Easter in the story and/or movie, and that religious word!! ??

[Front-Ranger]

You may possibly be right about that, Artiste. But, since it's Easter time, I would prefer to dwell upon the theme of redemption. This was touched on right at the beginning of the story, when Ennis woke suffused with joy because Jack had appeared to him in his dreams. There is a reference to the sheets which further contributes to the Christ-like image of Jack in the story, as if Jack were swathed in the shrouds from the tomb. In fact, Ennis shuffles to the stove to reheat leftover coffee, and when he turns on the burner, the pot is swathed in the blue light of the flame. Sheets, coffee, the pot (in fact any container), handles, the color blue, the reference to a swather...all are powerful reminders of Jack. How Annie must have slaved over this short prologue to make every word vibrate with meaning!! I can't imagine how she must have felt when it was left off the story when it was first published.

[Lynne]

...the pot is swathed in the blue light of the flame

Those are great points, Lee - thank you for contributing.  You know that the flame is frequently associated with the Pentecost.  One symbol for the United Methodist Church has a red flame with the crucifix to represent the Holy Spirit.

[Front-Ranger]

Speaking of Methodists, there is a very picturesque little Methodist church at the bottom of TenSleep Canyon as you come down from Brokenback Mountain. I always thought it inspired Annie to make Ennis's family Methodist. I will post a picture of it later.

Jack lives in our hearts today!!

[injest]

Remember also, Artiste, that in rural America you have a lot of churches that call themselves this or that but actually have little or no ties to the 'Official' versions of those religions. There is no legal requirements to be a pastor...anyone can make their own church. In the 1800s an uneducated farm worker wrote his own version of the Bible, for heavens sake! (and it is still popular in small areas!)

so what one church calls "resurrection, rapture, pentecost" ...all those things depend on where you go to church....yes, there are some churches that agree but there are small enclaves in the rural areas of America that run their own belief system...and I believe it used to be even more fragmented than it is now...

You ever hear of the snakehandling churches in the South of the USA? or the followers of Braninism (who believe that Christ HAS already returned and we ARE IN rapture right now??)

My guess is the Annie was talking about what is generally considered by the mainstream organized religion as the Pentecost....but when I first read the story, I got the impression that Jack was raised in an isolated area in a backwoods church among ignorant but well meaning people....

[Artiste]

Thanks, thanks injest and all the others!!

Injest you say this:
My guess is the Annie was talking about what is generally considered by the mainstream organized religion as the Pentecost....but when I first read the story, I got the impression that Jack was raised in an isolated area in a backwoods church among ignorant but well meaning people....
 ...

May I say that I agree with you injest.

Also, may I add that I think that Annie also strikes a hard note like this: that our current religions might seem backwoods, but since gay men are being murdered because they are gay men by such backwarded religions and/or back-to-the-cave torturous men-animals, worst is happening now, and it is worsening as so-called religions as islam is not allowing man to live as if it documented that muslims and other so-called religious terrorists do not allow men to advance as they kill others who are of different religions because only their backward-one I qualify, does and MUST exist ONLY, unfortunately!!


Even if I would like to be Jack again, and have hope and live happily, I still seek ways to LOVE all!! Like Ennis, I fear now for my life because of backwarded so-called religions and other man-animals. I do not think that islam (and such other likewise) is a religion but like the KKK in the USA and Canada, the SS was in Germany, the murderers in Iraq/Iran/Afganistan, and elsewhere and worst!!

Anyway, we must find ways to educate all persons to be HELPFUL!! That is Easter to me!!

Hugs!!