Life and this movie are messy

[serious crayons]

Why thanks, FRiend! (imagine nonexistent blushing smiley here)

[nakymaton]

About "stink":

Yes, it's Annie undercutting the mushiness of the moment. But I think it's also a way to keep developing the characters through the descriptions. It's part of drawing Ennis as a guy with rough edges, and a guy who's attracted to Jack's masculinity.

I love the word "stink" in that sentence. I think it's a great word choice, and I don't think the story would be as effective if it had used a more neutral or romantic-sounding word in its place.

[serious crayons]

Me, I probably would prefer "smell." But I would choose stink over scent, fragrance, odor, aroma, stench or bouquet.

 

(I never know if that smiley is supposed to be drooling or gagging, but in this case I guess either works.)

[nakymaton]

Katherine, you just like things a little on the mushier side than I do. (See the "I love you" discussion. )

It's also interesting  how Jack is remembered in terms of smells of nature, as if he belonged, in both body and spirit, to the mountain that fed the boys' dreams.

You know, I think that plays a part in developing Ennis's character, too. He associates love with earthy smells, outdoor smells, mountain smells. (And he's at his most content with Alma when he's associating his family life with animals and ranching, too.)

During the first few months after the movie came out, I used to rant and rant about people who said "why didn't they just move to San Francisco?" It drove me crazy... yes, in a city Ennis might be able to live with Jack, but he would lose something else that he loved. (I imagine a city boy would describe his lover's scent in different ways, even if he liked the same kinds of masculine smells?)

[serious crayons]

Katherine, you just like things a little on the mushier side than I do. (See the "I love you" discussion.

I've noticed that. On the other hand, Missy, I think anyone who is on this site every day must have just a bit of a taste for mushiness -- even if it's understated, obfuscated, rugged mushiness!

(I imagine a city boy would describe his lover's scent in different ways, even if he liked the same kinds of masculine smells?)

If Annie Proulx were writing it, City Ennis would be "hoping for the faintest bus exhaust and subway stairs ..."

Speaking of smells, Delalluvia wrote something smell-related a long time ago that was so evocative I had to do a search so I could quote it here:

They've been roughing it in the mountains for weeks, they clean as best they can, but they're still going to smell of earth, sheep and horses, their own bodies and male lust, the tent is going to have its own odor, mildew and dampness, the scent of pinyon pine from the trees, the smell of woodsmoke on their skin and in their hair...

Whew! Now I need an "is it hot in here?" smiley!

[Front-Ranger]

  Isn't this it??

[delalluvia]

I don't know how I missed this thread the first time out.

Yes, I love the way Proulx uses 'stink'.  Men in Ennis and Jack's line of work don't bathe that often - especially in 1963 - and if they do, rarely could they afford deoderant, so yes, they did stink after a hard day's labor.

The short story is majorly Ennis POV.  So Ennis is not about to describe another man's personal effluvia with such soft-pedaled words as 'scent', 'odor', 'fragrance' or what have you.  Jack stinks after a normal day's work - though in the short story we do wonder about Jack's personal hygiene after he's married Lureen and comes up to Riverton after 4 years.  He's a businessman by then and you'd think he'd be a little cleaner.

Or else, his scent is simply familiar and Ennis is so overcome with joy and memory at their reunion that just the scent of Jack - whether mild or strong - evokes their time on the mountain for Ennis.  People do have an individual scent, no matter how well they clean. 

So Jack has a personal smell and Ennis, attune to everything in the natural world, not only recognizes his scent, it is as wonderful to him as any perfume.

[serious crayons]

People do have an individual scent, no matter how well they clean.

Glad to see you here, Del! You obviously know your smells. (I hope that doesn't sound too weird.  )

Not only do people have individual scents, but if you love someone you usually love their stink, too. Hard to tell which is the chicken and which is the egg -- maybe it's their stink that attracts you in the first place.

[delalluvia]

Glad to see you here, Del! You obviously know your smells. (I hope that doesn't sound too weird.  )

Not only do people have individual scents, but if you love someone you usually love their stink, too. Hard to tell which is the chicken and which is the egg -- maybe it's their stink that attracts you in the first place.

Sorry I haven't been around much, been badly under the weather for a couple of weeks now.

Not weird at all.  I'm a nature girl.  I do love scents.  One of my favorite times is when you wake up with your lover in the morning w/ or w/o having made love the night before.  I love the way guys smell.

Nice........

[Penthesilea]

Not only do people have individual scents, but if you love someone you usually love their stink, too. Hard to tell which is the chicken and which is the egg -- maybe it's their stink that attracts you in the first place.

Yep. Thinking of pheromones, we don't know how much of what we call "attraction" is caused by them.

And regarding the use of the word stink: I love it. I love how Annie Proulx doesn't mince matters and is frank and outspoken in her descriptions of smells.
It's how the world is and how people are: messy at times. And people stink at times.
We often stated how real this movie feels, how real Ennis and Jack are for us. In the story, these descriptions play a part in creating this feeling of authenticity. It's not only for the purpose of undercutting sentimental mushiness.

Or else, his scent is simply familiar and Ennis is so overcome with joy and memory at their reunion that just the scent of Jack - whether mild or strong - evokes their time on the mountain for Ennis.  People do have an individual scent, no matter how well they clean. 

So Jack has a personal smell and Ennis, attune to everything in the natural world, not only recognizes his scent, it is as wonderful to him as any perfume.

Beautiful said, Mel. I can relate to Ennis on this. The familiar scent of a beloved person is something wonderful. And if it turns into something stronger than scent  = stink, I don't care. When my husband comes close to me after a day of labour in hot summer, it's all HIM.
And when he's on a business trip, I like to take his blanket, course it smells like HIM.

Reminds me of  Ennis sniffing at Junior's sweater. It's so typical Ennis and I love it. (I didn't re-read the whole thread, don't know if it's already mentioned here)