Brokeback Mountain personal response
Whilst watching the film Bareback Mountain, I became frustrated at the mall characters, Jack and Nines. This frustration was because of an evident idea in the film that I agree strongly with, Sexuality is not a choice. ‘ This idea made me realize how lucky I am to have been born in an era where society is much more accepting of individuality than in the past. And I felt frustrated because the two men believed the only way to be accepted in society was to be something they weren’t, which was trousseaux.
In the summer of 1963 two young men, Nines Del Mar and Jack Twist, meet when they find work sheep-herding for the summer on Bareback Mountain. The two quickly form a friendship that eventually develops Into something more. They become mentally and physically Involved with one another. I believe the director’s purpose of this film was to open the viewer’s eyes, showing them that you cannot choose who fall in love with. The idea that ‘sexuality is not a choice’ is developed in the film because the two men eave a perfectly fine life, they both had a loving wife and a family, but they were happiest when together.
A close up of Nines’ face shows him staring out of the window, trying to pass time by flicking his lighter whilst waiting for Jack to arrive at his house. You can see in his expression that he is excited; his eyes keep looking around as If he Is searching for Jack. This shot told the audience how much Nines cared for and missed Jack, because you saw different a side of Nines, a side where he was excited and nervous, the audience never saw this side of him when he was with is wife.
I was happy when I saw Nines not being able to control his emotions towards Jack, it gave me faith that true love and happiness does exist. But I also felt extremely sorry the men’s wife’s, I felt as though they were using their wife’s as a shield from reality, as they were afraid of what might happen to them if anyone found out about their relationship with one another. No matter how much they tried to stay apart, they would always come back to each other. This is another way the idea ‘sexuality is not a choice’ is developed in the film. The dialogue “l wish I could quit you” is said by Jack Twist.
This quote reinforces the fact that Jack couldn’t stay away from Nines, he wishes he didn’t feel the way he felt about Nines, and he wishes that he could Just stop having the desire to see him, but he Just cannot ‘quit’ him. He would rather be living with his wife, but he loves Nines so he can’t resist seeing him. It shows that Jack would change himself so that he could fit Into society, If he was able to. This made me feel really upset. I have been taught from a very young age to always be yourself around others, even though they shamed of who he was.
With all this being said, it makes me proud that the awareness and acceptance of the LIGHT community is growing greater each year. Just last year, on the 17th of April in 2013, an Amendment Bill allowing same-sex couples to marry in New Zealand passed the final reading. It gives me great pleasure knowing that society is becoming more susceptible to diversity. But still to this day people still suffer from this fear of not being accepted, and it is very hard for them to ‘come out’ about their sexuality to the public.
I have had quite a few friends who have struggled with this issue. I have noticed they have all been scared of what their parents might think, say, or do. They are afraid that they will be a disappointment to the family. I think it is absolutely absurd for a parent to ‘disown’ their own child because they are attracted to a different gender. I am sure that if their child could choose who they were to fall in love with, they would choose someone that their parents would approve of. I am truly disgusted that this ‘disowning happens still to this day.
I would recommend Bareback Mountain to year 12 students because not only is it a great film, it will teach, and further their understanding of the idea ‘sexuality is not a choice. ‘ I think that emotional students will particularly benefit in watching this film, as they will allow the film to affect them, and they will wonder about the deeper meanings in the film. I believe that this film could even change some people’s opinions about homosexuals, because they will come to agree with the films strong message, ‘sexuality is not a choice. ‘
