Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
The Laundry Room
Marge_Innavera:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on July 06, 2006, 12:45:53 am ---Anyway, what this all has to do with laundry is that Jack's laundry-doing sticks in our mind in a very memorable scene -- so to all the other reasons we've previously discussed as to why he might be doing laundry naked, add that it sure grabs attention and makes the scene stick in our minds!
--- End quote ---
One of the things I love about the film is that the symbolism is always an integral part of the plot and script, rather than being just plunked down in the story. As even beginning writers know, symbolism is a bit like playing chess: very quick & easy to learn to do; very difficult and sometimes impossible to learn to do well.
In the case of Jack doing laundry naked, they've gone up there with only one change of clothes each. And if you're doing laundry in a stream under those circumstances, the best practice is to do it naked or at least in your underwear: that ensures having a dry set of clothes to put on later.
For me, that aspect of the symbolic parts also fitting into the literal story was one of the best aspects of the movie.
Front-Ranger:
THings I do naked include the laundry, washing the car, and cleaning the shower. It just doesn't make sense otherwise! ::) Of couse, the first only happens when I come back from a run and have to deposit the clothes I'm wearing into the washer, and the second only happens on midsummer nights.
Also, a note to Scott--copy your post here into your Daily Thoughts blog. Those insights are too good to languish here in the laundry room!!
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on September 01, 2006, 07:04:22 pm ---THings I do naked include ... washing the car
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Lee, do you get any strange looks (or appreciative glances!) from other customers at the car wash?
;D
Front-Ranger:
LOL! No, I wash the car in my driveway (I live way out in the middle of nowhere in the Rocky Mountains, hope U can see it someday!)
Front-Ranger:
Thinking back to the scene of Alma doing laundry in the sink, there are many parallels to the companion scene of Jack doing laundry in the stream. We see both Alma and Jack from the back, although they are looking opposite ways. They both beat on the laundry, Alma with a washboard and Jack with a stick. They are both cleaning an item belonging to Ennis, Alma washing his undershirt and Jack washing his shirt. But the differences are telling. Of course, Alma is clothed while Jack is naked. And the contrast of the wild free-running stream to the sink in the choky little ranch house couldn't be more different!
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