1. Examine how Annie Proulx describes “settings” (e.g.

the ranches on which Ennis

and Jack were raised and Brokeback Mountain) in her story. How do these
settings help you understand the characters and the issues in the story? Give
examples of how Ang Lee used details in these settings to help viewers
understand the nuances of the story.

The author describes the setting as very rural and does her best to try and convey the
setting of Wyoming and the mountain as very much in the wilderness and far from much
civilization. The description of the ranches was also focused on painting a picture of the
poor socioeconomic status of both Jack and Ennis which helps to set up both the characters
in how they live their life later on in the story. The descriptions also tended to show the
droning, boring nature of the ranch life and the monotony of being on the ranch which
shows how each of them is used to conforming to society at the start and following the
usual lives of people in that area. This is then used to contrast their relationship which
would be seen as very unusual in the context of where they lived. In the movie, Ang Lee
uses a lot of silence to help convey the feeling of isolation from the rest of the world and
modern society as well as the rural country feel of Wyoming. Ang Lee also makes use of the
setting and location to convey the vastness of the area. This isolation that the setting helps
to convey allows us as an audience to understand better how both Jack and Ennis felt which
allowed them to do as they wished without being shunned by others.