I've met a few gay guys, one told me that virtually every gay he knew had been abused at a young age. It really seems like a hellscape of dysfunction, demented lust, a kind of will to death.
‘A private Hell -as is all enslavement to a debased passion’ - beautifully put. Thank you for this wonderful analysis of the novel. It’s really the second part of the novel that the 1969 film ‘Midnight Cowboy’ depicts. I’ve always found it interesting that the LGBTQ movement should choose the sin of Pride as their motif. I had a very religious upbringing in Ulster - Pride, Greed and Lust were always on the agenda at church and school. Of these three Deadly Sins, Pride was deemed to be the absolute worst as it was both an affront to God and it placed the soul in irredeemable peril. Schlesinger’s 1969 film was groundbreaking at the time for its homosexual frame of reference. One can only guess at how the novel might be approached by filmmakers in 2024…I truly hope the producers at Netflix don’t try and remake it.
Also, blonde hair and light eyes among Sicilians and other southern Italians is not that uncommon. Most Sicilians are actually Greek by blood and both the island and southern Italy in general were under the control of the Normans for about 300 years
I've met a few gay guys, one told me that virtually every gay he knew had been abused at a young age. It really seems like a hellscape of dysfunction, demented lust, a kind of will to death.
‘A private Hell -as is all enslavement to a debased passion’ - beautifully put. Thank you for this wonderful analysis of the novel. It’s really the second part of the novel that the 1969 film ‘Midnight Cowboy’ depicts. I’ve always found it interesting that the LGBTQ movement should choose the sin of Pride as their motif. I had a very religious upbringing in Ulster - Pride, Greed and Lust were always on the agenda at church and school. Of these three Deadly Sins, Pride was deemed to be the absolute worst as it was both an affront to God and it placed the soul in irredeemable peril. Schlesinger’s 1969 film was groundbreaking at the time for its homosexual frame of reference. One can only guess at how the novel might be approached by filmmakers in 2024…I truly hope the producers at Netflix don’t try and remake it.
Great conclusion to an interesting miniseries.
Also, blonde hair and light eyes among Sicilians and other southern Italians is not that uncommon. Most Sicilians are actually Greek by blood and both the island and southern Italy in general were under the control of the Normans for about 300 years
I'm AWARE - it was probably NORMANS who brought DOUBLE ENTRY BOOKEEPING to Sicily. The STEREOTYPE however is of dark haired, dark eyed guys.
Brilliantly written article Thomas, haunting. To inspire such pity and revulsion.
“Joe Buck decides to beat the Devil by heeding the Beast’s advice.”
I like this line.