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University of Costa Rica

Laura Lpez Lpez
LM 1472 Rethoric III
April 7,2016

Brokeback Mountain: An Image of What a Man is not Supposed to Be

In our society there are rules and behaviors that every man must imitate to be
recognized as a "real man"; this is commonly known as the phenomenon of traditional and
dominant masculinity. Inevitably, society has imposed images about what a woman and
man has to be. These social stereotypes have imposed the concept of masculinity to the
point that man is not allowed to overstep the limits masculinity imposes, and if he does he
will be pointed and rejected by society. On Brokeback Mountain, Annie Proulx uses
symbolism as a tool to break with the stereotype of men's masculinity. She allows us
appreciate the beauty of romantic love between men by breaking with the traditional
narratives of manhood and masculinity.
In our society a man is supposed to be rude, less emotional and passionate than
woman. Have expressions of love or being romantic is completely denied to a man. Even a
man is allow to love his behaviors must be within the parameters masculinity has imposed,
so being romantic or emotive can be synonym of being effeminate or sissy. But Annie
breaks with the stereotype of the rude man just by using what is the central symbol of Jacks
and Ennis love: two shirts one enfolded by the other, hanging first in Jacks and then Ennis
s closet. Below it he drove a nail and on the nail he hung the wire hanger and the two old

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shirts suspended from it. He stepped back and looked at the ensemble through a few
stinging tears (Proulx: 26). Can you imagine a man keeping on his closet a dirty, bloody
shirt with the aroma of its owner? No right! It is hard to process as is it is to see a man cry
by the love of someone. Ennis and Jack break with rude man image, they love fiercely each
other, and they found a way to represent their love in the most romantic way. Shirts have an
emotional meaning, they represent the skin of one inside the other; that they belong one to
each other even when they are not together. Jack and Ennis contradict the concept of
masculinity by expressing their love with most powerful symbol on the story: two dirty
shirts.
Love is not forbidden for a man but is limited to a set of rules, and one of those
rules is that love between men is not allowed. The story, however, uses Jack ashes as the
destructive tool of the wrong concept of masculinity imposed in our society. Society
perceive homosexuality as a joke to traditional manhood; it is impossible to accept the love
affair between two guys. But how Jack ashes broke with this stereotype? Ennis reclamation
of Jack ashes represents the futility of their love. Even though they love each other, they
could not being together and show others their love. So Ennis decide to redeem himself by
fulfilling the last wish of his forbidden love, but with this he entered on what society often
calls absurd sentimentality. The most interesting thing related with the ashes is that Ennis
had to face the chauvinist reaction of Jack father; a person that represents the macho men
figure on society. The old man said, tell you what, I know where Brokeback Mountain is.
He thought he was too goddamn special to be buried in the family plot (Proulx: 23).
Brokeback Mountain also destroy traditional masculinity. It is true that love can be
manifest in different ways, and can be implied in things that are not visible to the human

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eyes; and that was the case of Jack and Ennis love. They consummates their love in that
place that for the rest of their lives represents not only the adventure, but also the love
affair. They always remember Brokeback Mountain as the possibility of a new life far away
from society discrimination. Praulx shows that a man can be sentimental and emotive by
crying for heartbreaks. We could a had a good life together, a fucking real life. You
wouldnt do it, Ennis, so what we got know is Brokeback Mountain (Proulx: 20).
Brokeback is a story of traditional man who love in spite of paradigms establish on
society. They both are strong and manly characters that are struggling with stereotypes and
prejudices. It is not necessary to follow standard rules of behavior to be a real man, the
masculinity is not define by the sexual orientation or determine behavior. Man is free to
love on his own way; he does not lose his manhood by demonstrating being romantic,
emotional or amorous. Symbols as the shirts, the ashes and the Brokeback Mountain are
clear examples of how men can broke with the phenomenon of traditional and dominant
masculinity. Annie Proulx show us that masculinity does not mean to be the macho men
figure, it is about love as only humans can do. She creates a new image and concept about
masculinity far away of what society has defined.

References

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Proulx, Annie. Brokeback Mountain. From Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx.
Ed. Annie Proulx, Larry McMurtry, and Diana Ossana. New York: Scribner, 2005. Web. 02
Apr 2016

Outline
Title: Brokeback Mountain: An Image of what a Man is not supposed to be

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TS: Annie Proulx uses symbolism as a tool to break with the stereotype of man
masculinity.
Intoduction:
Society has imposed an image for woman and another completely different for man. Social
stereotypes have imposed the concept of masculinity at the point man is not allow to go
beyond the limits masculinity has imposed.
Body:
a.
1. Proulx goes against stereotypes by using Brokeback Mountain as a symbol of
Ennis and Jack affair.
We could a had a good life together (). You wouldnt do it, Ennis, so what we got
now is Brokeback Mountain
2. Show emotions and sensibility is not allow for men.
b.
1. Jacks shirts inside one another is a sign of affection and love that brokes with
the stereotype of tough and not emotional man.
Below it he drove a nail and on the nail he hung the wire hanger and the two
old shirts suspended from it. He stepped back and looked at the ensemble
through a few stinging tears
2. A man is not supposed to be as fragile as a woman, and to have those kind of
emotional episodes. (to cry, to love with intensity, to miss someone).
c.
1. Jack ashes which represents the futility of guys relationship supposed an image
that is not possible in a man real life.
The old man said, tell you what, I know where Brokeback Mountain is. He
thought he was too goddamn special to be buried in the family plot.
2. Ennis position is contrasted with jacks father one, as jacks father is represents
the figure of a real man.

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Conclusion:
Definitively Annie Proulx breaks with the stereotype of man masculinity by using
symbolism in a through the whole story. She shows a new man image so far away of what
society has defined through the years.