Travel writing as a cure for the trauma experienced

Travel writing is a textual representation of cultural interactions, even (or especially) if

what eventuates is more a reflection of the “home” country than the traveler’s destination. In a
similar way, the strategies by which we negotiate, choose and fashion historical narratives
construct our place in the present.

My study will keep three texts as the core texts while also studying many supporting
minor authors to support my claim that travel is a way for the author to express trauma that exists
within a character or in their society. That the travel itself is a cure for this trauma. In my reading
i have observed that the characters have within the realm of human experiences, used travel is a
primordial activity that creates memories for us, some of which are unforgettable and transform
us to such an extent that we no longer remain what we are. Every time one crosses borders and
leaves his footprints behind, one experiences the world through fresh eyes.

Though moving across borders is a common phenomenon in the contemporary globalized

world, travel writing as a genre has still retained its significance as well as some of its traits from
its colonial predecessors. While many “Western” travelogues in non-Western destinations still
narrate the non-west as exotic, dangerous, and often ludicrous, the non-Western traveler’s visit to
a Western land is often accompanied by a sense of pride, privilege, and even bitter experiences of
discrimination. Those who venture beyond their cultural borders narrate a story that is farfetched
and biased to a large part.

Travel is not something new to us. It is a fascinating part of human life. Human history is
a history of travel. An individual had to travel from place to place either in order to fulfill their
basic needs or to retain their existence from time immemorial. Even it won’t be an exaggeration
to claim that today’s modern-developed world has turned into reality as a result of these
tendencies of traveling.

Several reasons may influence a travelogue, my research focuses on the journey and how
it shaped the culture that it came from. The texts that I chose to study all represent these two
ideas. |The first text originates from the United States of America, “Blue Highways” by William
Least Heat Moon it is an autobiographical narration of events. Part of what makes Blue
Highways still relevant today comes from within one of its same themes–the idea of personal
histories and people’s attachment to place. There is a longing for what is lost, a coming to terms
with things as they are, and a recognition that a person’s and a people’s identity comes from a
connection to the environment.

The second text comes from a feminist perspective,” Eat, pray, love” by Elizabeth Gilbert
is a transcontinental journey of an individual. It is a memoir of travel and personal discovery in
Italy, Indonesia, and India. It is a journey much like that of “Blue highways”, the author is
looking for a new beginning. The conflict that arises among readers is that many see it as a
narcissistic new age babble rather than a women’s travel memoir which consists of a moving
metaphysical journey, it is a transcontinental journey of an individual as she travels to Italy,
Indonesia and India.

These travel diaries capture the essence and exuberance of the young legend, Che
Guevara. In January 1952, Che set out from Buenos Aires to explore South America on an
ancient Norton motorcycle. He encounters an extraordinary range of people, from native Indians
to copper miners, lepers, and tourists, experiencing hardships and adventures that informed much
of his later life. At the age of twenty-three, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara and his friend Alberto
Granado set out from their native Argentina to explore their continent, with only a single 1939
Norton motorcycle to carry them, nicknamed La Poderosa ('the powerful one'). They travelled
not to visit the usual tourist attractions, but to meet ordinary people and understand Latin
American life.

Amidst the tales of youthful adventures - of women, wine, thrilling escapes, and the
power of friendship - the young Che also learns first-hand about poverty, philosophy and
philosophy and forms himself into the man who would become the world's most famous and
admired revolutionary and freedom fighter. 'For every comic escapade of the carefree roustabout,
there is an equally eye-opening moment in the development of the future revolutionary leader.
By the end of the journey, a politicized Guevara has emerged to predict his own legendary future'
Time.