i have my own impressions of why the Billy the Kid sequences are there. Think of the whole film as an old man looking back on his life, not exactly remembering things the way they really happened.
AND it might help to know that ‘Bound for Glory’ - the Woody Guthrie biography that BD was obsessed with and formed some of his own early self-mythology around, both BEGINS and ENDS with a boxcar ride.

I would say ‘homages’ rather than tropes. Tropes are cliches, for the most part. Part of a film language, nonetheless. The French New Wave is so honored throughout - not so much Lester as Godard in the B&W sequences. That, and the opening credits being a direct reference to Alphaville.
I thought Julianne (a Haynes star) was hilarious as the Baez seen in new interviews in ‘No Direction Home.’

Also:
The original Arthur Rimbaud is French, not a Brit, n’est-ce pas?
and Cate Blanchett’s character is decidedly male.

That’s OK, really, the Haynes film is particularly dense for any but the most hardcore Dylanologist to interpret anything close to fully. BUT it rewards further investigation for any so inclined to unravel its mysteries… much like its subject himself.
I’ve seen much more experienced critics get things wrong about I’m Not There’s characters, settings and soundtrack. Oh well.

Get lots of rest, and carry a lightbulb.

Just read your paragraph about J Strummer. Perhaps when you get older and become a big boy (or girl) you’ll have the perspective to write about such things sensibly. It’ll be a long time before we see another band like The Clash. At one time they really were “the only band that mattered.” Hopefully one day you’ll have the perspective to actually “get” that last sentence.