Dream Boy Discussion

The novel was an interesting one in regards to the southern setting, the unwelcome cast of lovers who reside there and the people who inhabit the town. Reading the novel you get an idea of Nathan being a timid person, who is sure about his sexuality, but unsure about the means to express it. I watched the movie and it offered a better depiction of how unwelcoming Nathan's environment was in terms of the hyper-religious town he lives in. In the movie you can see the massive placement of religious paraphernalia in his house. The constant mention of needing to attend church and prayer groups is an over arching theme in the text. His relationship with Roy is also portrayed better than in the text. Specifically their first encounter, the scene and characters recreate that perfect, authentic timidness one has with their first romantic encounter. Another thing I see done well in the movie is Roy's attempt to come to grips with his sexuality and trying to reconcile it with the masculinity norm in his town (having a girl, working, etc.)