Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Was Ennis foolin when he threatened Jack?
Front-Ranger:
Wow what an insightful post, Clarissa and everyone. My feeling is that Ennis blows up like that not because of jealousy or homophobia but fear of losing control and being found out. He wants to keep Jack on a short leash that doesn't reach to Mexico. Also he is starting to panic because he sees Jack weighing over things in his mind, and it dawns on him that Jack might make a move to change things. Ennis can't stand the thought of anything changing, especially suddenly. No, he's not fooling and if he can't get control of himself he might hurt Jack. A man who might punch, or even threaten to punch a pregnant lady could do anything. However his threats do not dissuade Jack in the least. He forges on with the best weapons he has, words. "We coulda had a good life...but you didn't want it, Ennis. And now all we have is Brokeback Mountain. F**king all. Everything's built on that."
isabelle:
I cannot imagine Ennis really hurting Jack to the point of murder, but yeah, he does have a short fuse and his way of dealing with anger or when he feels trapped is violence. I agree that it is deeply rooted in his homophobia too in that scene by the lake.
But someone on IMDb saw so much violence in Ennis that she actually started a thread claiming that she had the answer as to 'how Jack died': Ennis murdered him!
I must admit I rolled with laughter at the time, but then it is true that I had downplayed Ennis's violent streak.
Kd5000:
Ennis is capable of violence, with the bikers and outside of the bar with that guy in the pick-up truck. Those were strangers, but he seems to have picked the fight in both occurances. With the exception of his 19 year old punch at Jack when they were first parting, I don't think Ennis would ever hurt someone he loved as much as Jack.
Jack does difuse Ennis's emotional blowup by admittingn to those trips to Mexico and saying some rather matter of fact statements about what sort of life they've had and how it could have been so much more. It must have been like a punch in the stomach to Ennis. Hence he heaves over. So much for the phrase "words don't hurt me."
Ennis has some anger mgt issues, I just think he takes it out on strangers.
Front-Ranger:
We never did resolve this!! I repeat: what in hell happened in April??
Front-Ranger:
I have still not figured this out!! Help me, please!
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