Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
As Easter nears, no Easter in Annie's story or the BM movie?? But??
Artiste:
About two years ago, I read a thought written by someone who thinks that the BM movie is like Easter if I interpret him, since he figured that it was pentecostal !!
I guess like every person carries his/her own cross?? Is that it?
Hugs!
Front-Ranger:
I don't know much about the pentacost, so I'll go back to the original question. The concept of Easter, or rebirth, regeneration, DOES appear in both the story and the film, IMO, but subtly. There are quite a few parallels to the story of Jesus in both. First of all, the story begins with impoverished rural people traveling a long distance in the service of the government. We recall that Mary and Joseph were simple peasants who came to Bethlehem (notice it starts with a B) to be counted. Aguirre said the first words in the movie when he called to them, saying "You pair a deuces lookin for work..." Aguirre is known as an incarnation of God in some cultures. The Bible depicts Joseph walking while Mary rode on a donkey, and of the two of them, only Jack had transportation, and his was rickety at best.
Okay, I'll fast forward here in the interest of time. Jack was a bullrider, and Jesus was portrayed as such when he entered Jerusalem on "an unbroken colt" (this was pointed out to me by Annie Proulx herself in answer to a question I asked her). Jack was purported to have supernatural powers, such as curing pneumonia and attracting lightning. He certainly was able to work miracles when it came to bringing Ennis out of his shell! Nevertheless, Jack pursued love at the expense of his own safety, similar to the risky things Jesus did in his ministry. Jack's end was brutish and disputed, just like Jesus'.
Ennis' character had some parallels to Peter's. Like the first apostle, he spoke out against Jack and I believe it was three times. At the end, after it was too late, he pledged his love to Jack, saying "Jack, I swear." There is a glimmer of the promise of Easter redemption, though very subtle in the story and just a little stronger in the movie. Can you see it in the photo below?? I missed it the first dozen or so times I saw the movie, but when I viewed it at the BBQ last May, I saw it for the first time, right in the very middle of the screen!!
Artiste:
Thanks very, very much Front-Ranger!
Wow, you sure detail beautifully!!
Now, I have to ponder about each detail you present!
So great to know that!
More?
Hugs!
Front-Ranger:
Thanks, Artiste. Yes, there is more!! Did you know that the Easter story of Jesus rising from the dead was eerily similar to earlier stories and myths from other religions? In these stories, the Earth Mother gave birth to the Sun God in the spring, who grew to manhood and became her lover. He was cut down and died in the autumn, bringing on the winter, but the mother always gave birth to him again year after year. Thus was mankind assured of life's continuance and given new hope in the darkest days of the year.
In Brokeback Mountain, we have Ma Twist as the Earth Mother, keeper of the mysteries such as the Pentacost and why she would marry an SOB like Old Man Twist. She is also the one who gives the benediction, laying her hand on Ennis' shoulder, bestowing the gift of the shirts, and saying "You come back, see us again."
Has anyone spotted the sign of redemption in the closing scene of the movie that I posted earlier today??
Artiste:
Thanks Front-Ranger!
I sure like your description about Mrs. Twist!
However, I am puzzled as to why you detail Mr. Twist like that!
(Is he supposed to be Judas?)
More please.
Au revoir,
hugs!
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version