My discussion question is: throughout the novel, how was the idea of “Americanism” expressed?
Americanism was expressed throughout Guevara’s journey. When traveling between places in Chile, he said, “I say our friends, because in no time at all they were mine too” (48), indicating a sense of American identity that he and Alberto were a part of. When discussing the Chileans, he also writes that they were, “exceedingly friendly people, were warm and welcoming wherever we went” (56). This allowed him to travel and have access to resources and people who could help him. In Argentina, the two rely on family, friends, and other people they know to help them with food and lodging. When Alberto decided to stay behind, Guevara felt, “Alberto’s absence so sharply… [saying] It seems like my flanks are unguarded from some hypothetical attack” (160). Alberto is his friend but also represents the larger theme of a Latin American identity during the time period.
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