Patrick Symmes as One of the Renowned Writers in the United States - Book Report/Review Example

? Chasing Che Patrick Symmes is one of the renowned in the United s. One of his most recognized works is that of the book Chasing Che. This is a very characteristic book that generally not only tells a story of how a young man and his friend travel a lot of miles but also bears very important social concepts. These concepts are very influential in the running of a society as they assists in understanding and looking at some of the societal issues in different perspectives and also comprehend some of them. The theme of change reveals itself several times in the book and also expresses itself and assists in understanding the condition of people in the past, though there are others stated too. One of the characteristic themes found in the text is that of poverty. This is well expressed in the book as it tells about how one Che Guevera survived in an area with duplicable conditions and how he had to struggle on a day to day basis to survive. Another theme that is clearly defined in the book is that of injustice in the system. This is through the manner in which the people clearly have a hard time surviving due to poverty while still the people highest in the government have as much money as it is more than enough to tie themselves around it1. This are just some of the themes clearly stated in the book, however, the greatest and outstanding theme in the book is that of change. Despite this, these themes are not expressed vastly in the book like that theme of change. The first instance at which the theme clearly expresses itself is where there is the large change that Che faces from living in a rather redeeming situation as a medical student to the poor conditions witnessed in Cuba. The change is witnessed from the lifestyle that he had earlier. Before going back home, Chje used to live a very healthy and adorable life. In school, he used to eat food well and was on a very clear diet. This was very important in that he was able to have a healthy body and was very strong to even participate in extracurricular activities and still maintain his education. However, upon going home from medical school, he found a rather different condition. This is because unlike at school, the people back at home were facing very difficult situations in that even accessing food was seemingly difficult for them. This was very alarming in that with his medical degree, he knew that people would suffer a lot and even get sick. The theme of change also clearly defines itself in the determination that Che and his friend have to relieve Cuba from the stressing rule of Fidel Castro. He plans to improve the conditions of the country through the change of the country to a more reputable position. For this, he plans to have a rather more involving manner of change and this is through the guerilla method. This is because he recognizes Fidel as one of the people that did not like being proven wrong and the manner through which he led the country was of a dictatorial manner. Che actually wanted a system that was free of violence and injustice. It was for this reason that he consequently and persistently sought after change in the system2. A revolution was very important as the change witnessed would be a sign and teach other people ion the government on the manner through which they were supposed to lead their people. Che preferred a change from the dictatorial kind of rule and actually wanted a democratic ruling for the country in which he felt inclined to serve through his education but feared doing so in a place with such number of negative issues. The theme is also evident when Che and his friend Alberto decide to embrace change by putting their passive plans to real actions by travelling. This is stated by the author clearly telling the readers that Che and his friend set off on a long motorcycle ride determined to change the condition of this back at home. Though the two friends encounter a lot of problems in the beginning, these problems are such as having a very difficult time attaining the amount of money that they required to have the ability of fueling their motorcycle. However, there economic problem of the motorcycle did not actually set them back but rather motivated them. This was from the manner through which he found it rather difficult to make the money provided the hard conditions in which he was facing. However, they turned back and discussed the benefits that the journey would have on them. they knew that going on the journey would help them gain more followers and sum up people and the required equipments that would help them revolve fully. They two friends knew that after the revolution, they would gain much more such as the reduced cost of things and even the fuel problems they were facing would be an issue of the past. It is because of this that they gained even more determination in their course3. This kind of change is what they were after. They knew that after their achievements, life would be easier in Cuba and the people would not have to hustle the extra mile that they always had to for resources that were supposed to be free for all. However, these resources had been made artificially scarce by the government and other powerful people in the country. In their travels, they also experience and meet different people who seem to have given up all their hopes in the issues involving the government. This was due to the manner through which people always seemed depressed in all the areas that they visited. The theme of change was experienced at a point where the two friends find a lovely couple seated outside at a camp fire. The two friends engage the couple in a conversation in which the they learn that the couple had actually decided to embrace change by running away from their original lands as they had become tired of the duplicable living conditions in their village. They were actually out on a mission looking for employment in different areas. The couple also states that it is tired of living based on hopes of a revolution that seems a long way coming. This was because twenty years had already passed from the time that they heard and were promised change. The couple was tired of this kind of life and all that they wanted was some reforms that would help them enjoy their last years as they were nearing death. They also wanted a change from the manner in which they just sat at home waiting for government funded food and cheap labor for their survival4. They wanted to hustle their way out of poverty and have the ability to purchase quality food that would ensure them of their health. The theme of change also clearly defines itself from his travels and his viewing of the different settlements around the country. It is common knowledge that for a person who had taken it upon himself the humongous task of bringing change to society, his life was constantly at risk. Che and his friend bore the very important character of persistence and courage as they tried to bring about a revolution. In their effort to bring about change, they had to go to different areas with different physical and economic aspects. Inan effort to gain more motivation from the people, Che and his friend ensured that they visited some of the most wealthy places in the country in an effort to compare and contrast the living conditions. Some of the settlements that Che visited were difficult for him to get in. This could have been the end of the search for change for various people but Che was not this kind of a person. His determination could not be put down by any kind of human force. He was persistent and there was appoint he changed the revolutionary thoughts of people along his way. This was from the manner in which he explained that the people were being used as a tool. Eventually, he had his way inside the settlements. These settlements were very well built and the people that lived in these places were very wealthy5. The change is witnessed in this case in that they move from a place that was suffering from very many economic problems and the visiting of these wealthy changes was a great change and this was sure to express the poor political state of the country. These areas were inhabited by the rich people in society and an effort to try and get a hearing with them on the manner through which the rest of the country was living was very rather useless. This was because the amount of corruption that the country bore at the time could not get resolved overnight6. The information provided from the text offers a lot of insight on the issues that happened around that time.this is very important as it helped in understanding the situation in Cuba. Many people actually took the state in a rather right manner but it was a pressing issue. The fact that the riders took it upon themselves to deal with the issue was very imperative. Change was an important factor in society and the fact that it was given a priority by the revolutionary Che was very important. References Symmes, Patrick. Chasing Che A Motorcycle Journey in Search of the Guevara Legend. New York: Vintage eBooks, 2011. . Drinot, Paulo. Che's Travels: The Making of a Revolutionary in 1950s Latin America. Durham: Duke University Press, 2010. Alford, Steven E., and Suzanne Ferriss. Motorcycle. London: Reaktion, 2007. Klancher, Lee. The Devil Can Ride: The World's Best Motorcycle Writing. Minneapolis, Minn: Motorbooks, 2010. Read More