Was Che Guevara a true hero - Coursework Example

Although a Gemini according to the birth certificate, that predicted a grayish character for him and his life to be of an uneventful kind, Che was in reality a Taurian who a strong and decisive character 1. The trip on La Poderosa Ernesto Che Guevara lived a comfortable life in Alta Gracia in his growing up years2. He was a medical student at the Buenos Aires University and already had travel experiences to many places in South America. He had a keen interest in exploring the land where he lived and had made a six weeks long tour on a bicycle enhanced by a motor.

During this tour he got the opportunity to meet the common people of Latin America. At Cordoba Ernesto met his friend Alberto Guevara, who was a biochemist. Along the way Ernesto closely saw the lives of the lepers, the hospital patients and the suffering men and women of the country. The realization dawned upon him that a very big gap existed between the affluent class and the people living on the margins. In January 1952, when Ernesto was in his last semester of his medical studies, he along with his friend Alberto set out on a motorcycle tour.

It was a six month long tour that was planned across the continent of South America. They had traveled across “Argentina, Chile, Peru, Columbia and Venezuala”3. . At one place in the book The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Guevara the author mentions the worst crash that they faced in whole expedition: “Alberto came out unscathed, but the cylinder trapped my foot and scorched it, leaving an unpleasant souvenir for a long time because the wound didn't heal”4. The motorcycle soon broke down and they continued with their journey by hitchhiking or on foot.

In some places they also traveled on boat. Ernesto at times faced health problems due to serious asthma attacks and at such times they halted for Ernesto to recover at some hospital. Besides the two young men ran out of their stock of money and faced difficulties on the road. Yet they continued traveling and depended mostly upon the hospitality of the people they met on their way. Both Ernesto and his friend maintained diaries. The account of the incidents taking place that Ernesto kept in his diary later became the phenomenal book by the name The Motorcycle Diaries.

This book is far from being the diary of a revolutionary famous by the name Che Guevara. The records give accounts of the first-hand experiences of a twenty-three year old medical student and exuberant observant with an eye for detail in his six month long journey with a twenty nine years old friend across thousands of miles. The transformation of Ernesto Guevara Guevara was since childhood a jovial person. In spite of his illness due to asthma, as a child he was always quite cheerful and displayed leadership qualities on playground in school.

In parts of the year when he did not suffer from the disease he used to engage himself in sports like “soccer, table tennis and golf”5. He also practiced riding horseback, swimming, shooting and occasionally rock fighting. He always