Motorcycle Diaries Essay

The movie "The Motorcycle Diaries" is very interesting in a way that, Ernesto not only takes a journey across Latin America but he also experiences a mental journey. His way of thinking and outlook on life changes drastically and this is illustrated all throughout the movie. He also discovers a great deal about life in Latin America that affects him in a way nothing else has before.

Ernesto's mental journey becomes clearer towards the end of the movie. It shows that he has changed and now has realized he can make a huge difference in many others lives. At first in the movie he and his companion do whatever it takes to rest and eat because at this time all they were concerned about was traveling around America. As more time passes, Ernesto gets incredibly serious and starts to show much concern for the people they meet. An example is when they meet the older gentleman and he asked them to take a look at the lump on his neck. This was when Ernesto told him that it was not just any ordinary lump, but it was indeed a tumor. Ernesto then suggests he go to the hospital, while Ernesto's friend tells the man it's nothing just so they can have a place to stay for the night. I believe this was a very bold move for him because it cost them their shelter for the night. By doing this he really demonstrates that he himself is more concerned about others lives then petty things, such as where he will sleep for the night.

Although Latin America looks like a peaceful pleasant country, many people are very ill. Ernesto discovers this when he visits the one village. He experiences how truly sick they all are from all the disease. Up until this point he had pitied himself for having asthma, but now he has become thankful that he has good health. You can tell how caring and warm-hearted he has become at this point in the movie. An example of this is when he refuses to wear the gloves because he feels cruel doing so, as if he'd be acting as if they were animals not everyday people, the same as himself. From the day he stepped foot in this village he never treated any of the patients different and they loved being around him. It was amazing because you could just tell how much it meant to them for him to be there.

All and all Ernesto learned and discovered a great deal within this film. He changed much in his life and his attitude toward the world through this one journey. I believe there is one thing he will always take with him from this experience. That one thing is that he learned that he can make a huge difference in the lives of many just by caring enough to do so.