Comparing The Motorcycle Diaries And George Orwell's A Hanging

Che Guevara’s ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’ and George Orwell’s ‘A Hanging’ are two different texts which both display the concept that discoveries require individuals to reconsider their perspective and develop a new understanding of the world. Guevara’s discoveries of the poverty and social injustices within South America resulted in a disapproval of the social systems of Latin America and an obligation to bring change, while his discoveries of the sublimity of nature also resulted in a renewed appreciation of the natural environment. Orwell’s discoveries of the cruel reality and negative moral implications of prison and capital punishment within Burma led to a reconsidered view on the value of life and a stance against capital punishment.
Che
Injustices towards the proletariat of South America are conveyed through the paradox, “for people whose farthest horizon has always been tomorrow, that one comprehends the profound tragedy circumscribing the life of the proletariat the world over”. Through the juxtaposition between “farthest horizon” and “tomorrow”, Che emphasises the reality of life as a proletariat, a constant struggle for survival, without vision of a future. Here, Che also expresses his sympathy and newfound understanding towards the plights of the working class. Che’s newfound solidarity towards those subjected towards poverty and injustice within Latin America is also highlighted through the emotive language, “it is at times like this, when a doctor is conscious of his complete powerlessness, that he longs for change”. Here, Che expresses his growing awareness of the need for a radical change in which justice is restored for such people and his dissatisfaction with the present systems. Therefore, the social discoveries of the poverty and mistreatment of the different groups of people within South America required Che to reassess his perspective of social equality within these countries as well as an
Orwell’s epiphany towards appreciating the value of human life is expressed through the repetition of verbs, “his brain still remembered, foresaw, reasoned”. Here, Orwell expresses the continuing vitality and consciousness of the condemned prisoner even seconds before his execution, exemplifying his realisation of the preciousness of human life and the wrongfulness of bringing it to an abrupt end. Furthermore, Orwell conveys the dire implications of capital punishment through the juxtaposition, “one of us would be gone – one mind less, one world less”. Through the contrast between “one of us” and “one world less”, Orwell displays the great loss as a result of even the death of one individual, highlighting his disapproval for capital punishment. Thus, Orwell’s discoveries of the cruel realities of capital punishment required a reassessment on the morality of such an act and a longing for change, similar to Che Guevara’s disapproval of the injustices discovered along his