EN1110 - LIT Critical Analysis Assignment
Ólöf Agnes Arnardóttir
The naturalistic setting in Brokeback Mountain.
Brokeback Mountain, written in 1997 by Annie Proulx, follows the life of Ennis del Mar, and
his relationship with Jack Twist. Their relationship was a hidden and passionate one, and for
a long time, limited to only a few meetings a year. Descriptions of the mountain that the
novel derives its name from, reflects their relationship, as well as their society and weather
conditions. The novel has an abundance of descriptions of the environment, which produces
despairing outcomes in the form of death and lost love. In this naturalistic novel, Proulx
examines and critiques the conservative society of Wyoming in the 1960s in regards to
homophobia and economic status with descriptions of its people, the weather and the
mountain.
The state in which the story takes place, Wyoming, produces many of the naturalistic
elements in the story. As in realistic novels, naturalistic novels assume that time period and
society shape the character, however, naturalism extends this notion. The setting not only
influences the characters but it determines their behavior and thus removes their free choice
(Pugh and Johnson, 2014). The novel’s setting places a socio-economic constraint upon
characters. Ennis and Jack were barely twenty years old and already “inured to the stoic life,”
(Proulx, 1997, p. 3) as a result of an upbringing in a working-class family. Because of poor
economic conditions, Ennis and Jack were forced to quit school. The discontinuation of their
education limited their occupational opportunities and restricted them to laborious work, thus
the socio-economic setting already restrained the characters choices. The social setting
influences the characters’ decisions and actions throughout the story. The reader learns about
the society through characters such as Alma, who refers to Jack as “Jack Nasty,” and by that
insinuates her distaste for the sexuality of the main characters. A similar opinion is held by
Aguirre, why denies Jack a job after seeing him and Ennis making love on the mountain. (pp.
15- 16) Although they don´t express their opinions about homosexuality explicitly, the reader
can deduce the bad nature of the comments and actions. Ennis’s fears also give the reader
knowledge about society, “We do that [kissing] in the wrong place we’ll be dead” (p. 18).
These examples show that homophobia was not limited to the opinions of a few people in the
town, but how it was deep-rooted in society. The assumption that people held about
heterosexuality and homosexuality was ingrained was in the minds of the people that it
resulted in violence, Jack’s death, and Ennis’s broken heart. This melancholic ending is a
naturalistic element used to criticize the homophobia fixed in the community.
Because of the distance from the town, Brokeback Mountain gives the characters a
false sense of security, but also a feeling of desolation. On the mountain, there is no need for
Jack and Ennis to restrict themselves in order to adhere to society’s conventions, which
produces a ray of comfort for them. That quickly falls apart with the news of Jack’s uncle,
which as Ginger Jones (2007) points out, is intentionally placed in the novel to bring the
characters back to reality (p. 23). This example supports naturalistic elements in the story,
characters are ruled by external forces. However, a true naturalistic novel will not only
explore the environment factor but also how internal factors such as passions and instincts,
govern human nature (Pugh and Johnson, p. 52). Internal and external forces both play an
enormous role in characters actions, although external ones often seem to have the upper
hand. Although their passion and feelings attracted them to each other, they had internalized
the social conventions and thus suppressed their true feelings. They were unable to admit to
themselves, let alone to one another, the nature of their sexuality, that is was anything other
than the considered norm. “I´m not no queer,” (Proulx, p. 9) Ennis stated on the Mountain, a
statement that Jack was of the same mind. Proulx adds to that statement a description of the
atmosphere; “There were only the two of them on the mountain, flying in the euphoric bitter
air…” (Proulx, p. 9). That sentence encapsulates their situation, their relationship produced a
feeling of euphoria but also a sense of bitterness from having to hide it. Jack and Ennis were
not exposed to other homosexual couples and felt like outcasts of the rural community of
Wyoming and that’s why the mountain is symbolic of the isolation they feel (Week 13Analysis of Brokeback Mountain (n.d.).
An important part of the setting is the weather, it occasionally produces unfavorable
conditions that control characters but it also reflects characters thoughts and feelings. Early
appearance of snow on the mountain forced Ennis and Jack down from it and thereby ending
their love affair prematurely (Proulx, p. 9-10). Proulx uses the weather to, sometimes
literally, to shed a light on the internal states of characters, as when a lightning lights up the
room when Alma realizes the nature of Jack’s and Ennis’s relationship. Oftentimes, the
weather seems unpredictable and conditions difficult, they are outside of their control, much
like their relationship. This notion is emphasized by Jack’s question in the novel “and why’s
it we’re always in the friggin cold weather?” (p. 23). This question precedes Jack’s wish to
go to Mexico, and by the question, Jack implies he wants not only to escape the cold weather
but also the social setting that constrains their love. In the novel, inclement weather is used to
reflect the difficulties in their relationship, and its conditions regulate the characters’ actions.
By examining the community, the mountain and climate in the novel, the reader can
easily see how these key elements in naturalism come together and how they emphasize the
consequences of homophobia. Social and economic factors restrict not only the characters’
job prospects but also their desires. The restriction of those desires result in repressed
feelings, perception of alienation, and a rocky relationship, which is symbolized by weather
descriptions and Brokeback Mountain. The way in which Proulx conveys her message about
the effects of homophobia, produces a mournful but a powerful read that is recommended for
anyone looking to increase their understanding of the subject.
References.
Pugh, T. & Johnson, M. (2014). Literary Studies: A practical guide. Routledge.
Proulx, A. (1997). Brokeback Mountain. The New Yorker.
Week 13- Analysis of Brokeback Mountain. (n.d.). Post-1945 American gay literature and
film. Retrieved February 28, 2020, from
https://post1945gayliterature.wordpress.com/additional-resources/week-13-analysis-ofbrokeback-mountain/
Jones, G. (2007). Proulx´s Pastoral: Brokeback Mountain as Sacred Space. In J. Stacy (Ed.),
Reading Brokeback Mountain: Essays on the story and the film (p. 23). McFarland &
Company, Inc., Publishers.