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Vagabond

"Mona does not cruise the highways on a sleek motorbike, sporting a sexy leather jacket, wreaking subversive havoc. This European road movie refuses to romanticize rebellious driving/traveling, as most American road movies... do."
--David Laderman, Driving Visions: Exploring the Road Movie, p. 267

Unlike the typical American road movie, Vagabond's portrait of the road is far from glamorous. For Mona, the road is not a medium used to reach to her lover, sex or romance, it is her home. Unlike Rebecca, Mona is not viewed in a sexualized manner, her clothes are loose fitting, dirty, and leave much to the imagination. Rebecca is victim to the male gaze and fetishism. She does not object to a stranger raping her while Mona's similar situation provokes a very different feeling. Rebecca's rape is seen as romantic, making love to a complete stranger. Mona is completely detached from the world around and therefore detached from the male gaze.

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