Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
TOTW 23/08: Jack, his mother and The Shirts
Mandy21:
I was always fascinated by the stark difference between Jack's folks. Here is maybe the first time Ennis drives so far to go visit someone, and what he is greeted by is a warm, patient, understanding, seemingly all-knowing and kind woman, and a cold-as-ice, angry, spiteful, inconsiderate shell of a man. I cannot imagine how shocked he would have been when he sat down at that table. Those two actors were spectacular in their brief performances.
To get back to topic, I think Jack left those shirts there like that, in the back of his closet, wanting his mother to find them. We never hear him say one harsh word about his mother, although we all know what he thought of his dad -- "never taught me a thing, never once came to see me ride", "can't please my old man no way", etc. So we know that he loves his mom and appreciates her all his life. But I wouldn't presume that a western, out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere farm wife during the 60's and 70's would have heard a whole lot about homosexuality, though. Which makes me question if she really, truly knew that Ennis was Jack's lover, or if she just thought that he was just his great, close friend all those years?
optom3:
--- Quote from: Mandy21 on August 26, 2008, 09:43:02 am ---I was always fascinated by the stark difference between Jack's folks. Here is maybe the first time Ennis drives so far to go visit someone, and what he is greeted by is a warm, patient, understanding, seemingly all-knowing and kind woman, and a cold-as-ice, angry, spiteful, inconsiderate shell of a man. I cannot imagine how shocked he would have been when he sat down at that table. Those two actors were spectacular in their brief performances.
To get back to topic, I think Jack left those shirts there like that, in the back of his closet, wanting his mother to find them. We never hear him say one harsh word about his mother, although we all know what he thought of his dad -- "never taught me a thing, never once came to see me ride", "can't please my old man no way", etc. So we know that he loves his mom and appreciates her all his life. But I wouldn't presume that a western, out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere farm wife during the 60's and 70's would have heard a whole lot about homosexuality, though. Which makes me question if she really, truly knew that Ennis was Jack's lover, or if she just thought that he was just his great, close friend all those years?
--- End quote ---
I think mothers always know, deep down.She may not have understood it, in fact her only reference point may have been the bible, with the much quoted, and man shall not lie down with man.I used to get so fed up of hearing that, by the radical religious groups around the time of BBM.In fact the best reply I ever heard was, that's O.K I have sex standing up !!
I digress, I know it's a more modern age,for some people, but I still think a mother knows.I remember I used to say to my patients,if the mother is worried then so am I. If mum was not worried then usually things were just fine.
I knew all the time my oldest had big problems, everyone else just laughed at me,or told me how intelligent he was.Well yes he is, but he is also deeply disturbed.It has taken me from age 2 to nearly 15 to finally get a diagnosis and treatment.
My son was floored that I knew the very time he first had sex.My husband thought I was an idiot.But turns out I was right.Sorry that sounds arrogant,I just feel for a mother who has a deep love for her child, they know pretty well everything.
The love Jacks mother has for him is so plain to see, it is almost too painful to watch.She instantly knows what Ennis has in his hands.No words necessary, just a look and the bag.
How ironic that we first see Ennis with a bag in hand containing pretty much all he has in the world.He has it all before him.Closed and as yet not experienced in love.Then full circle, Ennis with a bag, but this time it contains all that was important to him, all that is left of Jack and his life.
From one brown bag to another, but OMG what a journey between the two.The first bag symbolically is a reference to the lack of worldly goods, Ennis has.The second bag, still has no worldly goods, but it is now filled with love. Very sad.He clutches both of them tightly.
The first, not that he knows it, is a portent of all that is before him,the second, all that is behind him.
Well that's me completely in bits again.
jstephens9:
First of all I had never thought about Ennis with the paper bag at the beginning with all of his possessions and the paper bag towards the end with the shirts. Good observation Optom!!! I also agree with you Optom that mothers do know. My mother certainly did way before I would have even been able to express it or even know what it was. She told me that she did so I know for sure. It came as no surprise to her at all. I asked her how and she said just that the mothers just know these kinds of things.
I definitely think that Jack was responsible for everything to do with the shirts. He would have to be. After all he is the one who found it so important to take Ennis' from the mountain. I would not be surprised at all if he talked to his mother about Ennis. I think they had a very close relationship and I think his mother knew of Jack's intense love for Ennis. I believe his father knew too although he didn't accept it at all. After all he knew who Ennis Del Mar was and I thought it was apparent that he knew that Ennis was much more than a friend to Jack.
Jack was a romantic and very sensitive. I don't think he had that much difficulty in expressing his feelings and I think he had expressed them to his mother. Jack was not confused about his feelings. It was Ennis who was confused. Jack would have dropped everything in his life for Ennis and would have never looked back. He was not worried about what people would think of two men living together. I think his mother knew about the shirts and I think she meant for Ennis to find them. That is one reason she asked Ennis if he wanted to go up to Jack's room. She was happy that Ennis did find and bring the shirts down. That was apparent by the look she gave Ennis. That somehow sealed the love she knew Jack always had for Ennis.
Mandy21:
--- Quote from: optom3 on August 26, 2008, 10:27:19 am ---The love Jacks mother has for him is so plain to see, it is almost too painful to watch.She instantly knows what Ennis has in his hands.No words necessary, just a look and the bag.
How ironic that we first see Ennis with a bag in hand containing pretty much all he has in the world.He has it all before him.Closed and as yet not experienced in love.Then full circle, Ennis with a bag, but this time it contains all that was important to him, all that is left of Jack and his life.
From one brown bag to another, but OMG what a journey between the two.The first bag symbolically is a reference to the lack of worldly goods, Ennis has.The second bag, still has no worldly goods, but it is now filled with love. Very sad.He clutches both of them tightly.
The first, not that he knows it, is a portent of all that is before him,the second, all that is behind him.
Well that's me completely in bits again.
--- End quote ---
Fiona, once again, you've given me goosebumps with your words and perceptions. How do you do that to me so easily??? You really ought to write a book or something; I'd be first in line to buy it ;)
There are some parts of BBM that no one could possibly sway my opinion on, and then there are parts like the scene with the shirts, where I've always waffled and wondered what it really meant. I think it was huge that that was the first scene where the camera pans to the perspective of the object Ennis is about to find, looking out at Ennis, rather than honing in on the actors/action. I knew right then that there was going to be a gigantic revelation. And the more I read yours and other's words on this thread, I'm more convinced that that revelation came of how much Ennis was loved, and Jack was loved in return, comes full-circle, finally after 20 years, in the span of about two minutes. Next time I watch it this week, I'll think of that scene from your eyes, thank you.
On a sidebar, I've read a lot of stuff about mother's intuitions and their innate protectiveness of their children. Not being a mom, I wouldn't know. Watching my poor mom being shuttled between the nursing home and the hospital lately, dying of 6 kinds of cancer -- I wish I could ask her what she knew about me that I never spoke out loud. But maybe it's best I don't know, cause I haven't exactly been the least naughty of girls in my life. Perhaps I should just let her rest, never knowing for sure....
mariez:
Yes, there are many great "bookends" in the story, and the paper bags are probably my favorite! I'm not convinced one way or another if Jack and his mom actually spoke about his relationship with Ennis, but I agree that it's clear Mrs. Twist knew about the shirts; and, therefore, what Jack and Ennis meant to each other, and that she wanted Ennis to find and keep them.
For me, one of the cornerstones of the story is the idea that Jack not only took Ennis's shirt but that he himself put one inside the other and hid them in the closet: stolen by Jack and hidden here inside Jack’s own shirt, the pair like two skins, one inside the other, two in one. I don't think he could ever have expected that Ennis would find them one day, but yet what a tragic irony that, after Jack's death, those shirts he hid would finally lead to Ennis's true understanding of their love. And, of course, Heath's own touch of reversing the shirts adds to the impact of their symbolism. IMO, Ennis finding the shirts is one of the greatest moments in literary and film history.
Marie
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