Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
TOTW 19/07: Why couldn't Jack learn to just be happy with things as they were af
Front-Ranger:
--- Quote from: delalluvia on December 18, 2007, 08:09:24 am ---It doesn't make sense to single out Childress or Jack for that matter. We have no idea - per the movie - what Childress is like.
--- End quote ---
I think the scene where two geezers call Jack a "pissant" in front of his own wife was meant to give us an idea about Childress, plus the comments LaShawn made. But you have a good point--it was dangerous for Jack to engage in his rightful pursuit of happiness anywhere at that time--even in Mexico!!
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: moremojo on December 19, 2007, 10:48:00 am ---Quite possibly, but we learn from Jack's father that Jack began talking of bringing the ranch foreman back to Lightning Flat, as he had formerly spoken of bringing Ennis back there. Of course, we know nothing ever came of that, but the fact that Jack talked of both these scenarios suggests a continued desire to cohabitate with a male lover.
--- End quote ---
Sure enough, but we have no way of knowing whether anything more would have come of that than came of his talk of bringing Ennis to Lightning Flat. And I'm skeptical.
jstephens9:
I think in some ways Jack did learn how to be happy with the way things were with Ennis. He wished deep in his mind that his dreams of what things could be like with Ennis could happen, but on the surface I think he had given up long before on that ever truly happening. I think he was very aware of that after the divorce when he went to see Ennis and things ended up not being what he was visualizing in his head. I agree with Jeff that the trips to Wyoming would have continued on forever. He was in love with Ennis in a way that he was not going to find with anyone else. He had learned to be somewhat satisfied in the fact that he did get to see and spend time with Ennis. Of course he longed for more and I believe he did try to see that in others, but it just wasn't going to be found. As far as Randall goes, it may have been that Jack was trying to make him a substitute for Ennis in his head. He may have said that to his father, but we know who was in Jack's mind - Ennis. Jack may have been trying to fool himself, but he would have been back on the mountain in November and every time after that. Randall was no more than the guy in the alley in Mexico.
Front-Ranger:
--- Quote from: ifyoucantfixit on December 19, 2007, 07:58:55 am ---
I don't think it was in Jack's nature, to be satisfied with the status quo. He needed to be
disatisfied in order to get out of Lightning Flat. He needed to be dissatisfied in order to leave
Signal and head to Texas. He needed dissatisfaction with the situation he found himself in. Working the rodeo circuit. In order to find and Marry Lureen.
He needed once again to be dissatisfied, with his marriage to Lureen, and missing Ennis,
in order to make him send the card to Ennis. He was always the one from the very beginning,
wanting more.
--- End quote ---
I think you are on to something, Janice! It wasn't a matter of having insatiable desires (or was it?) Jack simply had to have more of everything! Perhaps it was something to do with growing up in that godforesaken corner of the state that is one of the darkest places in North America, no towns or bright lights nearby. Nothing but a narrow washboardy road leading away in a zigzag path... Thank you Janice and Jeff Wrangler, and Scott, Jack, Brad, and Clarissa for your thoughts. This really helps solve, or at least quiet, the conundrum that was beating in my brain!!
myprivatejack:
Hi¡ First of all,I must introduce myself;I´m a new member and perhaps the only who is not American,but from Barcelona.I hope you accept me¡ :laugh:
Answering to the question of the topic: simply because he was in love.He needed to be with Ennis,to breath with Ennis breath,to live with,for and because of him...That´s all. But we must add the inconformism that was a very special feature of his way of being;Jack was the movement,the air,Ennis the estatic,the earth.For Jack, living was fighting for what he wanted,never stopping to look for it;for Ennis,everything happenned because it must happen-his famous "If you can´t fix it,you´ve got to stand it"-and there was nothing he could do to change it. :(
For Jack having this sweet life together would be a kind of liberation,sure.But for Ennis would be sooner or later to deepen in his fears and doubts,he would lve in a constant negation of himself and their relationship,as ever.I don´t know if their living together would be so idilic as Jack thought.But this is perhaps another thread...
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