What does Ennis see? Ennis sees Jack dismantling the home that they built together, that they built by Ennis putting all of his trust into Jack. And Ennis saw Jack taking it down nonchalantly ... Ennis now sees (to Ennis, at least) Jack betraying the trust that Ennis put into Jack in the second tent scene and thereafter.
... When he gave his trust to Jack, he gave Jack everything that had been taken away from himself over the past several years. He put his trust in Jack to lead him and to be there for him.
Now, Jack is leading Ennis away from their home. Ennis feels that he is, once again, being abandoned. This is why I believe his punch was deliberate. I believe Ennis is saying “You son-of-a-bitch… how dare you abandon me when I gave myself to you.” He subjugated his fear of “queer” by putting his trust in Jack. Now, he’s lashing out at the object, the maker or doer, of his other great fear – fear of abandonment – and that object is Jack.
This makes perfect sense to me.
What I find striking about the punch is that Ennis lets himself be comforted by Jack UNTIL Jack lays his hand on his face in such a way that only a lover will do, soothing, that's EXACTLY the moment when Ennis hits him. Did anybody else notice that? That's exactly what Ennis couldn't take, to feel that caress, because he knew it would be gone in a matter of hours.
And I also love this, mvansand76.
I think it also shows that while Jack was never truly fighting, Ennis was. So while for Jack it is possible to instantlly resume the tender, caring role when he accidently hits Ennis harder than intended, Ennis can only continue fighting. His anger is real and comes from deep within. I always see that punch as the first, violent expression of the accusation he makes twenty years on: "It's because of you I am like this". He's externalizing his inner conflict.
And I also agree with this, stevenedel.
Does anyone see these views as contradictory? I don't. I think they all work together. I agree that Ennis felt hurt and betrayed. But the punch wasn't t premeditated. Under other circumstances, hurt as he was, he wouldn't have punched.
But being comforted by Jack sends him over the edge. It reminds him of how much he's losing. But also, it throws Jack's apparent betrayal into even greater relief, because Jack's gentleness in this moment echoes Jack's gentleness in TS2. Now Ennis is even more hurt and confused. How can Jack be so loving one minute (TS2, and now), and yet blithely walk away? What did it all mean?
It's interesting that, years later, by the lake, Jack threatens more explicitly to walk away ("I did, ONCE"). And once again, the contrast between that potential leaving and his gentleness in trying to comfort Ennis sends Ennis over the edge.
Mel, your post appeared as I was writing this, and looks like you're saying pretty much the same thing about the parallels between TS2 and the pre-punch comforting. Good point about Jack saying "s'alright" both times.