The monochrome tapestry of solo existential travel in 21st century Hollywood: A critical analysis

Abstract

Solo existential travel films of Hollywood enjoyed their heyday in the first two decades of the 21st century with most of them emerging as cult classics that have inspired millions to venture out on backpacking trips. The solo travel beyond the margins of a materialistic society that promises the traveller some existential clarity, in theory, is a truly existential endeavour that lets the individual exercise their Sartrean freedom and responsibility. But a quick survey of the films produced by Hollywood over the decades reveals a rather stealthy racism within. Solo existential travellers in Hollywood films of the 21st century have predominantly been white Americans. Despite being a powerful tool to create one’s meaning and authentic identity in society, solo travel is still an instrument of self-redemption that is kept away from people of colour, especially the black American community. The paper will look into the significance, relevance and consequences of this seemingly invisible omission. From an embodiment perspective, the paper will attempt to analyze the absence of racial diversity in the genre to shed light on why the coloured body is to find its space in Hollywood’s tapestry of solo existential travel.