Who Was Che Guevara? Kaleb Harkins
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln UReCA: The NCHC Journal of Undergraduate National Collegiate Honors Council Research & Creative Activity 2018 Who was Che Guevara? Kaleb Harkins Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ureca Part of the Educational Methods Commons, Gifted Education Commons, and the Higher Education Commons This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the National Collegiate Honors Council at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in UReCA: The NCHC Journal of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 1 UReCA: The NCHC Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity 2018 Edition Who was Che Guevara? Kaleb Harkins Reinhardt University Explanation of Format ◼ To answer this question, I have chosen several musical selections that I feel represent different stages/aspects of Che’s life. For this presentation, I have provided links to these selections along with lyrics, and then a description of my reasoning for each piece. Music ◼ First Selection: “I Got a Name” by Jim Croce ◼ https://youtu.be/YcqauC49Xmc ◼ Lyrics: Like the pine trees lining the winding road I got a name, I got a name Like the singing bird and the croaking toad I got a name, I got a name And I carry it with me like my daddy did But I'm living the dream that he kept hid Movin’ me down the highway, rollin’ me down the highway Movin’ ahead so life won't pass me by Like the north wind whistlin' down the sky I've got a song, I've got a song Like the whippoorwill and the baby's cry I've got a song, I've got a song And I carry it with me and I sing it loud If it gets me nowhere, I'll go there proud Movin’ me down the highway, rollin’ me down the highway Movin’ ahead so life won't pass me by And I'm gonna go there free Like the fool I am and I'll always be I've got a dream, I've got a dream They can change their minds but they can't change me I've got a dream, I've got a dream Oh, I know I could share it if you'd want me to If you're goin' my way, I'll go with you 2 Movin' me down the highway, rollin' me down the highway Movin' ahead so life won't pass me by Movin' me down the highway, rollin' me down the highway Movin' ahead so life won't pass me by Explanation ◼ Ernesto “Che” Guevara was born in Argentina during the year 1928. Many descriptions of Che’s early childhood highlight his asthma, the fact that he was born into a middle class family, and his enrollment in medical school. ◼ While this stage in his life may seem bare, I feel it is noteworthy, considering it was during this time that Che received the very first influences for the political views that would later define his life. ◼ As for the music, I feel childhood is a crucial time in beginning to discover who you are (your name) and what you want to give the world (your song). These two things together make up a person’s dream for his or her life. For Che’s childhood, I was immediately drawn to this piece, and I could picture him already forming what his dream would be. Music ◼ Second Selection: “Take a Letter Miss Jones” from Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers ◼ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TJAXRUnf7Y ◼ Lyrics: Take a letter, miss Jones, quote, I regret to inform you, that owing to circumstances quite beyond our control it's a premature retirement for those surplus to requirement I'm afraid it's a sign of the times, miss jones, an unfortunate sign of the times take a letter, miss Jones, due to the world situation the shrinking pound, the global slump and the price of oil I'm afraid we must fire you we no longer require you it's just another sign of the times, miss jones, a most miserable sign of the times 3 take a letter, miss Jones, my dear miss Jones, we'd like to thank you many years of splendid service etcetera, blah blah blah you've been a perfect poppet yes that's right, miss Jones, you've got it it's just another sign of the times, miss Jones, it's just another sign of the times dry your eyes, miss Jones it's not as bad as it seems you get used to being idle in a year or two unemployment's such a pleasure these days, we call it leisure it's just another sign of the times, miss jones, it's just another sign of the times there's a young man on the street, miss jones he's walking round in circles, he's old before his time, but still too young to know don't look at him, don't cry though this living on the giro is only a sign of the times, miss Jones, it's just another sign of the miss Jones, it's just another sign of the times... Explanation ◼ This song and the next will represent the second stage”of Che’s life, which I considere to be the events outlined in The Motorcycle Diaries. ◼ One of the most notable aspects of the book is hearing the account of the plight of so many people. Che’s description of the sick and the poor is striking, and at times, very moving. Soon after comes the criticism that much of the rich and powerful rarely seem to notice the former. ◼ My mind went to this song from a musical entitled Blood Brothers. It too emphasizes the struggles, and often unfairness, between different classes. Though the musical takes place during 80s in England, I feel this song sympathizes with the suffering of lower class individuals (much like Che claimed to do) that is just written off as a “sign of the times.” 4 Music ◼ Third Selection: “Waiting On the World to Change” by John Mayer ◼ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pquX7Ya4-wE ◼ Lyrics: One, two, one, two, three Me and all my friends We're all misunderstood They say we stand for nothing and There's no way we ever could Now we see everything that's going wrong With the world and those who lead it We just feel like we don't have the means To rise above and beat it So we keep waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change We keep on waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change It's hard to beat the system When we're standing at a distance So we keep waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change Now if we had the power To bring our neighbors home from war They woulda never missed a Christmas No more ribbons on the door And when you trust your television What you get is what you got ‘Cause when they own the information Oh, they can bend it all they want That's why we're waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change We keep on waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change It's not that we don't care We just know that the fight ain't fair So we keep on waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change 5 And we're still waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change We keep on waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change One day our generation Is gonna rule the population So we keep on waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change No we keep on waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change We keep on waiting (waiting) Waiting on the world to change Waiting on the world to change Waiting on the world to change Waiting on the world to change Explanation ◼ If the second song described the setting/events depicted in The Motorcycle Diaries, then I feel this song describes Che’s reaction to them. ◼ Many times throughout the book, Che expresses his displeasure at seeing the mistreatment of the sick and poor. He often brutally and honestly voices his disdain for the people who he believes allow these conditions to continue, such as North Americans (along with their governments), the rich, the powerful, and the privileged. ◼ Despite this clear opinion, Che has not yet moved to become the revolutionary many knew him to be. Instead, he is much like John Mayer in this song: a young man who sees something he does not like in the world and, at least for the time being, must wait on it to change. Music ◼ Fourth Selection: “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke ◼ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up_e3GRV484 ◼ Lyrics: I was born by the river in a little tent Oh, and just like the river I've been running ev'r since It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will 6 It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die 'Cause I don't know what's up there, beyond the sky It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will I go to the movie and I go downtown Somebody keep tellin' me, don't hang around It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will Then I go to my brother And I say, brother help me please But he winds up knockin' me Back down on my knees, oh There have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long But now I think I'm able to carry on It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will Explanation ◼ Shortly after the events of The Motorcycle Diaries, Che, inspired from his trip, returns home and finishes his medical degree, intent on “saving the world” with medicine.