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

cosmetic changes?

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Brown Eyes:
Hey Buds,

I've been thinking a little bit lately about Lureen's obvious cosmetic transitions and evolution as the film of BBM progresses.  I was wondering about this in relation to Jack's physical transformations.  In the story we're given more of an overt description of at least one major cosmetic change that Jack makes... getting his teeth fixed.  And in both the story and film he grows a moustache.  I don't think there's much of anything in the film to give the viewer any sense of the issue regarding Jack's teeth.

I know we've all had our theories about what Lureen's cosmetic changes might signify.  But, what about Jack's cosmetic changes?

Why the moustache (whether we like it or not)?  Why get his teeth fixed?  Who is he trying to impress?  Why doesn't Ennis go through a similar process of physical change?  Or does he in some way?

injest:
Jack was trying to get as far away from the boy he was in Lightening Flat....changing his appearance (fixing himself) was one way to do that

Brown Eyes:
Well, yes, I think that's a good part of what's going on with Jack.  I guess that facial hair in general could be a sign of maturity... having grown beyond the reach of his abusive father.  It's also such an overt, in-your-face (pardon the pun  ;) ) sign of masculinity.  Did this pose a challenge to Ennis?  Was this Jack trying to make Ennis acknowledge that he was kissing another man?  At least from what we see in the film, Jack has that moustache for many, many years, so Ennis must not have voiced any objection.  I would think that if Jack sensed physical rejection over the moustache that he would have shaved it off pretty quickly.

But, I'm still also a little stuck on how Lureen's cosmetic changes might relate to Jack's.  Are the both signs of desperation?  Low self-esteem?  Attention-getting devices?

Jeff Wrangler:
Well, mustaches were fashionable in the '70s when Jack grew his. Maybe it wasn't anything more than that.

Maybe Story Jack thought getting his teeth fixed would be good for his business as a salesman.

Front-Ranger:
I just had an epiphany about Lureen...all those pearls she wears. The lustre is a secretion of the oyster when an irritant invades its shell. The oyster coats the irritant with lustre and in so doing makes it into a beautiful pearl. But also, in the process, smothers it.

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