and imagery gave the passage a sense of unreality in a way. His tone, like I said, was positive. I think this quotation was almost his last words to his old life. He sees the world spinning before his sleepless eyes, yet instead of embracing the journey into the unknown with fear, he is taking it with all it has to offer and he is not afraid. He explains that he is leaving his old life behind as he searches for liberation and freedom.

2. The second passage I chose was when Ernesto was in the hospital and his friend Alberto takes a picture of him. Ernesto says "Alberto photographed me in my hospital gear. I made an impressive spectacle: gaunt, flushed, enormous eyes and a ridiculous beard whose shape didn't change much in all the months I wore it. It's a pity the photograph wasn't a good one; it was an acknowledgment of our changed circumstances and the horizons we were seeking, free at last from "civilization"" (Guevara 41).

This was a very good example of Ernesto's voice. The diction was very strong when he describes his status. He is gaunt, flushed... ect. Also, his details and imagery are very good too. He describes his new, free look with his new beard. This beard is really what makes the face of Che. Everyone knows that face and this passage was the start of it. Also, I thought it was interesting how he put quotation marks on civilization. This was interesting syntax and I think he used it to emphasize the point that he was for change.

Introduction Theme #5

"For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn."

I think Hemmingway is referring to a baby that died at birth. I think the parents are selling the shoes of the dead baby. I think it has a negative connotation to it, but I also think that having only six words is very effective because it can be taken in many different perspectives.

Essential Question

I want to become a person who puts others before myself. I want to live, love, and laugh everyday. I want to become a person of layers and substance. It is important to me that I achieve the most that I can and that I work to my potential. It is my goal to help the less fortunate than me, and with a college education, I hope to use my gift to help others. I want people to know who I am and want my help. I want to impact the world in a positive way and create a place for me to thrive in life. I was lucky to be given such a strong background and education, but it is how I use it that makes the difference. I will use my knowledge to change the world.

Introduction

4. There is nothing lonelier than adventure. (22)

Everyone craves adventure
The freedom
the unknown
Hoping to learn a great deal
About life
About you
Experiencing the beauties of the world
around us
in us
Trying to reach the unreachable
whatever
where ever
Lost in life
trying to find strong ground
facing the realities
the triumphs
but the search never ends
secluded by dreams and aspirations
There is nothing lonelier than adventure

Ideology

I really do not have any values or ideals that I would defend at all costs. I do not think that my ideals and values are strong enough yet to defend them at all costs. I am still learning what I do and do not believe in, and I am easily influenced right now. As I get older, it might become easier to defend values and ideals because I will know exactly what I believe in.

El Che Reaction

The documentary on Che seemed to show his changing personality. I noticed that at first, he was described as a young man in search for adventure and he had a lot of dreams and aspirations that he wanted to reach. As the documentary progressed, Che began to get involved with the military aspects of life, and to me, he started to become benevolent. He was greatly influenced by Fidel Castro, and together, their main priority was to overthrow their dictator Batista. His innocent motorcycle journey soon took a u-turn and became an all military journey.

Das Kapital Meets Easy Rider

The Motorcycle Diaries was described as Das Kapital meets Easy Rider. This is kind of ironic because the two comparisons are basically opposites of each other. Easy Rider is this free loving movie about two hippies going on an adventure, while Das Kapital is a socialist/Marxist treaty about anti-capitalism. Marx was very critical toward capitalism and said that "the economic formation of society as a process of natural history". I think the idea of Easy Rider is the intention of the Motorcycle Diaries because he starts out as a young guy in search for an adventure. He later becomes a communist and that is reflected by Karl Marx in the Das Kapital. Che starts as an Easy Rider, but slowly turns into a Das Kapital.

Bio and Intro

I think travel diaries and journals are usually very descriptive. People like to remember every part of their trip and journey so their entries are usually very detailed and descriptive. I have read a lot of diaries and travel journals. When I read them, a lot of them were about people going through rough times. A great deal of those dealt with the Holocaust and World War II. The writing is very descriptive and their is really explicit imagery that really allows you to paint a picture of their journey. I also find that they deal a lot with realization and the search for self. Invisible Man and the Great Gatsby both dealt with a certain time period in specific areas, and the characters learned who they were through their quest for a destination. I think the Motorcycle Diaries will be more about the journey and how people in Latin America were really living.

Preface Comparison

So far, we have read The Great Gatsby and Invisible Man. To gain a deeper understanding of the novels, we spent a lot of time researching the historical and social issues and events taking place at the time. I think when we read The Great Gatsby, it helped a lot when we split up into groups and researched a specific topic. Then, for the final project, one person from each group was put into a new group to share their information. I think this was helpful and I learned a lot. For Invisible Man, I liked how we watched the speech with Ralph Ellison about his writing. It helped me gain insight as to why he wrote the book. I think poems and primary sources are the most helpful when conducting research because they are directly from that time and written by the people who experienced that time period. I think poems help a lot because they are the authors true feelings about their life and the life around them.

Epiphany Post

Epiphany is when a person has a revelation about their life or their self. It is a really quick moment when a person realizes the meaning of something or someone. A moment like this changes a person's life a lot. It impacts how they perceive the world. Once a deep meaning is added to a person's life, it changes not only them, but who people look at them.

Glenn Beck Video Reflection

I think this video clip was really interesting because it takes one side of the Che argument and makes such strong points that you lose the other side of the argument. Beck really attacks everything Che was and what he stood for. I think the clip was effective though, because it did get the point across that Che is not who everyone thinks he is. Glenn Beck uses an aggressive style to prove his points. He uses words that people associate as negative (i.e. Fidel Castro, Bolivia, Socialists, Stalin) to make his points. Since viewers associate the words above as negative, they will therefore come to the realization that Che was not a hero. Beck also uses a sarcastic humor (Driving people on a log, milking for cash, ect.) to depict how unheroic Che was. I think the video is kind of unfair in a way because it does not talk about who Che was. Now, the message I am left with is that Che is this awful person similar to Fidel Castro.