Chronicles of Cognitive and Emotional Development on the Move: A Critical Exploration of Linklater’s Boyhood as a Road Movie

Abstract

A road movie is a genre of film in which the characters leave their home to embark on a journey, essentially different from their everyday lives. The genre has its origin in the stories of mythical journeys such as Odyssey and Aenied. Road movies portray the journey of the characters through the wild, with the movies discussing themes of oppression, alienation and an examination of the persisting cultural tensions in the nation. The characters in road movies delineate a sense of frustration, anxiety and desperation. A road movie can be technically defined as a movie which begins at a certain point, and passes through several pit-stops, before finally reaching the destination. Road movies are well known for their striking portrayal of picturesque narrations, scenic views and vivid dynamics. The characters undergo transformations, experience epiphanies and they develop a deeper and better understanding of their inner conflicts and emotions. The present paper explores the themes of alienation, oppression and transformation of the protagonist, outlined in Richard Linklater’s Boyhood. The paper would further delve into the emotional changes that occur in the behaviors of the characters during their travel. The focus of road movies is more on the journey than on the destination. Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” dramatically changed the genre of road movies, with picaresque narratives and sequences, in which the characters transformed for the better or the worst.