Alexander Nowosielski-Slepowron
Senior Thesis | 2026
AlexNowosielski-Slepowron
Dr.CarlosMartinez,Dr.WilliamHunttingHowell
2March2026
BUAcademySeniorThesis
Two-LaneBlacktopasaModelfortheAmericanFolktale: NarrativeHumanismintheMovie,throughtheLensofFairytale Decomposition
1.Introduction
Inthesimplewrittencase,startwithasequenceofletters onthepage–thissetcontainsthepiece“s:dcj.bkf,”aswellas Hamlet. Thenextlogicalstepisthesetof words onapage.“Mat seatedmellowfromfrog”isavalidmemberofthisset.There’sthe conditionthatthesymbolsarrangedformtheunitswithmeaning, evenifthestringofwordsismeaningless.Itmakessensetoonly talkabout sentence objects,wherewegetmostofeverythingwe readinafairlyneatbox.Yetclearlysomenucleusisseatedinside eventhatsetofsentenceobjects–thesetof narratives. Some objectsclearlyhave apurposeinconveyinginformationthatisto beinterpretedbythereadersolelyasalistofinstructionsto assembleachair,andsomeareclearlyaimedtocommunicate someinformationpastthat.“Sarahknewthedaywashot.”isjust anattitude,asis“Sarahdesiredthatthedaywerenothot”.Yetthe joiningofthetwo“Sarahknewthedaywashot.Sarahdesiredthat thedaywerenothot”demonstratesareflectiononcircumstance somehowstrongerthanthepreviousexamples.Fairytaleseasilyfit intothis,shortstorieswithheroeswhoseeasylivingisplacedin periluntiltheycanclimbamountaintosavetheirchildrenfrom certaindeath.Thiscategorisationofnarrativeandnot-narrativeis not ab initio,ratheritemergesfromourintuition,andwemust analysespecificcasestofigurefromwherethisintuitive categorisationemergesnadprovideaback-rationalisationforour humanintuition. Two-Lane Blacktop offersaneasyobjecttopick
atanedge-case.Themoviefeelsitmissestheusualelements associatedwithastory,andevensofinallylandsonanarrative structure.Butthemovieperformsthereversalfromshapelessness topresentingacleararcofgrowththroughtheemotionsofthe animatewitness,andperformsthisplotentirelyoutsideoftheplot setupbytheroadfilmgenre-conventionsexpected.Indoingso, Two-Lane Blacktop emphasisesthe anthropomorphised condition placedonthewitnessinwidespreadnarrativetheory,arguingthat theconclusionofanarrativeemergesnotfromtheexpected sequenceofeventsconcludingbutratherfromtheconclusionof thearcofhumanpersonalgrowth.Thisdiffersfrompriorroad films,whichexistinsteadtobeshowcasesofan orientalist perspective.Indecidingwhetherit‘is’anarrative,themovieis judgednotoncompletionofthegenreconventionbutrather whetherwecanrecogniseahumannessinthecharacters.By performingthisreversal, Two-Lane Blacktop revitalizestheroad filmthroughafolktaleperspective.
2.NarrativesandtheFolktale
JosephHillisMiller,in“Narrative”establishesabasisfora narrative,orratherasimplestformwhichanarrativemustinhabit inordertoperformthepresumedfunctionofanarrative.Miller’s “Narrative”establishestheminimalsetofcharacteristicsrequired foranarrative tobehaveasitshould:anarrativemusthaveapersonifiedwitness, antagonist,andprotagonist,withthewitnessbeinga‘learner’who growsfromtheeventsofthenarrative.Thisframework,inunion withtherequiredsequencetheseobjectsmustpassthrough,marks anarrativeasanecessarilyeducationalobject.Anarrativemustin somewaypresentanideaandrepresentanobservationofthatidea. Millersaysoftheobjectswhichmustbepresent“Theminimal personagesnecessaryforanarrativearethree:aprotagonist,an antagonist,anda
witnesswholearns.Sometimestheprotagonist,theantagonist,or thereadermaybethewitness”(Miller,75).Here,Miller establishesthewitness,theobject(whichmayliveoutsidethe storyitself)whichactuallygainsanunderstandingfromthe sequenceofthetext.Millerexplainsthisas“aninitialsituation,a sequenceleadingtoachangeorreversalofthatsituation,anda revelationmadepossiblebythereversalofsituation”(Miller,75). Bysubvertingthesituation,whichmaybeagenreconventionof plot,anassumedculturalnotion,orotherideaembeddedinthe pre-reversalsequence,thenarrativeexplainsanovelbehaviorfor thissequenceofeventswhichformtheplot.Furtherthanthis,the textarguesbynecessityofthewitnessthatthenarrativeassertsthe utilityofitsownrevelation.Inhavingthewitnesspotentiallybe emergingfromthenarrativeitself,Millerarguesthattheremustbe something‘prosepoeaic’abouttheobjects–further,tohavea protagonistandantagonistwhichcanassumethemoralrealities carriedbytheroles,Millerfurtherlinesout:“Anynarrative,then, tobeanarrative,Iclaim,musthavesomeversionofthese elements:beginning,sequence,reversal;personificationor,more accuratelyandtechnicallystated,prosopopoeia,bringing protagonist,antagonist,andwitness"tolife"”(Miller,75).So,in ordertohaveanarrative,whichisinfactsimplyarepresentation ofapersonifiedobjectlearning,theremustbeaprotagonistandthe associatedoppositionfromwhichonecanlearn.Therefore,awork mustnotsimplycommunicatesomething,butcommunicateatruth aboutobjectswhichmapinsomemannertoourhumanitythe abilityforustorecognisetheactionsasanthropomorphic,or humanisnecessary.
Thenotionofanarrativeasaconstructwithawitness, reversal,protagonist,andantagonistcanbeseeninthe folktale genremostsimply.Thinkingthroughthelensofa folktale provides asimpleideaforthislearning,or‘witness’behavior.Folktales frequentlycarrysimpleexamplesofwhatintuitively feels likea
storymorethanjustlistsofeventsoractions.Mythology,duetoits roleasanarrativebeingdistilled,isthestreamlined narrative,and isthereforeusefulforthegoalofdeterminingwhatanarrative is. Whatemergesfromanoraltraditionisanarrativewiththefat trimmed–allunnecessaryelements,details,andcharacterisations thatdonotservetosetupfunctionsarelostacrossthegenerations throughwhichthestorytravels.Whatremainsistheattarofthe tale,thattheeaglepickedupthegoldandflewaway,notthatthe physicaldescriptionoftheeagleasmightbeexpectedinanovel. Thegoalofafairytaleisplainlynarrativistic;totellastorywith setupresolution,andusuallyfortheretobealessonforthe audienceabouthowthefoxdecidedthegrapesweresourafterthe fact,allowingustowitnessthecontradictioninthefox,andlearn fromit.Soananalysisofthefolktalestructureisreallyananalysis ofthe narrative ofastory,andeliminatestheneedtohandle extraneouselementswhichdon'tservethecentralpurpose.Anda folktaleisusefullikethisbecauseitalightsinformationaboutthe charactersandcircumstance,akinto Two-Lane Blacktop.
Folktalesareformulaic:thesamefewdramaticevents usuallyoccurinasequence.VladimirPropp’s Morphology of the Folktale attemptstoactuallysolvethisformulaout–hecalculates 31repeatedelementsforRussianfolktales,keyamongthemare classicssuchas“TheHeromarriesBrideandAscendstothe throne”,“Thefalseheroorvillainisexposed",etc(63).Propp distillstheRussianFolktaletotheseelements,notingthatthekey actionsofthestoryareencodedinthestringoftheseactions,and otherinformationisdecoration“drawtheinferencethatataleoften attributesidenticalactionstovariouspersonages.Thismakes possiblethestudyofthetaleaccordingtothefunctionsofits dramatispersonae.”(20).Themainelementsofthestoryexist outsidetheiractualidentity,yetPropp’sdistillationreliesonthe substitutingofcharacternameswithvariables“Hero,FalseHero”, thatcommunicatetheirbroaderrole.Notablythefunctionsstill
representhumanexperienceeventhoughtheydonotconveyevery partofit-examplesbeingmarriageofthe“Bride”characterwith thehero,orthedeathorostracisationofthevillain.Throughthe actofmappingallofRussianfolkloreontosequencesofthese31 actions,multiplestoriescouldbewrittenwiththesame‘mapping’, communicatingthattwodifferentstoriescommunicatethesame basicinformationabouthtecharacters.Notably,theystillare different– basicnarrativessuchasfolktalesoftenrelyonthe successorfailureoftheprotagonistasanevaluationoftheir specificidentity“Theblondewasrecognisedasthebrave,clever princeduetohisbirthmark,andsotheredheadwasbanished”is “Theredheadwasrecognisedasthegenerous,wisekingduetohis tattoo,andsotheblondewashanged”arecartoonishopposites, whichclearlyareportrayingdifferentopinionsonpeoplebytheir haircolor.Butnotably,thisisembeddedwhenthevariablesare substitutedforidentities.
InNorsemythology,thesameuseofpartsofthehuman experienceasamotiveforaction “Sagacharactersoftenhideor masktheirfeelingsortheyexpressthemthroughsomephysical reaction.Youthfulmalecharactersareexpectedtoconverttheir feelingsintoaction”(180).WhileGropperlatercontendsthat emotionissubduedinitsdescriptionspecificallyinIcelandic folktales,theactualmotionofthestoryemergesfromthebasic humaninstincts(186). “LoveisafocusintheÍslendingasögur whenitisthestartofaconflictwithinonefamily,asthe complicatedrelationsinGíslasagademonstrate,orbetweentwoor evenmorefamilies,asinLaxdœlasagaorVíglundarsaga”(188). Whiletheactualdepictionsoflovemaybesubdued,theplotexists todiscusstheeffectsofapartofhumanlifeonthemore complicatedfamilystructure.Thefocus,however,isnottheactual emotionitself,ratherthattheemotionisusedasaforcetomove theplot,seeminglyoppositetousualstructureobservedinPropp’s analysisofRussianfairytales,whereinthemotionoftheplotis
usuallyaninterruptionofthe“heromarryingthebride”.InRussian folklore,however,theendresultisthesame:theuniquely anthropomorphicemotionoflove(orjealousyofanother’slover) isarequisiteforthemotionofthestorytohavemotivetooccur.In beingarepresentationoftheplaceofloveinbroadersociety,the Norsefolktalesfollowasimilarpattern–forminganarrativeby someinteractionwiththehumanexperience.Themotionthat allowsthistooccurmaybeasinorganicasasphalt,butthe fundamentalnarrativeemergesfromthisconnectionwiththe humanexperience.
3.Two-LaneBlacktopasaFolktale
Two-Lane Blacktop, directedbyMonteHellman,features JamesTaylorandDennisWilsonasthedriversofanold‘55Chevy 2-door.Themoviebeginsinmediasreswithadragracehappening beforeallthecarsfleetoavoidthepolice.Theduothenareatan automeetup,wheretheymakemoneyoffofawageronaracewith anothercar.Thisispresumablyhowtheduomakesmoney.They continuedrivingaround,andbringanunnamedgirlwiththem. Theyeventuallyendupdrivingpastagaudilydressedmandriving a‘71PontiacG.T.O..TheG.T.O.manispickinguphitchhikers throughoutthemovieandtellingthemoutlandishand contradictorystoriesofhisbackground.Afterpassingtheduoquite aggressively,hecomplainsthattheduohasbeen‘followinghim’. Theymeet,decidetorace,andsettleonracingforthetitlestoeach other’scar,bymailingthetitlestoD.C..Theyracealongcountry roads,frequentlystoppingtoeatorsleep.Theyalsostoptorace otherpeopletheymeetindiners.G.T.O.pickupafinalsetof hitchhikers,twosoldiers,andtellsthemastory.THisistheendof hischaracter.Theduoareatafinalrace,andthemovieconcludes withthefilmitselfappearingtoburnintheprojectoritsitsin.
InMonteHellman’s Two Lane Blacktop,thegenre conventionsofaroadfilmare
subverted.Themovieadoptsashapelessness,withthestatedaim ofthefilm,aracetoD.C., neverending.Theunnamedcharactersseemtoneverreachtheir conclusion,trailingoffas mysteriousandunaffectedastheywerewhentheyburstintothe film.Themoviecreatesasettingsoperfectlysetupfor linear–narrrative-telling,andproceedstorejecttheinorganicofa carraceinfavorfortellingastorythroughsideconversationswith hitchhikers.Further,bydenyingthefilmitsassumedconclusionof a‘win’forthecharacters,themovieavoidsanevaluationoftheir lifestylesbyformingaclearboundary(didtheywin?Didthehero slaythevillain?)betweentheprotagonistandAntagonists.It initiallyseemsthatbyformulatingwhatisclearlyanarrative withouttherequisiteprotagonist,antagonist,andwitnessinthe contextofthefilm’sroadsetting,thefilmundercutsabasic frameworkforanarrative.Bytheconclusionofthefilm,however, G.T.O.'sarcconcludeswithhimunderstandingtheinevitabilityof himasanantagonist,oranantipodetotheprotagonistduo.G.T.O. alsoactsasMiller’switness–himlyingtoescapetherealitythathe istheantagonistcastshimasthelearnerofthestorywhoobserves hisownrolewithinit.Bycreatingacharacterwhomigratesfrom theassociatedrejectionofnarrative(inthesettingcontextofaroad film)toanembracingofbeingbothawitnessandan understandingofbeinganantagonistthemoviefinallylandsonan embracingofMiller’sideaofnarrative.Thefilmperformsthe narrativedancebizarrelyoutsidetheusualspace-narrative relationship,whereinthephysicalsetupofaroadraceisancillary tothecharactergrowthfromthecar-chatter.
ThomasElaesserinterpretstheformlessnessbyattributing ittoafocusnotontheactualroaditself,butratheraroadasan excuseforindividualscenes,statingthatinthecinematic movementfromwhich Two-Lane Blacktop emerges,theroad “assume[s]theblanderstatusofanarrativedevice,sometimesa
picaresquesupportforindividualscenes,situationsandset-pieces, atothertimestheironicallyadmittedpretexttokeepthefilm moving”.(Elaesser,1).Byrelegatingtheactualroadactiontobe supportfortheothersituationsinthefilm,Elaesserprovidesa contextinwhichthefilmmaybeunderstoodtomakeabroader pointthananevaluationoftheroadsituationitself.Themovie deniestheroaditselfanynarrativeimportanceoutsideoftheroad functioningasaconveyorbeltfortheindividualhumanscenes;the racedoesn’tconclude,andanyclear‘purpose’forthescenesatthe dragracesismissing.Thatistosaythemoviedenies personificationatthesametimeitdeniesthegenreconventions.
Themovieinitiallyrefusesthepersonificationrequiredfor acharactertobeaprotagonist-itpresumesPropp’sanalysis.By doingso,themoviedoesnotcharacterisethemasindividuals, ratherasthe dramatis personae ofPropp.Byrefusingthe charactersaname,abackstory,oranyevidencesinglingthemout asuniqueindividualsinsteadofarepresentationofavague stereotypeoridea,thefilminitiallydefinesthepeopleonscreenas toonebuloustoactuallybe people. Thefirstsceneofthemovie enforcesthisnotion;their55’Chevyisdepictedbeforeanyof themare–andwhentheyare,thedarklightingwithunderexposure settobringoutthedetailinthebrightstreetlightswhileflattening detailonthedimlylitfaceofthedriver(Hellman,00:00:40).This techniqueenforcesashallowrepresentationofthembymaking theirimageactuallyshallow.Thesimplefacttheyaren’teven personifiedwiththemostbasicmeansofseparatingthe human fromthelargemassof humanity, aname,drivesthroughthefact thattheydon’tactuallyrepresentpeopleinthefilm.Thefilm reiteratesthatthisnamelessnessisn'tjustadiegeticinvisibility, namelythefactthatthedriverisn’tevencreditedwithnames enforcesasubversionoftheirindividuality(Hellman,01:41:50). Notably,themoviedoesthiswithoutcastingthembytheirrolesin theplot,ratheritmetonymisesthembyculturalreferencessuchas
thecartheydriveortheirroleinmaintainingtheircars.Butby namingthemthroughtheirrelationshipwiththeirvehicles,the motionthroughwhichtheyarecarriedthroughthefilm,themovie inducesrolesonthemthroughthecar-methaphors.Thename “G.T.O.”personifieshimbytherichyetboastyandunwise associatedwithanexpensiveoff-the-shelfmusclecar.Strangely,if themovieassertsthatthesecharacterslackapersonalidentity,and yetthepersonalidentityemergesfromanothercharacter personifyingthem,thenindoingsothatcharacterwouldbea witness tosomeinevitabilityofthisprerequisitetonarrative structure.
Furtherthanarejectionofthequalitiesnecessaryfora persononscreentobeapersonifiedcharacter,thefilmalsoinitially rejectsthebasicsequenceofcauseandeffectrequiredfor somethingtobeameaningfulstory.Thefilmalsoostensiblydoes notendonitsroaddevices,the plot neverfinishes–theynever arriveinWashingtonD.C.,andneithercrewcollectstheslips mailedfromtheTexasgasstation.Thefilmdeniesthelogical sequenceintheactualroad-storythatformstheanticipated plot. Whilethereisa“beginning”asperMiller’sskeleton,the “sequence”thatlogicallyleadstothe“reversal”appearstobe absent.AssymbolisedbytheactualroadbetweenthemandD.C. whichtheynevertraverse,theduoostensiblyskiptheinsight whichcanbelearnedfromthecauseandeffectsequenceofthe race.ThisiskeytoElaesser’sunderstandingofthefilm,namely howtheseeminglydisjointplottriestojerktheaudiencebackand forthin“believinginitandnotbelievinginitatthesametime (Elaesser,288).Indoingso,thefilmcharactersisestheduoas unabletobearwitnesstoanything,bycharactersingthemas lackingeventheendtotheirownstory,thefilmdeniesthemthe revelationwheretheycanobservetheeffectoftheiractionsor lifestyle.Instead,thefilminfantilisesthemakintothechildwhois devouredbythegrizzlybearbyarguingthattheduodonotlearn
fromexperience.Instead,likethepoem“TheGrizzlyBear”,where theprotagonistlearnsnothingasitisamauledbaby,thefilm “playsironicallyagainstourassumptionthatwelearnfrom experience”(Miller,75).Byshowingaprotagonistduowhoare anonymised,flattened,anddeniedtheabilitytolearnakintoan unagentchild,thefilminitiallydeniesMiller’stheoryby constructingafilmwhichdoesnotfollowMiller’stheory.
The movieultimatelydemonstratesG.T.O.asbeinga witness totheeventsofthefilm;Oates’characterhasthe developmentwhichtheearlylackofpersonificationinitiallyseems tosubvertthepossibilityof.Afterpickingupthelastsetof hitchhikersforthefilm,G.T.O.launchesintohisfinallieofthe film:assumingtheidentityoftheTaylorandWilsoncharacters conglomerated.
Iwonitflatout.
Iwasdrivin'a'55stockChevyacrosscountry andIgotinaracewiththisG.T.O... forpinkslips.
IbeattheG.T.O.Bythreehours. Ofcourse,theguysintheG.T.O. Couldn'tdriveworthadamn.
ButI'lltellyouonething. There'snothin'likebuildin'up anoldautomobilefromscratch... andwipin'out oneoftheseDetroitmachines. That'llgiveyouasetofemotions that'llstaywithyou. KnowwhatImean?
Thosesatisfactionsarepermanent.(Hellman,01:39:40)
NotonlydoesitrepresentG.T.O.'sephemeralidentityinanother shift,butbyacceptingthepremisethatinordertobeimpressive,
hemustassumetheidentityofhisnemeses,G.T.O.becomesaware ofhisroleasantagonistinthestory.BynotgivingG.T.O.areal backstory,onewouldexpecthimtobelessofanantagonistashe seemslesslikeanagent.Butrather,thisreinforceshisantagonism ashecannotbesympathisedwith. G.T.O.'schameleonic presentationofhimselffreezes;andfreezeswithhimrealisingthat tobegoodistobediametricallyopposedtohimself.Hisadmission ofinferiorityhoweverrevealsmorethansomethingaboutmerely himself–itperformstheevaluationoftheduoinitiallyassumedto belacking.Byformingthemasapairwhohypothetically experience‘satisfactions’,andbyactuallygivingthemabackstory, Oates’characterpersonifiestheminthewaytheyinitiallyweren’t. ByhavingG.T.O.offerapersonificationoftheduo,thefilm allowsthemtobetheprotagonistsconsistentwithMiller’s framework.G.T.O.’smonologueformsthefinaleffectofthefilm, andindoingsodemonstratessomethingaboutthepervasivenessof narrativeinfilm.Infact,themonologuepresentsfurthersome formofequilibriuminthissetup;inhissemi-hypotheticalwinof thecarthesatisfactionisdescribedas‘permanent’.Thisindicates somechangeforG.T.O.,characterisinghimasa witness who learnsfromthesequenceofthefilm.Thefilmnominatesitsown eventsasoneswhichwouldtutoreventhemostslipperyand self-absorbedcharacter.Inthismanner,thefilmevaluatesthe traditionalmethodofnarrativeassomethinganysequenceof eventswillleadtoasafate,notablyafatenotconstructedbythe film’sownplot-engine.
Notably,theturningpointforGTO’sexperienceishis reactiontothedeathoftheyounggirl’sparents.Thecontradiction inhislogicthathefirstwitnessesinordertoperformthe aforementionedtransformationisareactiontolearningabouta partofhumanlife.Hiscoarsenessisrevealedtohimasheis makingupastoryaboutcaringforhismotherinreactionto hearingaboutthedeathofthegirl'sparents.Theoldladycontinues
on(outofbadhearing),that“Acitycariswhatkilledthem” (1:28:34). Thecontinuationofherexplanationwithzeroregardto GTO’sliecutsthroughitsefficacy–bybeingconfrontedwith mortalityhismethodofescapefromrealityiscut.Henolonger canmakeupabsurdliesofworkinginthejetbusiness–thisishis lastliebeforeassumingtheidentityoftheduo.Thisisthe motive for action similartoreducingthebrideorchildreninRussian folklore,ortheyoungloverswhichcausetheconflictinRomeo andJuliet:therepulsionfelttowardG.T.O.inthisscene necessitateschangeinthissceneforthestorytoprogress.Italso servesasmotivationforG.T.O.ashewitnesseshowhisarrogance withrespecttotheraceandhiscarisinorganicandabrasive towardthebasichumanemotionofgrief.G.T.O.isalsoindirectly hintedtoberesponsible(notthathehitthem,thathissubculture did);onelegofhishighway-raceiscarryinganorphantothegrave ofherparentskilledonthehighway,whilehemakesupastory aboutdrivingsouthtoFloridaforhisother.Bytheendofthe interaction,hisdemeanorisphysicallylowerthanpreviously. G.T.O.hereisactively witnessing thereversalofthebeginning, forminganarrativearcinsideofthescene.
G.T.O.’srevelationalsoservesasaresolutiontothelackof cause-and-effectcausedby thesubversionofthelinearplot.BycharacterisingG.T.O.as understandingthathemustlosethe race,G.T.O.offershisfirstrealisationthatheisaffectedbyhis ownrealityofwhoheis.Rather thaninventanotherstoryabouthimself,throughtheveilofthe identity-swappedlieheadmits thatheisboundbyhishumanreality.Oates’charactercannot avoidtheinevitabilityofhislossintheendoftherace.Ratherthan inventanotherstorywhichdeniescause-and-effectby championingtheG.T.O.owner,headmitsthathisrealityasthe antagonistbindshimtoinferiority.Herelentsthatacharacterwho
isontologicallythefoiloftheself-madeduowasdestinedtolose: “OfcoursetheguysG.T.O.couldn’tdriveworthadamn” (Hellman,01:39:50).ThesimplefactthatG.T.O.admitshewill loseinaneventthatisneveractuallydepictedinthefilmisa resolutiontoaracethefilmavoidsportraying.Hisconcessionthat hemustloseisaconclusionforaracethatneverends.The conclusionoftheraceistheclimaxofaroadfilm,andinsubtlety admittingaconclusionoftheraceinG.T.O.'smonologuethefilm setsuptheendofaplotoutsidetheroadnarrative.Thefilm conveysnonarrativethroughtheinorganiccarsandgasstations, ratherthroughthepeople.
4.TheSubversionoftheRoadFilm
TheAmericanroadfilmisagenreoffilmconcernedwitha linearstorytellingcharactersonaroadtrip(Salles). Thisgenre startedoutasanexhibitionistimperialgenre–thefirst‘roadfilm’ isoftencitedaseither1922’s Nanook of the North, ashowcaseof aninuitcohortsearchingforfood,or1934’s The Song of Ceylon, a filmshowcasinglifethroughSriLankamadebytheCeylontea company’spropagandaboard(Salles).Theroadfilminitially wasn'tatallanexplorationoftheAmericanperspective,evenafter thesuccessofthe Road to… franchisecementedtheformulaas featuringanAmerican,familiarduocontrastedwiththe‘exotic’ areathroughwhichtheydrive(whichismadeimmediatelyfront andcenterbythecaricatureportrayalsoftheculturesonthe posters).Therealityofthe Road to … filmsisthattheyreally aren'tartisticallymeaningfulasidefromtheportrayalofthe culturesseenfromunderglass.TheHope–Crosbyduoisstatic asidefrombeingareactioncanvastothecamelsorcoconuttrees theydriveby,orforbeingareliefwhenlickedbyacamelthey decidetoride(Butler,1:43).Thisisthegenreconvention environmentinwhichHellmanwasoperating–onewherethefilm isasfaraspossiblefrombeinganexplorationofthecentral
characters.Theseearlyroadfilmsinsteadleanonapredictability ofthecentralcharacterstodemonstrateanunpredictabilityofthe ‘other’.Bydistancingfromtheportrayalofan‘other’byhaving themovieoccuroncountrysidefamiliartoitsaudience,Hellman’s portrayaloftheroadfilmasadeeplypersonalexplorationof charactersmovingthroughafamiliarspaceisbothareversalofthe genre,andafolkloricretellingofthegenre.Bygoingthrough repeatedandindistinguishabledinersastheydrivethrough cornfieldsandlowhills,themovieemphasisesthefamiliarityof thesettingratherthanitsexoticism.
Bybuildingastoryinwhichtheman-madesteelplotis subvertedforonebuiltonself-awarenessandemotion,themovie ultimatelylandsonahumanistinterpretationoftheselfinsociety. Butindoingso,themoviealsodemonstratesanattitudeonthe roadnarrative, andbydenyingtheroleofthesettingin constructingthenarrative,the moviecommentsonbroader narrativetheory.Themovieremovesallextraneousbackground;it clearsawayanyevaluationoftheattributesofthecharactersthat arenotdirectlypresentedbytheironscreenactions.Theyarenot judgmentsoftheirupbringing,backstory,orexperiencesasthey areallleftambiguous.Therefore,thecommentaryofthefilmmust beeitheracommentaryonthelifestylestheyembodyorthe narrativeitself.Theanalysisaboveemploysthat–throughthelack ofpersonification,thepersonificationmustcomefromareaction totheiractioninthemovie,andthereforeanalysisofthefilm existsinaspacewhereyouareanalysingmoredirectlythe structureofthefilmitself,closertoanalysingthefinalproductof Propp’sanalysisInfact,themoviemakesaclearcasestudyforthe analyticstructureemployedabove;byanalysingwhatmotivates thewitnessofreversalinthestory,theactualcruxofthefilm’s commentaryonsituationrthebroaderpicturecanbe Inmaking, themovieitselfservesasapieceofnarrativetheory,andprovides
aframeworkthroughwhichanynarrativecanbeinterpretedasa pieceofnarrativetheory.
Two-Lane Blacktop appliesapremodernmethodologyto assumeapostmodernlenstocounteracttheimperialearlierroad films.InrecedingthenarrativetotheinteractionsbetweenG.T.O. andthehitchhikers(eventheduodon’treallyprogress,themovie startsandendswiththeminadragrace),themovieshedsthe themepresentfrom Song of Ceylon tothefinalinstallmentofthe Road to … series, The Road to Hong Kong. Theshiftawayfrom themetanarrativeoftheEuropeanduobeingconfusedbybutstill masteringthe‘oldways’oftheplacetheyvisitisthetired narrativeintowhich Two-Lane Blacktop isreleased.Theresult,a moviewhichshedsexoticismofsettingorafocusontheactual roadjourneyinexchangefortheconversationswithhitchhikersis similartohowfolkloreusessettingsimplyassetupforapersonal plot.Insteadoffocusingonwhatmakesaspecificvillageexotic, thenatureofFolklore’stransmissionmeansthatthesettingis necessarilyuniversaltotheculturestheyinhabit.Atalemaybeset “intheforest”,or“inthevillagewherethePrincelived”,butnever inaplacenotfamiliartotheaudience. Two-Lane Blacktop employsthissamemethod.Bynotaddressinghowthetimes throughwhichthecharactersmoveare odd (whyaretheynotin Vietnam?),orbyplacingacalltoactionduetothecircumstanceof thecharacters(isitnotaproblemthatthegirlmustbegfor change?),themovierevertstoapremodernnarrativestructure.But theeffectisstillasubversionofareductivistlens–i.e.,theeffect ofthisreversionisapostmodernretellingofthegenre.
ThepoetJohnKeats,inabrieflettertohisfamily, establishedtheconceptof negative capability inexactly3 sentences.Theconceptofnegativecapabilityrevolvesaroundthe unknowns–andhowbeautifulliteratureembracesthedenialoffull knowledgeinserviceoftheart.Keatssaysofthewonderof Shakespeare“thatis,whenamaniscapableofbeingin
uncertainties,mysteries,doubts,withoutanyirritablereaching afterfactandreason.”(Keats).Withfactandreasonrepresenting thelogicalsequenceofevents,Keatsarguesthatnegative capabilityoccurswhenatextstillcoheresevenwithouttheactual ‘factandreason’reconcilingwithinitself.Apieceofartinvites negativecapabilitywhenitcanbeunderstoodwithout‘reaching’ fortheactualfulldetailofwhathappens.Thisisthebeautyofa narrativeintheformof Two-Lane Blacktop, thatthemovieisas cleanasboneduetothelackoftheusualshortcutsto anthropomorphiseacharacter(backstory,occupation,family,a name),ratheritdoessobyshowingthenecessityofthehuman emotionandreactionasthey witness theworldtheypassthrough. Themovietiesthetime-narrativeprogressiontoaspace-narrative progression,butdoessoinamannerunliketheusualroad film. InsteadofjustusingAtocommunicatethebeginning,Btheend, andtheroadinbetweenastheconflictinneedofresolution,the movieappliesapostmodernlenstoinsteadassigntheimportant ‘places’asthepeopleG.T.O.pickupalongtheway. Despite breakingsomanyofthenormsandconventionsassociatedwith anyformofnarrativestorytelling,thefilmfinisheswiththe nominallyanomalouscharactersassumingrolesofprotagonist, antagonist,andwitness.Inthemannerthatitfinallyembraces Miller’sskeletonofanarrative,evenafteradmonishingsoheavily theideaofafilmneedingtofitthehumanideaof‘narrative’.The valueofnegativecapabilityisnotestablisheduntillaterinthe letter,whenKeatsremarks:“withagreatpoetthesenseofBeauty overcomeseveryotherconsideration,orratherobliteratesall consideration.”(Keats).Inthismanner,thebeautyof Two-Lane Blacktop isitsobliterationofallotherconsiderationsinserviceof itsveilshapelessness.Aveilofshapelessnesswhichseemsa protesttofilmitself,untilfinallyunravellingonanalysisofthe charactersinthefilm.
Works Cited
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UnmotivatedHero.19Jan.2004,pp.279–292, https://doi.org/10.1017/9789048503681.014.Accessed3 Oct.2024.
Hellman,Monte. Two-Lane Blacktop. UniversalPictures,1971. Lentricchia,Frank,andThomasMcLaughlin. Critical Terms for Literary Study, Second Edition.Universityof ChicagoPress,15May2010.
Richardson.“UnnaturalNarrativeTheory.” Style,vol.50, no.4,2016,p.385,https://doi.org/10.5325/style.50.4.0385.
Ryan,Marie-Laure,etal. Narrating Space, Spatializing Narrative : Where Narrative Theory and Geography Meet. Columbus,TheOhioStateUniversityPress,2016.
Salles,Walter.“Hollywood-Westerns-Movies-Motion Pictures.” The New York Times,11Nov.2007, www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/magazine/11roadtrip-t.html.
The Road to Morocco.DirectedbyDavidButler, ParamountPictures,1942.Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtXjqPavcA0 VladimirPropp,etal. Morphology of the Folktale.1928. Austin,UniversityOfTexasPress,2015.