six word memoir for our country

Not really sure where to start.

Apples to Apples

Although the two examples are similar, I feel there are important differences. When Che wanted to start his revolution, he was fighting against the existing government. Once in power, however he killed many people connected to the previous government. What threat did they pose to Che? The U.S. is trying to defend there country from those would could destroy it.

Argentina - graded blog post

"sitting on the dune, we watch the continuous ebb and flow, each with our own thoughts...the sea has always been a confidant, a friend absorbing all it is told and never revealing those secrets; always giving the best advice." (pg 34)

This is a combination of detail and imagery. Che describes a deep connection he has with the sea, and how this differs with other people (like his fellow traveler Alberto). Alberto does not sea the sea as a thing beyond beauty. I think that the sea simply represents, for Che, adventure. He is intrigued by the vastness and greatness of the sea. He later states that there are an endless amount of paths you can take in the sea to any end of the earth. This only makes the sea more attractive and irresistible to him. Che obviously is fascinated by adventure.

The letter that Che wrote to his mother was also very interesting. Up until that point, Che's writing was very descriptive and full of life. Che's letter, however, is very basic and only describes the significant things that have occurred. He refers mostly to medical things, such as when he got sick, and how he diagnosed a tumor in somebody else. This brings up the question of how many of the stories Che embellished.

"For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn.", Ernest Hemigway

The third phrase, never worn, indicates that a someone died. The first two phrases hint that a child died. Hemingway is probably reflecting on an experience that he had in his own life. Previously we read Hills Like White Elephants, which describes a story about an abortion (there could be a connection).

Who do I want to become and what impact do I want to have on the world around me?

I do not know exactly what I want to become but I do know that I want to have a positive impact on society. I think that if I go to college and work hard I can become a person beneficial to society. I think it is interesting to read books such as Into the Wild, to see what people become.

First or Last Line - graded blog post

As I walked through the snow capped mountains of New Mexico, I was awed by the serenity and beauty of the world around me. The clear streams, lush forests, and incredible vistas make New Mexico a remarkable location. This was the fifth day of our trek and our adventure was wearing down on our bodies. Today we hiked up the second tallest mountain on Philmont Scout Ranch; Mount Phillips. As we hiked up the mountain, I can vividly recall feeling the air getting thinner and colder. Having already hiked ten miles, the exhaustion was great. When we arrived at the top, I took my first step on snow, realizing, ironically, today was the fourth of July. However, there were no fireworks or parties, only the rush of cold air and the setting sun over the distant Colorado mountains. There is nothing lonelier than adventure.

Ideology

I think if I lost basic rights, like the ones we have in this country, I would go to great lengths to defend them. Unlike Che, I would not join an organized communist revolutionary group and try to overthrow the government. I think there would be other options to defend my rights.

El Che

I think it was interesting to learn how he became involved with Fidel Castro. Yesterday it became apparent to me why he wanted to join the revolutionary group. He worked with a woman who was associated with the Marxist views. I found it surprising to learn that he had severe asthma. At times this asthma was even life threating, which showed how much he cared about the movement in Cuba.

TMD Timeline Post

The clip of Easy Rider shows two men on motorcycles who are riding cross country. They find a vacancy sign on one of the motel signs and ask for a room. The manager quickly changes it to no vacancy, thus showing that he did not want those bikers staying in his motel. The wikipedia article describes that this movie goes into the discrimination during he 1960s of people such as hippies, who engaged in drug use. Das Kapital was a book written by the German socialist, Karl Marx. I guess the Easy Rider movie shows the adventurous side of Che, but at the same time he is developing socialistic views.

TMD Bio & Intro Post

From previewing the novel, we noticed that Motorcycle Diaries has separate chapters/sections for the different places he travels. In terms of writing styles, it will be in first person. I have never actually read a book that was a travel memoir, but I have read books such as Night which recounts a person's experiences. Because Che decided to write this book, I expect that he will describe experiences that changed his life. The two prefaces differenced in terms of emotion. The first one, written by his daughter, is very positive and encouraging. The daughter admires her father. The second one was not very specific, nor did it seem like there was a strong connection.

TMD Preface Comparision

In the Great Gatsby, I found it very useful to read the short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and also gain a basic understanding of America in the 1920s from a historical respect. For the Invisible Man, I found it helpful to read about he life of Ralph Ellison. Reading primary resources such as the interview with Ralph Ellison were very helpful in understanding the thought process behind the book. I think the most useful and important thing in understanding the books from he last two marking periods were to learn about the life of the author, and the time period in which it was written. For The Motorcycle Diaries, I think it would be beneficial to read about Che and his background.

TMD Preview Post

Specifically, an epiphany relates to celebrating Christ. In general, an epiphany can be by definition, "a manifestation of a divine or supernatural being". When I think of the word epiphany, I relate it to the celebration or realization of something religious.

Glen Beck : Che

Glen Beck starts his presentation with a newspaper clipping stating that Che's execution forty years ago today, brings back a positive spirit. He specifically uses vocabulary such as propaganda, communism, leftist, Stalin, and killer. Using these words, he tries to paint a very negative picture of Che, pointing out significant facts about him, including that he was an executioner. Beck is frustrated with the fact that people wear shirts with his face (which he compares to wearing a Hitler shirt) and are making a Hollywood movie about him in a positive light. Because I have no idea who Che is, right now Beck has done a very good job of making me think Che was a bad person.