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Snakes Alive!

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Front-Ranger:
Jack said that Lureen was like a rabbit tryin to squeeze into a snakehole with a coyote on its tail. It didn't seem like he was describing Lureen; he was really describing himself!! He was trying to fit himself into a restrictive environment. He was a scared rabbit at the mercy of the wolfish homophobes (externally) and desires (internally) that were always on his back.

This topic will address some of the snakes that keep popping up in the movie, the book, and in Annie Proulx's writings and lectures, and in Western literature.

moremojo:
Hey, Lee--

I am fascinated by snakes, while at the same time fearing them. They are such beautiful creatures, yet so alien and unhuman, not to mention lethal (sometimes to people, and at any rate to some animal or another). But off the top of my head, the snakehole metaphor of Jack's description is the only snakey reference I recall from the film; from the story, I can recall none. Can you cite specific instances?

As for Western literature/culture, I know that the Shoshone (or Shoshoni) Indians were/are sometimes referred to as the Snake Indians. Sacagawea, of Lewis-and-Clark fame, belonged to this tribe by birth.

Let's get the snake-talk rolling (or slithering!).

Front-Ranger:
To start this off on an Anything Goes note, here is a modern interpretation of the Snake Goddess of mythology:

Jeff Wrangler:
I have no better authority for this than the novels of Mary Renault, but I understand that in ancient Greece, the snake was thought to be the messenger who brought messages from the Mother to Her priestesses. Anybody know if that's correct?

Front-Ranger:
Yes, that's correct, Jeff, and also the snake is a general symbol for femininity. You might find that surprising because of the snake's resemblance to a certain male organ, but really the snake is thought to emulate a woman because of the way it undulates.

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