Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum

Why did Annie/Brokeback Mountain movie used men abused as children, why why why?

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RossInIllinois:
Why Why Why o Why is my answer... ::)

brokeplex:
Artiste's question about the "portrayal" of survivors of child abuse in BM is a fair one and deserves a hearing. I don't agree with all of Artiste's conclusions, but he does ask interesting questions.

Fran:
Here are my thoughts on Artiste's question in terms of the story:

By today's standards, story Jack and story Ennis were subjected to some form of child abuse (not sexual abuse, in my opinion):  Jack when his father urinated and beat him up for missing the toilet when he was only three or four and Ennis when his father took him to see Earl's mutilated corpse when he was nine years old and then joked about it. 

As for why, I believe Annie Proulx included these anecdotes as plot devices.

Ennis needed a reason for continuing to deny himself a "sweet life" with Jack, and she gives him a perfect reason to be afraid to be open about his love for Jack.  What his father exposed him to made a lasting impression on him; his fear would never allow him to live openly with Jack. 

Ennis's suddenly remembering Jack's story about his father's reaction to his toilet-training accident reinforces for the reader how horrible a person OMT is.  While up on Brokeback, Jack told Ennis that his father, even though he had been a well-known roper in his time, had never come to see him ride and had kept all of his secrets to himself.  We dislike OMT from the beginning for being an uncaring father; when we read about the bathroom incident on the heels of OMT's telling Ennis about Jack's ranch neighbor from Texas, we dislike OMT even more. 

Additionally, Jack's and Ennis's abuse show us what tough childhoods they had and how difficult their formative years must have been.  Neither of them had the happy childhood children deserve, which makes their inability to have a "sweet life" together when they were older and in control of their own lives even harder for the reader to accept.

Artiste:
Thanks optom!

I am glad that you brought up the term: golden shower !! I had forgotten it, as it displeases me terribly when someone asked me to urinate on him, or he on me !! I have met some persons like that, and since they shocked me, I never thought of asking why do you want that, etc. ?? Of course, I broke up my communications with such!! I wonder how many are there who like such actions? Utmostly rare, from my experiences with unumerable gay men and others!!

I find it as a form of abuse !!  I think that some persons do not at all care about others, but themselves. Some are bullies !! Some are thugs !! ??

OMT seems to me now, as a bully, in some ways!!

And, therefore, he abuses others, and not only Jack the child ... also his wife ?

Au revoir, awaiting your news,
hugs!!

Artiste:
Thanks brokeplex!

I agree totally with you that Lureen is pregnant BEFORE she meets Jack!

Therefore, do you see that as a form of abuse?

As you post always wonderful communications too, au revoir,
hugs!

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