Motorcycle Diaries Assignment 256S2012
The Making of a Revolutionary: Ernesto Guevara Goes Traveling
The film Motorcycle Diaries, like the eponymous book, recounts the travels of Ernesto Guevara and Alberto Granado from Argentina through Chile, Bolivia, and Peru. The period under consideration was very formative in transforming Ernesto Guevara from a medical student from a middle class porteño family into the eventual guerilla of world renown.
For this writing assignment, students must chose a theme listed below, one of the readings listed below, and a second reading of their own choice, and write a critique of the film using those sources. The reading of your choice must come from an academic journal or edited volume, and be scholarly. Sources for that reading include JSTOR, ProjectMUSE, EBSCO Host, and the like.
Choose one of the following themes:
- Economic development
- Gender
- Ethnicity/Race
- Labor
- Nationalism
- Revolution
Choose at least one of the following readings:
- Paul Drinot, "Awaiting the Blood of A Truly Emancipating Revolution: Che Guevara in 1950s Peru," pp. 88-126 in Paul Drinot, ed., Travels with Che: (Duke, 2010)
- Eduardo Elena, "Point of Departure: Travel and Nationalism in Ernesto Guevara's Argentina," pp.21-52 in Drinot, ed. (2010)
- Patience A. Schell, "Beauty and Balance in Che's Chile," pp. 53- in Drinot, ed. (2010)
- Ann Zulawski, "The National Revolution and Bolivia in the 1950s: What Did Che See?", pp.181-209 in Drinot, ed. (2010)
Together with a complementary article of your own, use the reading and the theme you choose to explain the political, social, and economic conditions that Ernesto Guevara encountered on his way to becoming El Che.