A talented cowboy can twirl his lasso into all sorts of shapes. Squares. Circles. Stars. And a heart for the ones they love. At least, the cartoon cowboys can do that. Real life cowboys have to express their love in different ways—but some have trouble expressing emotion, no matter whether they love a woman or another cowboy.
Ennis Del Mar is the strong, silent type, which can be alluring at the start of a relationship, but frustrating as time goes by. Jack wants to show his love for Ennis, but feels like he's throwing his heart against a brick wall. Ouch. Brokeback Mountain shows us that who you love shouldn't matter, but how you express it—or not—can affect everything.
Questions about Love
- Do Ennis and Jack love each other?
- Do Ennis and Jack love their wives? If so, how does their feelings for the women differ from their feelings for one another?
- Why is love between men so taboo at this time? How have attitudes changed?
Chew on This
Brokeback Mountain explores many different kinds of love—romantic love between men, romantic love between a man and a woman, the love for a family, and a love of nature and the outdoors.
Ennis has difficulty expressing his love, which can be interpreted by others as a lack of love.