Exploring the Queer Ending: Analyzing the William S. Burroughs Reference in the Epilogue Explained by the Writer

Exploring the Queer Ending: Analyzing the William S. Burroughs Reference in the Epilogue Explained by the Writer

To fully illustrate its poignant romance, Queer ventures well beyond the confines of William S. Burroughs’s original novella. The film, directed by Luca Guadagnino and released on December 13, features Daniel Craig in the role of William Lee, an American expatriate living in Mexico City. He becomes romantically involved with Eugene Allerton, portrayed by Drew Starkey, who is a discharged Navy sailor. While the film largely respects the source material, it diverges significantly at the conclusion, drawing upon Burroughs’s actual life experiences to create a more encompassing narrative.

In a conversation with Screen Rant’s Bella Garcia, writer Justin Kuritzkes elaborated on the creative decision to extend the storyline beyond the novella’s text. Acknowledging that the original book remains “unfinished,”the team opted to incorporate elements from Burroughs’s appendices and essays, reflecting on the additional content Burroughs had planned before the publication was delayed for decades. Here’s Kuritzkes’s complete insight:

“We sought to draw a clear distinction between William S. Burroughs as a person and William Lee as a character. There’s a prevailing cultural persona associated with Burroughs that tends to be very gruff, austere, and masculine.”

“Upon reading the book, I was genuinely surprised by how tender and awkward Lee can be at times. He often struggles with communication, making him a more relatable and complex figure. This vulnerability stood in contrast to the tough image typically attributed to Burroughs, making it easier for me to write for him.”

“When deciding what aspects of Burroughs’s life or works to weave into the screenplay, we had to confront the reality that Queer is an atypical novel, given its unfinished nature. The lines between the text of the novel and Burroughs’s actual experiences blur significantly. Thus, it felt natural to include elements from other writings. The epilogue served as a logical extension of the project.”

The Significance of the Epilogue in Queer

Critical Acclaim for the Conclusion

Scene from Queer
William Lee interacting with Eugene in Queer
Daniel Craig in a bar scene from Queer
Beach scene from Queer
Omar Apollo in Queer
Daniel Craig reading a paper in Queer

The novel Queer emerged over three decades after its companion piece, Junkie: Confessions of an Unredeemed Drug Addict. This lengthy delay was largely attributed to negative societal perceptions surrounding LGBTQ+ literature, which inhibited Burroughs from fully articulating his story until just 15 years before his death in 1997. Given the vast changes in Burroughs’s life during this period—from awaiting sentencing in a Mexico City prison after the tragic death of his wife Joan Vollmer to becoming a fugitive—the film’s decision to illustrate this evolution is both significant and necessary.

Overall, the adaptation of Queer enriches Burroughs’s narrative and encapsulates his tumultuous life experiences. Initially, audience reactions saw the film rated at 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, earning it a Fresh status. However, critics have lauded the film more warmly, awarding it a 77% Tomatometer score, confirming its Certified Fresh status with 149 reviews as of now.

Analyzing the Ending of Queer

Enhancing the Understanding of Queer‘s Tragic Conclusion

William Lee (Daniel Craig) wearing glasses in Queer

In articulating the complete arc of Burroughs’s life, Queer presents itself as a necessary culmination of his narrative. The film is fundamentally an exploration of Burroughs’s adventures, positioning it less as mere fiction and more as a vivid representation of his worldview. Although the character of Joan Vollmer is not directly depicted, her influence—paralleled by Burroughs’s relationship with Adelbert Lewis Marker—further solidifies the autobiographical nature of the story. Ending the film with an older version of Craig was a poignant and fitting choice for this adaptation.

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