Negative Social Attitudes of Sexual Desire

The scene that stood out to me the most was when Ennis is describing the dead man he seen as a child. His father brings him to the scene of a homosexual man who had been brutally murdered because of his sexual orientation. This event resonates within Ennis' mind throughout the entire film. Ennis claims, "My daddy made sure me and my brother seen it. Hell, for all I know, he'd done the job. Two guys living together...no way." Hall states that negative social attitudes about sexual desires between members of the same sex have had a profound impact on many individuals lives. This is evident in both Jack and Ennis' personal lives. Everything Ennis has experienced in his life involving homosexuals comes along with a stigma. Therefore, Ennis refuses to engage in an open relationship with Jack because he fears the social stigma as well as the possibility of being killed. "Homophobia" plays a strong role in Brokeback Mountain and ultimately keeps the two loving men apart.