Freedom and independence
The theme of freedom and independence is seen especially through Fern and her reluctance to settle down now that she has experienced the nomadic lifestyle. Although Fern chose this lifestyle more out of necessity, as she was forced to leave Empire when the town was shut down, she seems to enjoy her new lifestyle and values the independence that it gives her.
It seems that even before taking up a nomadic lifestyle, Fern valued independence and freedom a lot. She praises the house she and her husband lived in for being isolated, and giving them the impression that “There was nothin’ in our way”. (01:28:03-01:28:34). For Fern, isolation gives her a kind of freedom that she does not want to give up. This explains why she refuses to live with Dolly and even with Dave, with whom she gets along well for the most part.
When she is in Dave’s house, Fern seems constrained and uncomfortable. She most likely sees settling down as less desirable than continuing with her nomadic lifestyle, despite its difficulties. As well as this, settling down with Dave might also bring about responsibilities that would limit her new-found freedom. Fern does not want to be tied down by anything, which is why she is not able to spend even a night in Dave’s house and leaves without saying goodbye.
Throughout the movie, there are plenty of scenes that show Fern alone. Although she seems to admire the idea of a community from a distance (such as when she watches the group of travelers enjoying themselves together (00:32:09-00:32:28)), she also seems to value the time she spends in her home. Fern is capable of having fun both with other people as well as by herself, which shows that she is comfortable in her own company and the freedom that it provides her with.
Freedom is also explored through some of the stories that the nomads share. Merle, for example, talks about the constraints of her former lifestyle working for “corporate America” and how she suffered a loss that inspired her to seek out her freedom while she still could. She therefore decided not to wait until retirement, when she would finally be allowed to enjoy a life free of constraints, but to take matters into her own hands and claim her own freedom: “I retired as soon as I could. I didn’t want my sailboat to be in the driveway when I died (…) And it’s not. My sailboat’s out here in the desert.” (00:21:49-00:22:02).
