The Motorcycle Diaries

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. After the end of World War II (WWII) in 1945, many regions underwent significant political and economic changes. How did the end of WWII affect the Latin American region? For example, what new political and economic ideas took root on the continent?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question orients students with the historical context of Guevara’s account: Latin America in the early 1950s and how global events influenced its political and economic ideology. After WWII, many countries in the region sought to develop their nations by experimenting with various ideologies related to democratic consolidation, nationalization/privatization of companies, and, in some cases, Marxist Communism. Argentinian Ernesto “Che” Guevara is one of the revolutionaries of the latter ideology who began to formulate his anti-capitalist viewpoints during his journey with friend Alberto Granado. Guevara’s native country of Argentina was largely influenced by pro-German and pro-fascist ideology during Guevara’s coming-of-age, as Argentina had become a haven for many Nazi party sympathizers fleeing from Europe after WWII.

• University of Oregon provides a succinct overview of Latin American history in the 20th century.
• Britannica provides a thorough discussion of political ideologies in 20th-century Latin American history.

2. Consider your prior knowledge of the term “communism.” When was it developed, and which countries adopted this ideology? What made the United States so resistant to this ideology, and how did anti-communist sentiment shape American policy during the 20th century?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer Question invites students to consider their prior knowledge, as well as perceptions of the political ideology of communism. At its core, communism is a political and economic belief centered on the redistribution and common ownership of the means of production. This nationalization of production, in theory, would result in an egalitarian society. Karl Marx, often considered to be the father of communism, introduced this ideology in the Communist Manifesto in 1848; however, this ideology did not appear on the global stage until the early 20th century, when the Russian proletariat revolted against the Russian aristocracy and established a new form of government called the Soviet Union (USSR). In the USSR, communism took many forms; the first, Leninism, describes the form of communism under founding Soviet Vladimir Lenin, and then Stalinism, which describes a much harsher and stricter form of government by Lenin’s successor Joseph Stalin. Although the USSR was one of the Allied powers during WWII, in 1947 the US began to limit USSR expansion globally through a series of targeted political and economic plans. Ultimately, this “Cold War” expanded to other countries, as Capitalist powers sought to limit the expansion of Communism sympathizers. In the United States, the fear of communist infiltration gripped a nation on edge from the increasing threat of nuclear annihilation, and certain powerful politicians, notably Senator Joseph McCarthy and members of the House Un-American Activities Committee, used this fear to consolidate power and punish their perceived enemies. Nevertheless, communism’s goal, as stated by Marx, is to end The Exploitation of the Working Classes, which, in Guevara’s world manifests as a Resistance to an Unjust Order and Oppression of Indigenous Peoples.

• This student resource from National Geographic discusses the theory and roots of communism.
• This article, from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, explains American resistance to communism in the 1950s.

Short Activity

After the introduction of communism to the world scene, many individuals from around the world sought to lead revolutions in their own countries to overthrow oppressive regimes and establish better conditions for working-class people. Working in small groups, research and select one of these communist “revolutionaries” in the Latin America region and share their story with the class. In particular, note the presence of the themes of Pan-Americanism, The Exploitation of the Working Classes, and Resistance to an Unjust Order and Oppression of Indigenous Peoples in their approaches. Be sure to include any relevant media and visuals in your presentation.

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Activity invites students to research notable revolutionaries in Latin America within the context of group work. The links below are a good introduction for students to use for background on notable revolutionaries who fought to establish communist regimes in Latin America the region, including Guevara.

• PBS’s American Experience highlights Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s background.
• Marxists.org shares a compilation of notable anti-capitalist revolutionaries in 20th-century Latin America.

Differentiation Suggestion: For an analytical exercise, the following question may be added to the above Short Activity: Identify a speech or political manifesto from your chosen revolutionary. Analyze the text for relation to themes, as well as notable similarities and differences between this person and Guevara.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Consider the relationship between colonization and the exploitation of native peoples. Is exploitation a function of colonialism? Why or why not? Provide some examples from history to substantiate your point.

Teaching Suggestion: This Personal Connection Prompt invites students to consider the term “colonization” in relation to the themes of The Exploitation of the Working Classes and Resistance to an Unjust Order and Oppression of Indigenous Peoples. For Guevara, colonization is the root of inequality for impoverished and Indigenous Latin Americans; in fact, he comes to these conclusions on his journey, particularly while visiting the Incan ruins in Peru. This Personal Connection Prompt segues to the Discussion/Analysis Prompt.

• This 4-minute video, “Understanding Colonization: An English Wordlist Guide,” defines important terms to understand the concept of colonization.