The way in which Sally Potter intertextually represents the idea of gender through ' The Eternal Recurrence' found in the original novel, by way of visual expression.
The way in which the story looks at the cycle of life, the original idea was to have a strong emphasis on DEATH at the beginning of the film and BIRTH at the end.
This idea of time travel and 'science fiction' has a resemblance to '2001: A Space Odyssey in regards to the seamless transcending of time on screen and to the evolution of self integral to both film's narrative structures. The child in the film could almost be a representation of the 'star child' at the end of Kubrick's film after the main protagonist travels full circle and returns to earth as a higher being / version of his former self.
Both characters are the subjects of love affairs with Orlando. Both characters leave orlando in the film. One in the beginning and one in the end. As SP writes, "the two characters mirror each other in the film", the only difference being there apparent gender, this opposing Orlando's gender at both points in the film. Both leave Orlando by way of sailing away.
