Ranchgal, I hate to interrupt you when you are obviously in the throes of ecstasy, 
but would I have read posts of yours on Dave Cullen? Particularly, several months ago, did you post something about "hat etiquette"? I believe the discussion evolved from the mention of how Ennis had his hat in his hand when he went to the tent for the SNIT. I didn't see the post but read a post by someone else who commented on it. I'd be really interested in what it was that you had to say about it, if you wouldn't mind repeating it.
Yes, I have posted on davecullen. So you may have seen something, about a variety of things. LOL The main hat discussion I really remember was the significance of colors-and I don't think there is any---because of the number of different colored/types hats each had throughout the movie, at different times in their lives.
but I can't quite place the etiquette discussion except to give my thoughts, off the top of my head about the second night in the tent, which is one of my very favorite moments of tenderness between them.
the fact that Ennis has his hat in his hand when he comes to the tentflap that second night says to me how much he is asking for Jack's acceptance of him, and his respect for Jack.
You always take your hat off when entering a person's home, as a sign of respect, and he was being very respectful of Jack and Jack's place when he approached, and took off his hat and waited for admittance.
The fact that he has his hat on while beside the fire, and then is holding it in his hands as he gets to the tent is what tells me about his mindset---that and the way you just know he has been wrestling with who/what am I and what do I do about this to keep this wonderful sense of touching/love/tenderness I have never had before-and can't lose now.
Don't know if that is the explanation you were looking for, but hope it helps, if you know something specific I could answer more, but right now, that is what stays in my head-without going over to davecullen's and going through all the pages of SNIT. LOL
one thing I did say is that when I was in college, an OLDER rancher, who would have been a top hand in his day, now a respected cattleman---told me that you could tell a real cattleman because he always removed his hat entering any people buildings, and you could always tell the "college" cowboys who were not much more than hotdogs because they never removed their hats--and it was disrespectful and would not have tolerated in his youthful days. He wouldn't even call them real cowboys, let alone cattlemen, no matter how much skill they may have had, they didn't give respect by using their hats correctly, so they didn't get respect. I learned then, and always removed my hat, cause I wanted to be a real hand and not a wanna be!! LOL Pretty quick I got smart and started using a cap instead of hat, though I still have one for special stuff.
course that was over 30 years ago, and hat etiquette like a lot of American traditional etiquette on a lot of subjects has gone much more casual and is not the same now as then--now people wear their hats in movie theaters--and that is really NOT a good thing, but no one remembers "right and wrong" much any more, the way they used to.
Topic: Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll (Read 3166826 times)