Thursday, April 22, 2010
Cammy Reagan; Motorcycle Diaries
In the beginning, I saw Ernesto as a handsome, young, naive man lacking humility. On his journey with Alberto he endured hunger, lack of shelter, severe and extreme weather, and illness. As he and Alberto traveled, they met many people along the way who had much less than they had. I think the beginning the turning point for him was when he met the couple who had their livelihood taken away because they were communist. Ernesto gave his coat to the woman so she would not be cold. I think he was frustrated with the lack of caring shown by the owners of the mines who took men to work, when he told them that the men needed water. He gave away the American money when he could have gotten what he and Alberto needed with it. I think another turning point for him was when he and Alberto worked at the leprosy clinic and he saw the sick as humans, not just dick people. He did not follow the rules when he chose not to wear gloves when caring for them. Then when the time came for them to say goodbye, he left his birthday celebration and swam across the Amazon river to spend his birthday with the sick. I felt he did not like the separation of sick from the healthy. I think his journey gave him humility and the inner strength to try and force change for those who did not have the strength to do it for themselves. He set out to make a difference and died in the process of that journey. He became a very selfless man who gave up a life that could have been very easy and comfortable for the good of his countrymen.
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I really enjoyed reading your comments. I like how you mentioned Ernesto seeing the sick as human- I think he showed a lot of compassion when he cared for the sick, even that elderly lady that he was called to see. He talked so kindly to her and it seemed that he really was paying attention to what he could see in her eyes. I also liked how you talked about his journey helping him find inner strength to force change for those who didn't have the strength. He seemed to care for all those he met, even people walking down the road. He would always say hi to them. I enjoyed the birthday scene as well. It was interesting to me how one side of the river was yelling at him and saying to come back; but the other side of the river with the sick were encouraging him. I thought it was nice when he made it across that some came out to meet him, and everyone on both sides of the river celebrated his accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteSue Davish
I agree when you said he saw the sick as humans. I also think that he saw all the people who were treated badly and had all their belongings taken from them as people. He thought everyone should be able to live together regardless of their origins. Ernesto could have liven a nice life as a doctor back in his home town or he could have given up and married his girlfriend and lived happily ever after. Yet he saw these people and started to get in touch with his human side and realized that the injustice could not go on and that he needed to do something about it. Being a nurse it is easy sometimes to forget that the person in the bed is human and not another disease or task. It is nice to see how Ernesto looked at them as human and not just another thing to look past.
ReplyDeleteCammy, interesting point when talking about the turning point, or at least one of the turning points. However, I would like to know why do you say that Ernesto was a man who lack humility? Would you mind elaborating on this point?
ReplyDeleteIn the movie when Ernesto and Alberto set out on their journey, he gave medical care to a man and told him that he had a tumor on his neck, implying that he had a cancer and would die. He did that without tact. He could have told the man that he was unsure, needed to see his doctor regarding this problem that it could be a serious matter. There was a change in his personality throughout the film and he did not see the sick as just "sick people". He saw them as human and this change came after he witnessed the indescretions bestowed on others by the rich and by the government. he would not have seen these things had he not embarked on the journey with Alberto. I think he was sheltered as he grew up and went to school. He was intelligent and charming. If you think about it, most doctors only see black and white, there is no inbetween. Ernesto branched out from his black and white world and saw everything in the middle. This is why he became the leader that he was and why he wanted to correct the injustices. He worked for the good of man.
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