Is Brokeback Mountain about being gay?

Posted by dave c (A) on February 7, 2006 at 15:35:15

I don't think its about being gay or bi-sexual.
I think it is about how the emotional repression of the stereotypical "strong silent" male cripples them inside and how this inability causes great stress and loss in their lives.
Beyond the Ennis/Jack relationship, there is the small but telling (for me!) Thanksgiving scene where Jack's father-in-law keeps turning the TV on because "boys need to watch football", until Jack finally tells him where to get off; at which point he looks a bit sheepish and sits down.
Then there is the scene with Ennis and his failed girlfriend where she leaves a date to talk to him and he more or less says he just is uncommunicative.
This inability to open up even extends as far as his mouth hardly moving when he speaks.
Jack on the other hand is more giving and expressive and thus has more relationships... and needs.
Even possibly having affairs with both his married neighbours (or is the affair with the wife just a way of not telling Ennis about an affair with the husband?).
Jack takes the trip to Mexico.
Ennis does not.
Could this be extended to include an economic element where Ennis has little money while Jack has prospered. Either Ennis has shut down so far he cannot even allow himself to succeed or money lets you be yourself.
For a story in which not a lot happens (typical Proulx) there are a lot of at least potential themes running through it... or at least extracted by me!!

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Topic - Is Brokeback Mountain about being gay? - dave c 15:35:15 02/07/06 (24)

I think... - Harmonia 18:50:49 02/09/06 (1)

Re: I think...You've got it... - Steve O 20:30:20 02/10/06 (0)

News flash: Every man has a poet trapped inside him. nt - clarkjohnsen 08:28:19 02/08/06 (5)

ItÂ´s a matter of opening the closet and letting him out... 8nt) - orejones 03:55:27 02/09/06 (1)

How does one say "ZING!," in Spanish? nt - tinear 06:18:15 02/10/06 (0)

Which one? Longfellow? nt - dave c 11:57:21 02/08/06 (2)

Shakespeare. nt - tinear 06:18:46 02/10/06 (0)

John Gay? nt - AudioHead 12:17:53 02/09/06 (0)

An Excerpt From Ebert's Review. - AudioHead 08:22:11 02/08/06 (3)

In other words.... - Dalton 15:05:06 02/08/06 (2)

They're not "cowboys." They're ranch hands. nt - clarkjohnsen 09:28:39 02/09/06 (1)

OK, Thanks For Straight-ening Him Out On That, Clark. - AudioHead 12:06:00 02/09/06 (0)

I think it is broader then that... - BJordan 19:32:31 02/07/06 (0)

I suppose if one is forced to name a theme it would be a bit larger net than you cast: - tinear 18:09:47 02/07/06 (0)

Is "Free Willy" about a Whale? - Vinyleer 16:50:52 02/07/06 (1)

Are you saying the film is about a mountain? - dave c 17:52:28 02/07/06 (0)

Only if yer a homophobe Repub. - PdL 16:04:38 02/07/06 (5)

Bullshit - Tom Brennan 17:41:17 02/07/06 (4)

Sure it is nt - Tom Brennan 18:02:31 02/07/06 (1)

Well, you avoided... - dave c 18:11:48 02/07/06 (0)

Repression is not avoidance. nt - dave c 17:53:50 02/07/06 (1)

But denial is !!! - PdL 18:06:11 02/07/06 (0)

Does a wet Pope shit in the woods? * - mr grits 16:02:54 02/07/06 (1)

The black goose flies south for thw winter - dave c 16:30:00 02/07/06 (0)

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