The story “Brokeback Mountain” by Annie Proulx is about the connection between two men as they enter adulthood at the age of 20. Ennis starts out as the character with his life together with a fiancé back home, while Jack seems to be the traveler with nothing stable. Although these characters seem very different, they had a lot in common as well. Both were “rough-mannered, rough spoken, and inured” meaning accustomed to, “the stoic life”. The story and the screenplay Brokeback Mountain both provide insights into the connection between the characters, but also have a different affect on its audience.
The story begins with Ennis and Jack’s characters being introduced with some background on their childhood. They come from very different places but have been brought together to work on Brokeback Mountain to herd some sheep. Their relationship at this point seems strictly professional and maybe slightly friendly, but their romance has yet to be revealed. Later in the story, the men become sexually involved and pass it off as a onetime thing that is of no one’s business. However, their connection to one another is created at this time. Once they receive their payment from work and go their separate ways, the men are overcome with a feeling of sadness and emptiness. Ennis goes home to marry Alma, his fiancé, while Jack travels to Texas to start a new life. I hated this part because I really wanted the men to turn around and go back to each other. They tried to pass of their connection as a silly thing that didn’t matter, but it is already obvious that it is so much more.
After four years pass, the men reconnect when Jack, a now married man with a child, comes to Ennis’ town where he still lives with Alma and now has two daughters. The men embrace in the hallway which quickly turns into a passionate kiss. Alma witnesses this event, but cannot bring herself to say anything. Over the next couple years, the men meet up again a couple times a year to be alone together, while they tell their wives that they are away fishing or camping.
Alma finally divorces Ennis after a hard couple of years, and even makes remarks about his relationship with Jack when Ennis comes to visit his daughters. But now that Ennis is alone and broke, it has become more difficult to leave town to be with Jack. Jack does not understand because he feels such a deep connection with Ennis that he doesn’t comprehend that they can’t be together more often. The discussion becomes more heated as Jack explains that they could have had a wonderful life together. Jack goes on to say that “You’re too much for me…I wish I knew how to quit you” (page 21). This scene reveals that this boyhood crush has turned into a profound love. This scene really resonated with me because his words expressed his feelings so well, which was a turning point for him. The men part and months pass. Ennis finally calls Jack’s home to make plans to see each other again; however, Jack has passed away. Ennis goes on with his life knowing that he had felt was true love was like and felt nostalgia for the wonderful times that he and Jack shared. Was Ennis regretful of not starting a life with Jack, or did he feel his reasons were valid enough to keep their relationship private?
I read the last scene of the screenplay to compare with the story. I found that the screenplay used a lot of the descriptions from the story which was important for the actors in order for them to truly understand the characters. The screenplay used a lot more dialogue than the story which is understandable because it is going to be turned into a movie. However, I thought the lack of words really displayed how the men did not need to converse, but were comfortable enough with each other not to speak. In addition, the inclusion of pictures was helpful in connecting with the characters because I was able to put a face to a name and description. I think that the screenplay described the budding love as a slower and growing process, rather than in the story which describes their attraction as more of an instantaneous event.
Works cited
“Inured.” Def. 1. Webster’s American English Dictionary. 3rd ed. 1999.
Proulx, Annie, Larry McMurtrty, and Diana Ossana. Brokeback Mountain: Story to Screenplay. New York. Scribner, 2005.
