E. Annie Proulx’s literary works explore the raw and rugged lives of rural Americans, drawing deeply from the landscapes and cultures of places like Vermont, New Hampshire, and Wyoming. Her stories are marked by their stark realism, emotional depth, and the interplay between place and character. Whether through the tragic love story of "Brokeback Mountain" or the complex family saga in "Postcards," Proulx crafts narratives that delve into themes of survival, identity, and the inexorable march of time.

Heart Songs and Regional Roots

Proulx’s early collection, Heart Songs, and Other Stories, presents characters entrenched in rural Vermont and New Hampshire. These individuals, with names like Albro and Snipe, inhabit a world of trailers, where their lives unfold through drinking, smoking, and feuding. Proulx portrays these people without condescension, emphasizing their gritty existence and unrefined interactions.

The thematic underpinning of Proulx’s work often revolves around the vanishing lifestyle of rural America. This theme is poignantly explored as urban expansion threatens to erase farmlands and forests. The characters’ struggles reflect Proulx’s concern with maintaining roots and identity in a rapidly changing world, as illustrated in works like Postcards and The Shipping News.

Close Range: Wyoming Stories

In her celebrated collection Close Range: Wyoming Stories, Proulx transports her readers to the American West. Here, the landscape is as formidable as the characters who inhabit it. Proulx describes Wyoming as a place where social niceties are stripped away, revealing the primal instincts of the people who live there. The stories explore the harsh realities of a land that is both deadly and sustaining, real yet magical.

Proulx’s Wyoming is a place where independence and self-reliance are paramount. The characters in these stories, much like the rugged terrain they occupy, are emblematic of both strength and vulnerability. The collection debunks the romantic myths of the West by presenting a more nuanced and authentic portrayal of its people.

The Unyielding Landscape of "Brokeback Mountain"

Perhaps the most notable story in Close Range is “Brokeback Mountain,” a poignant exploration of love and identity set against the backdrop of the Wyoming wilderness. The narrative follows Jack Twist and Ennis del Mar, two cowboys who forge a deep connection while working on Brokeback Mountain. Their relationship, marked by infrequent encounters over two decades, challenges social norms and explores themes of love, fear, and societal pressures.

Despite being set in the rural West, “Brokeback Mountain” transcends its setting to deliver a universal love story. The story's power lies in its portrayal of a forbidden love that is both tender and tragic, resonating with readers far beyond the confines of genre or setting.

Myth and Realism in “The Half-Skinned Steer”

Another standout from the collection is “The Half-Skinned Steer,” a narrative that blends stark realism with folktale myth. It tells the story of Mero, an eighty-year-old man journeying to Wyoming for his brother’s funeral. Through Mero’s encounters on the road and his memories, Proulx weaves a tale that examines themes of mortality and fate.

The titular steer, half-skinned and stumbling, serves as a haunting metaphor for inevitability and the inescapable nature of death. The story’s blend of realism and myth is reminiscent of works by literary figures like Eudora Welty and Flannery O’Connor.

"The Mud Below" and Identity Through Rodeo

In "The Mud Below," Proulx turns her attention to the world of rodeo, reflecting her fascination with "on-the-edge situations." The protagonist, Diamond Felts, seeks meaning and identity through bull riding, driven by a desire to escape the belittlement he faced growing up. This story delves into themes of identity, power, and the pursuit of self-worth.

Diamond’s identification with...