Theee Trip Through Ignorance, Racism and Violence
Billy and Wyatt cruising into the horizon, looking for a form of identity. Searching for a personal way to connect in this nation where apparently everyone is free, the two men cross paths with multiple kinds of people who have different ideals of what life should be. In truth, that's all they really do is cross paths. Because of the fact that Billy and Wyatt are constantly on the move, the audience gets the feeling that the farther they go and the more 'long-hair outcast' they become, the less willing they are to discover something-anything along the way. What started off as a quest for identity has now become a disconnected dazed trip. The viewer witnesses the way the original intent of the riders changes steadily throughout the film.
As far as quests go they are often thought of as a trip that signifies a journey of discovery. Sometimes it means overcoming obstacles to reach a goal (specified or not). The way "Easy Rider" delevops the quest is different in that you never really know what Billy and Wyatt were hoping to find. What does become apparent though, is that the more they see, the more they distance themselves from ever reaching some sort of fulfillment. A notable scene would be when the now three-some stop in at a diner to grab something to eat along their journey. Eating in film can mean a lot more than just a hungry impulse. It can mean that the diners are choosing to come together as a form of communion. The fact that they were ignored by the staff of this road-side, local buzz eatery shows that the riders really aren't accepted. Furthermore, when they decide to play along with the game, shows a level of acceptance on their end; and they decide they don't want to try to be a part anymore. And it's back to the freedom provided by the cycles--and another opportunity for a potential discovery.