Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum

TOTW 23/08: Jack, his mother and The Shirts

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Penthesilea:
Happy Monday, BetterMostians :)
(ok, ok, who do I want to kid? There is no such thing like a happy Monday. But we'll try to make the best of it, don't we?)


This week's topic was inspired by our resident Katie77 (Sue). I'll let her make the introduction of the topic by quoting a post of her:


"No......I dont think they would have [kept each others postcards], because men dont usually save things like that. Even with the shirts, as wonderful as that was, it was quite a bit out of the ordinary for a man to be so sentimental as to keep those shirts.  In fact, I dont think this has ever been discussed, but I wonder when Jack went back to his folks place after sheepherding on Brokeback, did his mother get his clothes out to wash and  ask about the blood on the shirt, and Jack maybe told her about Ennis, and it was her who hung the shirts in the closet........(maybe thats another thing that could be discussed here)."
Source: http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,22182.msg396677.html#msg396677


What do you think? Did Jack talk to his mother about The Shirts? If so, what might he have said? Maybe he simply asked her not to wash them, without delivering any explanation? Maybe he didn't say anything at all, but hid The Shirts before she could get hold of his laundry?

Over the years, it has somehow become common assumption that Mrs. Twist knew about The Shirts at the point Ennis visits the Twist farm. Even more so, that she connected Ennis with The Shirts and knew pretty precise what went on.
If you agree with that assumption, when do you think she gained knowledge of The Shirts? Early on, directly from Jack (see above paragraph), some time along the years, after Jack's death, or something entirely different?

The Shirts were hidden in Jack's closet, but it was her house, she lived there, without much distraction in her life. And she kept his room like it was when he was a boy, she made a point of that.

Share your POV about

Jack, his mother and The Shirts

retropian:
I think Jack hid the shirts without telling his Mom, or anybody. He certainly never told Ennis. No doubt his Mom discovered them and came to understand their significance at some point. Presumably, Jack would visit his parents after his time with Ennis, his "Fishing Buddy" once or twice a year. We know he mentioned Ennis to them over the years and I think she connected the dots. She was probably puzzled as to why her son would layer two bloodied shirts in that way and tuck them away discreetly in the back of his closet. She would know they have a special meaning to him, but what? I don't think it would have taken her too long to figure it out. A mother knows.

Also, it is clear during Ennis's visit that she knows who Ennis is and what he meant to Jack. She loves him because her son loved him. She loves him because he was the One who loved her son. I think they acknowledge each other as they put the shirts in the paper bag. Ennis came out to her.

injest:

--- Quote from: retropian on August 25, 2008, 07:22:01 pm ---I think Jack hid the shirts without telling his Mom, or anybody. He certainly never told Ennis. No doubt his Mom discovered them and came to understand their significance at some point. Presumably, Jack would visit his parents after his time with Ennis, his "Fishing Buddy" once or twice a year. We know he mentioned Ennis to them over the years and I think she connected the dots. She was probably puzzled as to why her son would layer two bloodied shirts in that way and tuck them away discreetly in the back of his closet. She would know they have a special meaning to him, but what? I don't think it would have taken her too long to figure it out. A mother knows.

Also, it is clear during Ennis's visit that she knows who Ennis is and what he meant to Jack. She loves him because her son loved him. She loves him because he was the One who loved her son. I think they acknowledge each other as they put the shirts in the paper bag. Ennis came out to her.

--- End quote ---

I am sure she did. I know I have found things in my son's room that are obviously private....you have to respect that privacy. Denial is a form of protection sometimes. Covers for things you can't/shouldn't talk about.

But she would have put two and two together..the shirts appeared after that summer. Ennis also appeared, in her son's conversation. I can't imagine Jack would have ever said a word bad about Ennis...so "like the horse thief that can't help flashing a glimpse of the bridle" his tone, his demeanor would have given him away to his mother.

optom3:
I think she found them,after all there was not much else in his room.I suspect that Jack talked about Ennis and she would have known one shirt was her sons and probably put 2 and 2 together and worked out who the other shirt belonged to.
When Ennis comes down with them she shows no surprise at all,quite the opposite she goes to get him a bag to put them in.
I do wonder what she thought about the blood stains.Did she ever worry  initially that her son had made an advance to someone and received a bloodied nose.
As a mom myself I would not have worried about the shirts,I would have been concerned about the blood.
Maybe on one of Jacks visits home she asked about the shirts and that is why when Ennis came down, she knew exactly what he had in his hands and what he wanted to do.

Katie77:

--- Quote from: retropian on August 25, 2008, 07:22:01 pm ---I think Jack hid the shirts without telling his Mom, or anybody. He certainly never told Ennis. No doubt his Mom discovered them and came to understand their significance at some point. Presumably, Jack would visit his parents after his time with Ennis, his "Fishing Buddy" once or twice a year. We know he mentioned Ennis to them over the years and I think she connected the dots. She was probably puzzled as to why her son would layer two bloodied shirts in that way and tuck them away discreetly in the back of his closet. She would know they have a special meaning to him, but what? I don't think it would have taken her too long to figure it out. A mother knows.

Also, it is clear during Ennis's visit that she knows who Ennis is and what he meant to Jack. She loves him because her son loved him. She loves him because he was the One who loved her son. I think they acknowledge each other as they put the shirts in the paper bag ]Ennis came out to her.



--- End quote ---

Yes, the little nod to Jack's mum as he she gave him the paper bag, was the first time in Ennis's life that he was acknowledging his love for Jack, to someone else. He knew she knew, and I think he was glad she did.

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