Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Book Discussion: Brokeback Mountain
Front-Ranger:
--- Quote from: ProwlAmongUs on October 24, 2007, 10:21:57 pm ---You bring up some good points. As a farm boy (who listened endlessly to my dad and granddad) the analogy of reaping and threshing is ominous. A reaper was a machine that was used to cut grain, that is, to mow/cut it down. Later, technology expanded to include a "drop reaper" - a machine that combined the functions of cutting the grain and binding the bundles with twine/rope to be picked up later and taken to the "threshing machine." This is where the grain was separated from the hulls or chaff, literally by being pounded and pummeled. Of course, by 1963 all these functions were integrated into a "combine" - one machine that does it all from cutting to separating the grain. A variation of "thresh" is "thrash." "Thrashed to within an inch of his life..." For Jack, a gloomy instance of foreshadowing.
--- End quote ---
Yes, and Jack was the best combine salesman they had. He was the only combine salesman they had. (That's a line from the movie, not the book. Oh, how these things get tangled up!)
Front-Ranger:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ANNIE PROULX!!
A good reason to get out the story today or this weekend, and read it again...
Lately I'm thinking about the use of the word "pitch" in the story...
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on August 22, 2008, 12:27:47 pm ---Lately I'm thinking about the use of the word "pitch" in the story...
--- End quote ---
This is a great topic Sister Mod! The instance of this word that comes to my mind immediately is as a verb... in the sentence: " He wanted to be a sophomore, felt the word carried a kind of distinction, but the truck broke down short of it, pitching him directly into ranch work."
Now, looking at my dictionary (a leatherbound Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictonary) it not only shows multiple definitions for the main word "pitch" (as a noun and a verb), but there are is almost 3/4 of a page full of words that contain the word "pitch" within them. Some of the words listed that include the term "pitch" are: pitch-black, pitch-blende, pitch-dark, pitched battle, pitcher, pitcher plant, pitchfork, pitch in, pitchman, pitchout, pitch pine, pitch pipe, pitchstone, pitchwoman, and pitchy.
I'm going to highlight some of the definitions here that seem particularly interesting:
Here are some of the main noun definitions for the basic word "pitch". My dictionary divides the noun section into two very distinct parts (interrupted by the section of definitions on the verb form... this is the first set of noun definitions):
1) a black or dark viscous substance obtained as a residue in the distillation of organic materials and esp. tars. (this is the very first definition of all that appear)
2) any of various various bituminous substances
etc. several definitions along these lines
Here are some of the main verb definitions for "pitch":
1) to cover, smear or treat with or as with pitch
2)to erect and fix firmly in place
3) a) to throw usu. with a particular objective or toward a particular point {~ hay onto a wagon} (b) to throw {a baseball} to a batter (c) to toss so as to fall at or near a mark {a coin} (d) to put aside or discard by throwing
4) a) to cause to be at a particular level or of a particular quality. (b) to cause to be set at a particular angle
5) to utter glibly and insincerely
6) to use as a starting pitcher, to play as pitcher
7) to hit a golf ball in a high arc with backspin so that it rolls very little after striking the green
Here is a second, separate section of verb forms:
1) a) to fall precipitately or headlong ( :o It's almost like Annie was reading a dictionary when she was writing one particular BBM passage that we all know and love)
1) b) to have the bow of a ship alternately plunge precipitately and rise abruptly
1) c) to buck :o
2) to encamp
3) to hit upon or happen upon something
4) to incline downward
5) to throw a ball to a batter
Here is the second section of noun forms:
1) the action of manner of pitching; esp. an up-and-down movement
2) slope (there are many subdefinitions of this)
3) top, zenith (archaic use)
4) a) the relative level, intensity, or extent of some quality or state. (b) the property of a sound and esp. a musical tone that is determined by the frequency of the waves producing it. (there is a lot more to this part of the definition)
5) a steep place
6) a playing field
7) an all-fours game in which the first card led is a trump. ( ??? I have no idea what that means!)
8) an often high pressure sales talk
etc., etc.
So, it seems that this word applies to tons of different themes, topics and concepts peppered throughout BBM in very many different contexts. And, of course the term "to pitch" or "pitcher" also has a sexual slang meaning.
Definitely lots of food for thought!
:)
Gabreya:
*Oh my.* :(
Front-Ranger:
Wow, this is very thought-provoking! Amazing that one word can do all that work!
Thank you for your insights, dear friend! Do you suppose Diana and Larry were inspired by Annie's use of the word pitch to include the road-surfacing scene with the garrulous Timmy?
And, Gabryela, could you elaborate, please?
--- Quote from: atz75 on August 22, 2008, 10:58:29 pm ---1) a black or dark viscous substance obtained as a residue in the distillation of organic materials and esp. tars. (this is the very first definition of all that appear)
2) any of various various bituminous substances
etc. several definitions along these lines
Here are some of the main verb definitions for "pitch":
1) to cover, smear or treat with or as with pitch
2)to erect and fix firmly in place
--- End quote ---
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