http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:39:24 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/03/060421.php#comment-603781 David Ben-Ariel, I have arrived very late in this discussion so please forgive me for not having read all of the comments previously posted, i.e., I may be repeating something already stated. Many people's comments I did read made an attempt to enlighten you about the real "theme" of Brokeback Mountain. I'm going to try again because evidently you still don't "get it." Annie Proulx is a Pulitzer Prize, O'Henry Prize, Golden Globe and Oscar winning, to name a few, writer. She has studied the subject of Brokeback Mountain, being the "theme" of the film: The Tragic Effects of Rural Homophobia in Wyoming in 1963. She then told the story. It centered around Ennis and Jack, who grew up very poor in remote country areas and knew very few people. Ennis' parents were killed when he was about 14 y/o. But his father was around long enough to make sure that Ennis was fearful of being a "queer." Ennis' father dragged he and his brother to the ditch where an old man, who was "ranched up" with another man, had been violently killed. This event had a very lasting impression on him - because of the violent nature of the killing, not because Ennis was queer. When he and Jack meet when they are both 19, there is an instant bonding going on which leads to the first Tent Scene (you missed the first 10 minutes so I'll forgive your lack of knowledge about how J&E began their flirting), and you are right it happened with liquid courage at first, but Ennis' fear was also associated with the fact that if anyone found out he was queer, he could end up like the dead guy his father dragged him to see. In Annie Proulx' short story, Ennis is paired with Alma by his sister who was going to get married and leave soon. At the time, Ennis had no sexual experience or understanding, so he went along with it - as was the custom. But after he and Jack find each other he is very confused and afraid. Small town - easy for him to be found out. They immediately have 2 children and are dirt poor. Jack at the same time is trying to figure himself out. He is pretty much aware of the fact that he is gay, but that is not socially acceptable. He meets his wife during a rodeo, they get married and have a son. Four years after J&E come down from Brokeback Mountain, Jack mails Ennis a postcard saying he will be coming to Wyoming, presumably to visit his folks. When they see each other again, it is a "Powerful Force of Nature" that hits them. Ennis is very afraid and also unwilling to leave his wife and kids for Jack. Jack would be willing to leave his wife for Ennis though. They continue meeting 2-3 times a year until Ennis just can't stand this struggle anymore. Jack returns home and the next thing we hear, he has been killed - no definitive answer. It could have been an accident - it could have been the same as what happened to the old rancher who had been killed violently (Ennis father had dragged him to see). It was at that time that Ennis realizes how much he loved Jack and how much Jack meant to him. At the same time, he also discovers how much Jack loved him. It is a truly sad ending. Jack's wife didn't seem to be all that interested in the marriage (maybe she figured Jack was queer) and Ennis' wife had already remarried and had a new baby. Ennis had a good relationship with his girls though. But, most of us think that Ennis will never try to "replace" Jack. I think this beautiful Masterpiece on film has opened up a lot of people's homophobic ideals and helped them to become tolerant of "people period," not just the ones who are "like them." I have spoken to hundreds of people who have told these stories and I, myself, feel that I have been even more enlightened than I thought I was. David Ben-Ariel, I feel really sorry for you because you are using the Bible to keep yourself from living a life. You have denied yourself the happiness that WE ALL DESERVE! This type of interpretation of WHAT IS A TRUE CHRISTIAN, is the main reason I am not a CHRISTIAN. I cannot praise a God who passes judgment on me (I think there is a passage in the Bible about judging others, right?)and I also have seen with my own eyes the horrible wars in the name of religions of all type: Muslim, Catholic, Christian, Judaism, etc. If you have to kill people to convince them that Christianity is the best religion, what's up with that? And, don't say that isn't exactly what the holy wars have been about. You know it is true. Is that what you think is worth sacrificing your entire life for? When I read your initial article, I was appalled. Your self-righteous opinionated attitude is another thing that God is supposed to hate. But you use God to force us to believe you are right. I liken it to a person doing some great, unselfish jesture but goes around bragging about it. Self-righteous. Keep your celebacy to yourself - we don't care and don't need to know. Keep your righteous behavior to yourself. We don't care and we don't need to know. And, I would be grateful if you wouldn't publish it on a news forum for me to read. Keep that to yourself too. Good luck selling that self-righteous book. 603781@blogcritics.org Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:39:24 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/03/060421.php#comment-603780 David Ben-Ariel, I have arrived very late in this discussion so please forgive me for not having read all of the comments previously posted, i.e., I may be repeating something already stated. Many people's comments I did read made an attempt to enlighten you about the real "theme" of Brokeback Mountain. I'm going to try again because evidently you still don't "get it." Annie Proulx is a Pulitzer Prize, O'Henry Prize, Golden Globe and Oscar winning, to name a few, writer. She has studied the subject of Brokeback Mountain, being the "theme" of the film: The Tragic Effects of Rural Homophobia in Wyoming in 1963. She then told the story. It centered around Ennis and Jack, who grew up very poor in remote country areas and knew very few people. Ennis' parents were killed when he was about 14 y/o. But his father was around long enough to make sure that Ennis was fearful of being a "queer." Ennis' father dragged he and his brother to the ditch where an old man, who was "ranched up" with another man, had been violently killed. This event had a very lasting impression on him - because of the violent nature of the killing, not because Ennis was queer. When he and Jack meet when they are both 19, there is an instant bonding going on which leads to the first Tent Scene (you missed the first 10 minutes so I'll forgive your lack of knowledge about how J&E began their flirting), and you are right it happened with liquid courage at first, but Ennis' fear was also associated with the fact that if anyone found out he was queer, he could end up like the dead guy his father dragged him to see. In Annie Proulx' short story, Ennis is paired with Alma by his sister who was going to get married and leave soon. At the time, Ennis had no sexual experience or understanding, so he went along with it - as was the custom. But after he and Jack find each other he is very confused and afraid. Small town - easy for him to be found out. They immediately have 2 children and are dirt poor. Jack at the same time is trying to figure himself out. He is pretty much aware of the fact that he is gay, but that is not socially acceptable. He meets his wife during a rodeo, they get married and have a son. Four years after J&E come down from Brokeback Mountain, Jack mails Ennis a postcard saying he will be coming to Wyoming, presumably to visit his folks. When they see each other again, it is a "Powerful Force of Nature" that hits them. Ennis is very afraid and also unwilling to leave his wife and kids for Jack. Jack would be willing to leave his wife for Ennis though. They continue meeting 2-3 times a year until Ennis just can't stand this struggle anymore. Jack returns home and the next thing we hear, he has been killed - no definitive answer. It could have been an accident - it could have been the same as what happened to the old rancher who had been killed violently (Ennis father had dragged him to see). It was at that time that Ennis realizes how much he loved Jack and how much Jack meant to him. At the same time, he also discovers how much Jack loved him. It is a truly sad ending. Jack's wife didn't seem to be all that interested in the marriage (maybe she figured Jack was queer) and Ennis' wife had already remarried and had a new baby. Ennis had a good relationship with his girls though. But, most of us think that Ennis will never try to "replace" Jack. I think this beautiful Masterpiece on film has opened up a lot of people's homophobic ideals and helped them to become tolerant of "people period," not just the ones who are "like them." I have spoken to hundreds of people who have told these stories and I, myself, feel that I have been even more enlightened than I thought I was. David Ben-Ariel, I feel really sorry for you because you are using the Bible to keep yourself from living a life. You have denied yourself the happiness that WE ALL DESERVE! This type of interpretation of WHAT IS A TRUE CHRISTIAN, is the main reason I am not a CHRISTIAN. I cannot praise a God who passes judgment on me (I think there is a passage in the Bible about judging others, right?)and I also have seen with my own eyes the horrible wars in the name of religions of all type: Muslim, Catholic, Christian, Judaism, etc. If you have to kill people to convince them that Christianity is the best religion, what's up with that? And, don't say that isn't exactly what the holy wars have been about. You know it is true. Is that what you think is worth sacrificing your entire life for? When I read your initial article, I was appalled. Your self-righteous opinionated attitude is another thing that God is supposed to hate. But you use God to force us to believe you are right. I liken it to a person doing some great, unselfish jesture but goes around bragging about it. Self-righteous. Keep your celebacy to yourself - we don't care and don't need to know. Keep your righteous behavior to yourself. We don't care and we don't need to know. And, I would be grateful if you wouldn't publish it on a news forum for me to read. Keep that to yourself too. Good luck selling that self-righteous book. 603780@blogcritics.org Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:38:55 EDT