Vagabond
"Trees are amongst the many objects that link or punctuate the film and, as with most of the other objects, are more readily associated with violence and death that with regeneration and life."--Susan Hayward
In the film Vagabond, Mona Bergeron defies the oppressive nature of "roofs" and "laws" by embracing an exhaustively autonomous lifestyle much like Wyatt and Billy in Easy Rider. In a strictly superficial sense, both films share a similar narrative trajectory emphasizing the idealism and seemingly contradictory failings of independent behavior. Unlike Easy Rider, however, Vagabond is primarily concerned with the abstract implications of isolation with respect to a thematic journey; this is manifested pervasively by the film's metaphorical motif of trees and its nonlinear storytelling structure. At one point, Mona ambiguously recalls: "I was fighting all these bits of images." This quote is a perfect summary of the film's aggressive use of fragmented flashbacks serving to bracket off Mona's experiences from societal frameworks in general. This nonlinear style is balanced by the recurring imagery of linear, parallel objects (ridges in snow, raised bumps in plowed fields, crosswalk paint, numerous gates and fences, pillars, closely bunched trees, etc.), which fittingly represent the neutral world that Mona constantly wanders. The tree motif is, more often than not, used to represent the essence of Mona. For example, Yolande observes that "The woodwork's pretty, but it collects dust"--just like Mona's increasingly grimy appearance.
Throughout the film, wood represents Mona being "cut off" from the world. The trees infected with fungus and the persistent burning and slicing of branches and twigs (especially the matches that slowly contribute to Mona's unhealthy smoking habit) symbolize the inevitable decay that Mona must experience to sustain her way of life. The helpful professor who gives Mona rides even remarks that "She's taken root in my car." Another reference to the state of Mona in terms of plant life is found in "Wandering? That's withering." Again, as opposed to the protagonists of Easy Rider, Mona is in no way concerned with proving anything--the constant sight of worldly signs and road markers fulfills that duty. Indeed, she is told "Don't leave any marks," has "no marks" on her body upon death, and wears a jacket with a stop sign on her back--out of her mind completely, but emblematic of what is, literally, behind her. She is "aided" by pointing finger logos and her hitchhiking thumb, the kindness of dogs, and frequent watering spouts, but it is, of all things, men who are ironically masked as plants who preface her demise. The woman's role is not to be a passive, fixed object like a tree, but in avoiding such a fate in this world, she risks losing her life. Mona's most prophetic statement regarding her herbaceous cousins: "Think of me if they die." Trees (living or dead) remain, unfortunately, in a permanent silence.