Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
"Jack, I swear..." What do you think Ennis meant by that?
Rayn:
--- Quote from: David on March 01, 2007, 01:40:42 am ---We say "I swear" here in the Midwest all the time. ... It's a very familiar term with Midwesterners, and it can mean a whole host of things, depending on the situation
--- End quote ---
I just stopped by to say howdy and see how this thread is going... and it's going still! Thanks for your post David, and welcome to Sock too!
Since I started this thread, so long ago, I don't think I've heard anyone but David and I who've said that "I swear..." can just mean "I declare!" as in "I swear Jack, life is tough without you." or as in the ways David mentions. Though there continue to be many ways to hear and feel that line, I do, like David, hear the great regret Ennis is feeling and agree with David's conclusion. Until he finds their shirts together, I honestly don't think Ennis ever knew how deeply Jack loved him.
I'd also like say something about the ideals "goodness, purity, and honesty" where Ennis and Jack are concerned, or for that matter, where anyone's concerned and I hope I can say this without sounding too "preachy". I know some people can't stand that, but goodness, purity and honesty are ideals that arise in the human mind and which few human beings are able to live out perfectly. We all, to some degree or another, embody those ideals; and because they are ideas/ideals imposed upon living imperfect beings, we all embody none of them.
If that's not too deep or complex a conclusion to make here, I hope it will at least add a little light to the overall discussion and maybe even advance it some too.
Yours truly,
Rayn
PS: I think I'll watch the movie again this weekend. I'm not "obsessed" with it anymore like after I first saw it, thank goodness, but I get a bit more out of it every time I see it and I never cease to enjoy it. Like all great art, it just hasn't grown old for me.
I will have to do one thing first though.... buy a box of kleenex! LOL :laugh: It always "gets me good" no matter how many times I've seen it.
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Rayn on March 23, 2007, 01:35:14 am ---I just stopped by to say howdy and see how this thread is going... and it's going still! Thanks for your post David, and welcome to Sock too!
--- End quote ---
Hey Bud! Nice to see you. Yup, this thread is certainly a classic. It's one of those topics that doesn't get old and can be analyzed at great length (clearly)!
--- Quote ---Until he finds their shirts together, I honestly don't think Ennis ever knew how deeply Jack loved him.
--- End quote ---
Well, I believe Ennis knew how deeply Jack loved him while Jack was still alive. But, I wonder if Ennis realized how long Jack had been so deeply in love. The shirts might have surprised Ennis in making him realize that Jack was already so deeply in love during the Brokeback summer. Does Ennis's discovery of the shirts make him realize that he was deeply in love with Jack already by the end of the Brokeback summer too? He seems aware of the intensity of his emotions towards Jack pretty early (especially story-Ennis... since he tells Jack *why* he had the dry heaves after Jack left that summer).
Rayn:
--- Quote from: atz75 on March 23, 2007, 01:49:29 am ---Hey Bud! Nice to see you. Yup, this thread is certainly a classic. It's one of those topics that doesn't get old and can be analyzed at great length (clearly)!
I wonder if Ennis realized how long Jack had been so deeply in love. The shirts might have surprised Ennis in making him realize that Jack was already so deeply in love during the Brokeback summer. Does Ennis's discovery of the shirts make him realize that he was deeply in love with Jack already by the end of the Brokeback summer too? He seems aware of the intensity of his emotions towards Jack pretty early (especially story-Ennis... since he tells Jack *why* he had the dry heaves after Jack left that summer).
--- End quote ---
Yes, you're right. It is however pretty clear, in terms of awareness, that Ennis is slower than Jack. Perhaps finding their shirts does make him aware, deeply aware, that he was in love with Jack from the git-go.
Now I know it's not reasonable, but I can't help but think of Ennis in terms of how I myself would have responded to Jack if I met a guy like Jack one summer in an alpine setting..... :laugh:
Silly, ain't I?!
Ennis was/is not a 21st century man with all the awareness of post liberation history and experience to help him. Ennis and Jack were men of their times and so much of those times were full of violence, fear and repression. Those were the making of much sadness, but the wonder of the story is the Power of Love-- "A Force of Nature" eh?! And the lengths we go to keep it alive!
Good to see you too, atz75 ! :)
Rayn
Rayn:
"Jack, I swear..."
What do you think Ennis meant by that?
Artiste:
Interesting in many, many ways!!
Could it be that Ennis says, in thinking about Jack, therefore to Jack this in a way:
He (Ennis) is now brave!! ?? So, I (Ennis) will now be brave too like you were being an open person Jack!! ??
Jack I swear, said by Ennis, is powerful in unknown ways!! ??
Your comments from you all, would be great!!
Hugs!!
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