Author Topic: A Love Born From Steel - Ongoing Discussion  (Read 298801 times)

Offline opinionista

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Re: A Love Born From Steel: Epilogue 2006
« Reply #350 on: June 17, 2006, 10:53:46 am »
I have been waiting for the story to end in order to write a review of the whole thing. And I have it, but I don't know if it ¡s going to come out the way I want to. The language barrier. But I'm going to try. If there's something you don't understand, please ask me and I find a way to make it clear.

I liked A Love Born From Steel a lot. It's very well written, entertaining, and, in my opinion, there's a lesson there for all of us to learn. When I first started to read it I had some troubles with it because Jack and Ennis are very different to the original one. Then, I remembered a line from the Spanish movie Lucía y el Sexo (Lucia and the Sex) that made me realize that the changes in the characters make sense, and that's exactly where the lesson lies.

The line from the movie is this one:

In Spanish: "La primera ventaja es que cuando el cuento llega al final no se acaba, sino que se cae por un agujero y el cuento reaparece en la mitad del cuento. La segunda ventaja y la más grande: que desde aquí se le puede cambiar el rumbo".

Translation: "The first advantage is that when the story reaches its ending, doesn't really finish there but falls into a hole and shows up again, right in the middle of the story.  The second advantage and the biggest one: that from there its course can be changed.

Well, taking into consideration the above quotation, I think Proulx's Brokeback Mountain didn't finish with Jack dying and Ennis ending up alone and heart broken. At that point it fell into a hole and went back right into the middle, where Leslie picks up and gave it a different course. Through the chapters she showed us what can happen when we make the decision to follow our hearts instead of our fears.

At the beginning of A Love Born from Steel, Ennis finds himself at crossroads, when Jack shows up depressed, willing to take his own life. But instead of taking the easiest road, which was to convice Jack, once again, that the only life they could have as a couple was to see each other in a far off place and once in a while, he takes the riskiest and bumpiest road. He decides to give Jack a chance, no matter what could happen. Ennis, for the first time in his life, follows his heart and not his fears. And was rewarded because it turned out to be the perfect life.

Unfortunately, our life stories cannot fall into a hole and show up again in the middle. I wish it could! but we could learn from both stories. Proulx showed us the misery we can bring into our lives when we live in fear, and Leslie the happiness we can find if we decide to follow our hearts and take a risk.

Thank you Leslie! I'm gonna be missing those chapters, but as you said, I can always read it again.  :-*
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement. -Mark Twain.

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: A Love Born From Steel: Epilogue 2006
« Reply #351 on: June 17, 2006, 01:30:13 pm »
He slid it on. This one moved easily over the knuckle and in the second before it reached the base of his finger, Ennis touched it. “That’s it,” Ennis said, and Jack looked at him. An unspoken vow traveled between their eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  * * *

Junior still smiling said, “Uncle Jack, remember my first day at the farm? Remember what I said to you?”
“Sweetheart, I’ll never forget,” he said. “You thanked me for makin’ him happy.”
“That’s right,” she said. “And I’m thanking you again. You’re still making him happy.”
“Junior,” said Jack, “nothin’ has changed in that respect. He’s still makin’ me happy too.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thanks, Leslie--

xxxxxx
John
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

Offline MaineWriter

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Re: A Love Born From Steel: Epilogue 2006
« Reply #352 on: June 17, 2006, 02:49:15 pm »
Between everyone's comments, Natali's review, the wonderful emails and LJ comments I am receiving, I am, as Ennis would say, a fuckin' mess. My husband thinks I am nuts, sitting here sobbing over my keyboard but I am truly overwhelmed at the love I am receiving from people all over the world. It is amazing. I want to share this email that I received from a regular reader who has been commenting all along...

It took Ennis' kiss with Hal to bring him to accept "I'm gay."
 
It took A Love Born From Steel to bring me to accept "I'm gay."
 
Thank you, Leslie, I am forever grateful.
 


I am truly humbled.

Leslie
Taming Groomzilla<-- support equality for same-sex marriage in Maine by clicking this link!

Offline Lumière

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Re: A Love Born From Steel: Epilogue 2006
« Reply #353 on: June 17, 2006, 03:30:46 pm »
A Love Born From Steel

People have asked me, what's next? I am seriously considering a sequel which starts at or near the time of the event mentioned in the closing paragraphs.

Leslie - I am really glad to hear that you are seriously considering this!   :D
Lord knows I have enjoyed this story!
It's made me smile, laugh, blush, giggle, tear up, ...
Two words: Thank you!  :-*


Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: A Love Born From Steel: Epilogue 2006
« Reply #354 on: June 17, 2006, 03:40:15 pm »
Hey, Leslie, you should seriously consider making a career change, or perhaps adding on a new career. Join me everyone:
Go Pro, Go Pro!! If Howard Dean could evolve out of the medical profession, you sure can!!
"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline DeeDee

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Re: A Love Born From Steel: Epilogue 2006
« Reply #355 on: June 17, 2006, 05:49:23 pm »
Between everyone's comments, Natali's review, the wonderful emails and LJ comments I am receiving, I am, as Ennis would say, a fuckin' mess. My husband thinks I am nuts, sitting here sobbing over my keyboard but I am truly overwhelmed at the love I am receiving from people all over the world. It is amazing. I want to share this email that I received from a regular reader who has been commenting all along...

It took Ennis' kiss with Hal to bring him to accept "I'm gay."
 
It took A Love Born From Steel to bring me to accept "I'm gay."
 
Thank you, Leslie, I am forever grateful.
 


I am truly humbled.

Leslie



Wow.. that is some compliment.  It must be awesome to have such an effect on people.
I didn't get to it yet... you know I need hubby out and some Merlot by my side.

I'll get back to you later.

 :-*  Dee
In America sex is an obsession.  In other parts of the world it is a fact.

Marlene Dietrich

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: A Love Born From Steel: Epilogue 2006
« Reply #356 on: June 17, 2006, 10:06:30 pm »
And more:

“Y’know,” said Jack. “There are prob’ly people in the world who never meet their soulmate.”

“There prob’ly are,” answered Ennis, softly.

“But we found each other.”

“We did,” said Ennis.

“How did it happen, En? How did we end up on that mountain together?”

“I dunno, babe,” said Ennis. “I don’t think we’ll ever know. But we did.”

Jack leaned in again, resting his head against Ennis’s shoulder. “I love you,” he whispered, finally feeling sleep overtaking him, falling into a dark dreamless slumber, held tightly in the protective cocoon of his lover’s arms.



Again, thanks Leslie.
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: A Love Born From Steel: Epilogue 2006
« Reply #357 on: June 17, 2006, 11:31:27 pm »
And yes, still more:

Ennis nodded and managed to take a few shuddering breaths. He felt his heart, racing in his chest, begin to regain a normal rhythm. “Oh, Jesus, Jack,” he whispered, barely able to speak. “I felt like this one other time in my life.”

“When was that, babe?” said Jack, softly.

“The day you drove away in Signal. I felt like someone was rippin’ my fuckin’ guts out. I feel that way now.”

“But you were unhappy then, weren’t you?”

Ennis nodded. “I was so fuckin’ unhappy I thought I would die.”

“And now?”

“I’m so fuckin’ happy I think I’m gonna die. This can’t be real Jack. This can’t be happenin’ t’me.”

“It is real, lover. It is happenin’,” said Jack. “Believe it.”



Beautiful.

"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

Offline Lumière

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Re: A Love Born From Steel: Epilogue 2006
« Reply #358 on: June 17, 2006, 11:40:11 pm »

It took Ennis' kiss with Hal to bring him to accept "I'm gay."
 
It took A Love Born From Steel to bring me to accept "I'm gay."
 
Thank you, Leslie, I am forever grateful.
 


I am truly humbled.

Leslie

That's beautiful Leslie!
Yet another example of the power words can have!  :)


Offline bbm_stitchbuffyfan

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Re: A Love Born From Steel
« Reply #359 on: June 18, 2006, 02:36:39 am »
Good God, it's 2:30 in the morning and I am going to have immense difficulty falling asleep tonight. I am fucking addicted to this story, that's why!

I just finished Chapter 9 (I know I'm way behind) -- so I'm not reading any of the posts until I finish but when the emotion becomes too overwhelming, I will make posts. So, this story is so very sweet and extremely endearing. I was moved to (happy) tears in the Fourth of July scene when they discuss their perfect day. And, man, the 'wedding' was amazing.

Oh, God, I am loving this story. It's the polar opposite of the movie in mood, by the way, which is gonna be my next viewing of the film especially peculiar.
If you'd just realize what I just realized then we'd be perfect for each other and we'd never have to wonder if we missed out on each other now
We missed out on each other now


R.I.P. Heath Ledger