Analysis Of "Easy Rider"

The movie "Easy Rider" revolves around two bikers making a trip from Los Angeles to New Orleans, to attend Mardi Gras. The first scene in the film involves the two main characters selling a good amount of cocaine to a man in Rolls Royce. After the drug deal the bikers begin their journey to Mardi Gras, but not before one of them removes his watch and throws it on the ground. I found this indicative of his pursuit of freedom, because time serves only to constrain us. Once on the road you learn that their names are Wyatt and Billy, an obvious reference to Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid who are considered American legends, as well as outlaws. Wyatt rides a chopper with the stars and stripes on the gas tank and on his helmet while sporting the now clichÐ"© leather jacket. Billy is dressed up like a cowboy; he is wearing all tan leather with a wide brim hat. Also throughout the movie Billy refers to Wyatt as Captain America. All of these things serve to ingrain the belief that they embody the American dream which is to earn enough money to pursue your dream. It just so happens that their dream is freedom, the same belief that led to the creation of the United States.

The two of them go through a series of adventures, first stopping off at a motel where they're rejected, regardless of the glowing vacancy sign. They leave the motel and camp out in the wilderness. At a point, Wyatt's bike gets a flat, and they stop at a farm to fix it. It is at this point that the film makes a comparison of the bikers to cowboys. As Wyatt is fixing his tire a man in the background is shoeing his horse. This is obviously making the point that Wyatt is the new version of the cowboy and his chopper is the new cowboy's steed. During this scene there is an exchange between Wyatt and the were Wyatt tells the farmer how much he admires his farm because he built it with his own hands. This is the first time that you get an idea of Wyatt's values.

As they continue their journey they pick up a hitchhiker. A discussion between the three of them reveals that the hiker was from a city, but he refuses to say which it was, as he believes that all of them are the same. This is an idea that was brought out in the 60s culture, that the idea of big business, which the city represented, was a way of losing one's identity. In this discussion about identity, the hitchhiker expresses that he would like to be Porky Pig. Wyatt replies that he's never wanted to be anything but himself. This interaction serves to underscore the difference between Wyatt and the Hitchhiker. The hitchhiker wants to be a fictional character; he is running from the city. Wyatt on the other hand only wants to be himself; he is searching for something.

Wyatt and Billy bring the hiker to a commune that he lives in. Throughout this section, there is a peaceful feeling. The commune was an idea that came to moderate popularity during the 60s especially. This shows the idea in a very positive light. Everyone seems to be getting along, people are having fun, and they're all sharing the workload. There isn't much food left, but the people are working on growing food. Wyatt truly admires the people on the commune and tells Billy that "they'll make it". Wyatt feels comfortable there, as opposed to Billy who begins to freak out when the entire commune is singing "Does you hair hang low?" This scene makes the differences between Wyatt and Billy quite obvious. Wyatt is content to live in the middle of the desert on a commune for the rest of his life. Billy on the other hand can't stand the communal life for more than one afternoon.

After leaving the commune, they get arrested for parading without a permit.