López 1 University of Costa Rica Laura López López LM 1472 Rethoric III April 7,21!
Brokeback Mountain: An Image of What What a Man is not Supposed to Be In our society there are rules an" #ehaviors that every $an $ust i$itate to #e reco%nize" as a &real $an&' this is co$$only (no)n as the pheno$enon of tra"itional an" "o$inant $asculinity* Inevita#ly, Inevita#ly, society has i$pose" i$a%es a#out )hat a )o$an an" $an has to #e* +hese social stereotypes have i$pose" the concept of $asculinity to the point that $an is not allo)e" to overstep the li$its $asculinity $asculinity i$poses, an" if he "oes he )ill #e pointe" an" reecte" #y # y society* -n Brokeback -n Brokeback Mountain, Mountain, Annie .roul/ uses sy$#olis$ as a tool to #rea( )ith the stereotype of $en0s $asculinity* he allo)s us appreciate the #eauty of ro$antic love #et)een $en #y #rea(in% )ith the tra"itional narratives of $anhoo" an" an " $asculinity* In our society a $an is suppose" to #e ru"e, less e$otional an" passionate than )o$an* ave e/pressions of love or #ein% ro$antic is co$pletely "enie" to a $an* 3ven a $an is allo) to love his #ehaviors $ust #e )ithin the para$eters $asculinity has i$pose", so #ein% ro$antic or e$otive can #e synony$ of #ein% effe$inate or sissy5* 6ut Annie #rea(s )ith the stereotype of the ru"e $an ust #y usin% )hat is the central sy$#ol of ac(s an" 3nnis love8 t)o shirts one enfol"e" #y the other, han%in% first first in ac(s9 an" then 3nnis :s closet* 6elo) it he "rove a nail an" on the nail he hun% the )ire han%er an" the t)o ol"
López 2 shirts suspen"e" fro$ it* e steppe" #ac( an" loo(e" at the ense$#le throu%h a fe) stin%in% tears5 ;.roul/8 2!<* Can you i$a%ine a $an (eepin% on his closet a "irty, #loo"y shirt )ith the aro$a of its o)ner= >o ri%ht? It is har" to process as is it is to see a $an cry #y the love of so$eone* 3nnis an" ac( #rea( )ith ru"e $an i$a%e, they love fiercely each other, an" they foun" a )ay to represent their love in the $ost ro$antic )ay* hirts have an e$otional $eanin%, they represent the s(in of one insi"e the other' that they #elon% one to each other even )hen they are not to%ether* ac( an" 3nnis contra"ict the concept of $asculinity #y e/pressin% their love )ith $ost po)erful sy$#ol on the story8 t)o "irty shirts* Love is not for#i""en for a $an #ut is li$ite" to a set of rules, an" one of those rules is that love #et)een $en is not allo)e"* +he story, ho)ever, uses ac(9 ashes as the "estructive tool of the )ron% concept of $asculinity i$pose" in our society* ociety perceive ho$ose/uality as a o(e to tra"itional $anhoo"' it is i$possi#le to accept the love affair #et)een t)o %uys* 6ut ho) ac(9 ashes #ro(e )ith this stereotype= 3nnis recla$ation of ac(9 ashes represents the futility of their love* 3ven thou%h they love each other, they coul" not #ein% to%ether an" sho) others their love* o 3nnis "eci"e to re"ee$ hi$self #y fulfillin% the last )ish of his for#i""en love, #ut )ith this he en tere" on )hat society often calls a#sur" senti$entality* +he $ost interestin% thin% relate" )ith the ashes is that 3nnis ha" to face the chauvinist reaction of ac(9 father' a person that represents the $acho $en fi%ure on society* +he ol" $an sai", @tell you )hat, I (no) )here 6ro(e#ac( Mountain is* e thou%ht he )as too %o""a$n special to #e #urie" in the fa$ily plot@5 ;.roul/8 2<* 6ro(e#ac( Mountain also "estroy tra"itional $asculinity* It is true that love can #e $anifest in "ifferent )ays, an" can #e i$plie" in thin%s that are not visi#le to the hu$an
López 3 eyes' an" that )as the case of ac( an" 3nnis love* +hey consu$$ates their love in that place that for the rest of their lives represents not only the a"venture, #ut also the love affair* +hey al)ays re$e$#er 6ro(e#ac( Mountain as the possi#ility of a ne) life far a)ay fro$ society "iscri$ination* .raul/ sho)s that a $an can #e senti$ental an" e$otive #y cryin% for heart#rea(s* Be coul" a ha" a %oo" life to%ether, a fuc(in% real life* ou )oul"n9t "o it, 3nnis, so )hat )e %ot (n o) is 6ro(e#ac( Mountain5 ;.roul/8 2<* 6ro(e#ac( is a story of tra"itional $an )ho love in spite of para"i%$s esta#lish on society* +hey #oth are stron% an" $anly characters that are stru%%lin% )ith stereotypes an" preu"ices* It is not necessary to follo) stan"ar" rules of #ehavior to #e a real $an5, the $asculinity is not "efine #y the se/ual orientation or "eter$ine #ehavior* Man is free to love on his o)n )ay' he "oes not lose his $anhoo" #y "e$onstratin% #ein% ro$antic, e$otional or a$orous* y$#ols as the shirts, the ashes an" the 6ro(e#ac( Mountain are clear e/a$ples of ho) $en can #ro(e )ith the pheno$enon of tra"itional an" "o$inant $asculinity* Annie .roul/ sho) us that $asculinity "oes not $ean to #e the $acho $en fi%ure, it is a#out love as only hu$ans can "o* he creates a ne) i$a%e an" concept a#out $asculinity far a)ay of )hat society has "efine"*
References
López 4 .roul/, Annie* 6ro(e#ac( Mountain* Dro$ Close Ran%e8 Byo$in% tories #y Annie .roul/5* 3"* Annie .roul/, Larry McMurtry, an" Eiana -ssana* >e) or(8 cri#ner, 2F* Be#* 2 Apr 21!
Outline Title: 6ro(e#ac( Mountain8 An I$a%e of )hat a Man is no t suppose" to #e
López 5 TS: Annie .roul/ uses sy$#olis$ as a tool to #rea( )ith the stereotype of $an:
$asculinity* Intoduction:
ociety has i$pose" an i$a%e for )o$an an" another co$pletely "ifferent for $an* ocial stereotypes have i$pose" the concept of $asculinity at the point $an is not allo) to %o #eyon" the li$its $asculinity has i$pose"* Body: a. 1. .roul/ %oes a%ainst stereotypes #y usin% 6ro(e#ac( Mountain as a sy$#ol of
3nnis an" ac( affair* @Be coul" a ha" a %oo" life to%ether ;G<* ou )oul"n9t "o it, 3nnis, so )hat )e %ot no) is 6ro(e#ac( Mountain@ 2. ho) e$otions an" sensi#ility is not allo) for $en* b. 1. ac(:s shirts insi"e one another is a si%n of affection an" love that #ro(es )ith
the stereotype of tou%h an" not e$otional $an* @6elo) it he "rove a nail an" on the nail he hun% the )ire han%er an" the t)o ol" shirts suspen"e" fro$ it* e steppe" #ac( an" loo(e" at the ense$#le throu%h a fe) stin%in% tears@ 2. A $an is not suppose" to #e as fra%ile as a )o$an, an" to have those (in" of e$otional episo"es* ;to cry, to love )ith intensity, to $iss so$eone<* c. 1. ac( ashes )hich represents the futility of %uys: relationship suppose" an i$a%e
that is not possi#le in a $an real life* @+he ol" $an sai", @tell you )hat, I (no) )here 6ro(e#ac( Mountain is* e thou%ht he )as too %o""a$n special to #e #urie" in the fa$ily plot*@ 2. 3nnis Hposition is contraste" )ith ac(:s father one, as ac(:s father is represents the fi%ure of a real $an*
López 6 Conclusion:
Eefinitively Annie .roul/ #rea(s )ith the stereotype of $an H$asculinity #y usin% sy$#olis$ in a throu%h the )hole story* he sho)s a ne) $an i$a%e so far a)ay of )hat society has "efine" throu%h the years*
