Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Double meanings: Lines that can be taken more than one way
nakymaton:
Maybe they don't really like fish (whether in tacos or not ;D ). Hey, I can understand that!
I like Mikaela's explanation. And I don't know if this fits in at all, but there's this tradition of guys who fish telling made-up storied about the big one that got away... so maybe it feels more natural to lie about fishing?
Mikaela:
--- Quote from: nakymaton on June 15, 2006, 09:52:48 am ---.......there's this tradition of guys who fish telling made-up storied about the big one that got away... so maybe it feels more natural to lie about fishing?
--- End quote ---
Hmmmmm......Based on that it's tempting to start looking for tall tale innuendo providing the double meaning in Ennis's tale that he "caught a bunch of browns and ate them up". But nope, I won't do that.
Instead I'll point to the double meaning in "That line hadn't touched water in its life!". It not only describes Alma's discovery, but is symbolic of the intended emotional and deeply personal connection that's never present between the two of them in all of Ennis's and Alma's marriage.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Mikaela on June 16, 2006, 01:34:07 pm ---Instead I'll point to the double meaning in "That line hadn't touched water in its life!". It not only describes Alma's discovery, but is symbolic of the intended emotional and deeply personal connection that's never present between the two of them in all of Ennis's and Alma's marriage.
--- End quote ---
Oooh! Good one, Mikaela! If water is a metaphor for true love and passion and all that stuff ... then here it is again! Alma stands there washing dishes in her dull "society" water (i.e., tap water), furious and hurt that the symbol of her love for Ennis (the note) never in its life touched the kind of water that courses through Jack and Ennis' relationship.
belbbmfan:
--- Quote from: Mikaela on June 16, 2006, 01:34:07 pm ---Instead I'll point to the double meaning in "That line hadn't touched water in its life!". It not only describes Alma's discovery, but is symbolic of the intended emotional and deeply personal connection that's never present between the two of them in all of Ennis's and Alma's marriage.
--- End quote ---
--- Quote from: latjoreme on June 16, 2006, 02:43:39 pm ---Oooh! Good one, Mikaela! If water is a metaphor for true love and passion and all that stuff ... then here it is again! Alma stands there washing dishes in her dull "society" water (i.e., tap water), furious and hurt that the symbol of her love for Ennis (the note) never in its life touched the kind of water that courses through Jack and Ennis' relationship.
--- End quote ---
These points are fantastic, I never thought there was a deeper meaning in Alma's words.
I was thinking about 'when you don't got nothing, then you don't need nothing'.
I guess Ennis was trying to put a brave face on the sad state of his life for Junior. And if Ennis was only talking about the furniture, I might just have believed him. But moments later, we and Ennis see the shirts and the immens tragedy of Ennis never being able to tell Jack what he really needed and therefore never getting that sweet life becomes so painfully clear. :'(
dly64:
I am reading through this thread and thinking .... Whoa!! You guys are very deep. I am a lot more simplistic. Here's one ...
When Alma says to Ennis,
"... And then you come back lookin' all perky and said you caught a bunch of browns and you ate them up."
The obvious interpretation is she knows what he has been up to with Jack.
Another interpretation is that "perky" could represent a phallic symbol and the "caught a bunch of browns" could represent Jack. I will go no further with this interpretation.
(I hope all of you know that I tend to have a very saracastic sense of humor. :laugh:)
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