Hello Frank. Thanks for your kind remarks. I must admit that I have friends with opposing sets of ideas. One group insists that there is a lot of Christian/religious symbolism in the movie, whereas the other set of friends insists that there was none intended. You may have already seen the old thread that discusses the telephone poles that look like the crosses in Calvary at the very beginning of the movie. Whether you believe in any such symbolism or not is not that important I guess. The movie is rich enough such that one can overlay it with your own insights and symbolism. It only shows what a deep and provocative movie this is.
I have also been fascinated with any symbolism that can be attached to the lyrics assigned to 'Water Walking Jesus' and it's prominence in the scene right before the first tent scene ('You may be a sinner, but I ain't had the opportunity').
Hi tpe...
Here is my interpretation, please ask your friends what they think, because I can only understand "Brokeback Mountain"'s appeal to a broad audience which also includes christians in the following context.
Annie Proulx wrote the original short story and from reading interviews as well as other semi-biographical sources, I have learned that she came from a french-canadian background. As we know, it is entirely possible to write a story from research materials alone... that is without the writer's own background and belief systems entering into the body of the story; however, there are a couple of "co-incidences" that make me believe that Annie Proulx did put a lot of symbolism in the story which includes many christian icons. I also believe that even if Annie Proulx did not "consciously" place these symbols purposefully she could have placed them subconsciously. Since she herself claimed that she used her imagination and inspiration to flesh out a story of destructive rural homophobia among the West outbacks of Wyoming and Texas, I can only therefore refer to a Jungian concept of "common symbols" (my words, not Jung's, but accurate enough). She used the symbols already manifest within the place and time she was studying along with her own personal experience.
First, a body of work without the writer's own value system is difficult at best, even if the work was a non-fictional documentary. I now imagine how could a work of fiction not have symbols that come from a prevalent common belief system (ie: christianity). After all, most French-Canadians have been influenced by the Jesuits, Anglican and Catholic missionaries and christianity is prolific in trying to evangelize itself (I am guessing, but we could verify with Annie Proulx herself, but this is more fun).
Second, why look at sheepherders and camp tenders? In this case, the time and place (ie: 1960's) had sheep herding going through increased US Government regulations which was making it economically more hectic for the people of Wyoming in that common business. I am going out on a limb here, but consider that sheepherding is considered to be a "hard working and low paying" and is usually taken up by common people with strong religious ties. Religious ties that became homophobic and puritanical. The most prevalent being christianity. The symbols are manifest. In this case, the sheep and its associations. Something that was already there must have attracted Annie Proulx to it... it could be conscious or it could simply be intuitive or it could be subconscious... but it is there. Annie Proulx writes about the "mixing of the sheep herds"... why? What bearing does mixing of the sheeps have on a concept like homophobia? If there is a connection there then I believe the connection would also be connected to the manifest symbols already there.
Third, examples like the "shirts" (angels and souls), the "hanger" and the "nail" (crucifix), "Brokeback Mountain" (Calvary)... I consider as a different kind of manifest symbols, in this case, people with strong christian iconic knowledge would intuit these symbols from Annie Proulx work whether or not Annie Proulx placed the symbols into the story on purpose. It is my suspicion that she may have discovered these as devices, but it could be accidental; however, I simply cannot see this as pure co-incidences. In order for Annie Proulx body of work to be compelling, it must also be shared by the general society that reads it. Christianity is a major religion and, thus, most of the readers would have some iconic knowledge of it so as to intuit these from the body of work. Since (and I risk "blasphemy" from writing this) christianity forms the basis of the most popular religion in the US and the fact that most of the homophobic rationales have been based on subsets of its interpretation, I can only assume that writers and readers alike will most likely encounter these common-place icons in stories about homophobia.
I am a bit tired now... if you note the time I wrote this... however, I would like to hear back from you and your friends/colleagues.
Peace,
Frank
