You could be right about setting up "the Jack/Alma conflict," if that's what Annie Proulx intended. I have to admit I have not given that aspect much thought because, to be honest, it doesn't particularly interest me. My gut reaction is to feel that a comparison or conflict of Jack and Alma as housekeepers for Ennis is a bit of a stretch, but I can accept that I could be wrong there, or that perhaps that conflict comes from Ang Lee rather than from Annie Proulx.
As for the "receptive" and "active" sex roles, my impression from the story has always been that, no, they don't change their roles in 20 years. Ennis is the "top" and Jack is the "bottom." In the story the motel scene is the real center, and that's where Jack makes the remark that I now use as a tag line, that all that time Ennis spends on horseback is what makes it so good. I've always, since 1997, taken that to mean that Ennis has well-developed saddle muscles that enable him to throw a good fuck.
This is also where the narrative tells us that Jack lies to Ennis about his sexual activity with other guys: "'Shit no,' said Jack, who had been riding more than bulls, not rolling his own." In other words, he's been getting fucked, not masturbating. (Ennis, in contrast, says he has no interest in other guys but "wrang it out a hunderd times" thinking of Jack.)
So, if you'll pardon the bluntness, in the story we've got Ennis as a good fucker, and Jack who likes to get fucked, and nothing after the story motel scene ever registered with me that any of that changed throughout their relationship. That would also, I think, support the idea that they never really advanced from their days on Brokeback Mountain.
Well, thanks for explaining that, Jeff. I don't mind bluntness. As I said, this is an area where my knowledge and sensitivities are obviously limited, so I'll defer to yours. Frankly, one of the things I like about this board is that it offers the chance to learn more about that stuff.
So the only replies I have are:
-- When I referred to the Jack/Alma conflict I was using shorthand for an idea about a metaphor that is considerably more complex than that, having to do with a tension between Jack and Alma over the years. I don't want to oversimplify it any again or shortchange the thought that others put into analyzing it, so I'll just point out the thread where it was discussed. You still may not be interested, but if so it's here:
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php?topic=698.0(But in case you don't make it there, at least notice the parallel scenes of Jack doing laundry and Alma doing laundry. It's not really just about housekeeping, I don't think.)
-- In any case, the Jack/Alma thing is in the movie, not the story. Personally, I don't like analyzing the movie on the basis of the story (or, I suppose, vise versa). They're just too different. And now I realize that in your earlier posts you referred specifically to Annie Proulx and the story, so I guess that's what we're talking about. In which case, you're undoubtedly right. I like to think I'm pretty knowledgable about the movie by now, but I don't feel at all that way about the story.
(To be absolutely honest, though I have always admired the writing in the short story I was nowhere near as floored when I read that as I was when I later saw the movie. One of the reasons for that, I think, is that the characters simply aren't as interesting. To me, anyway. Sorry, everybody.)
Hope you all have/had fun at the brunch!