Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
"Jack, I swear..." What do you think Ennis meant by that?
serious crayons:
I came out of the movie on the second or third time, looked around at people on the sidewalk, and thought, the world I was just a part of feels more real to me than this one!
I agree that there's an element in "I swear" of promising that he's going to change his ways, as he did with Alma Jr.'s wedding. I felt that, too. But I'm afraid I have a hard time seeing the ending as very upbeat, or visualizing a promising future for Ennis. :'( :'( :'(
texman:
Being from Texas, you can hear people out on the ranches and in small towns using the term, "I swear.....". In fact I heard it today. I immediately asked the guy who said it what he meant by that. He said it after his son bought a second pickup truckhe didn't need when he actually could have used the money for something else.
He responded that "I swear.." is just a actual feeling rather than a meaning. Kinda like a feeling that you don't have control over the situation. But it could be used to describe a who slew of various feelings and situations that you have no control over.
So in this case the use of "I swear" is used to describe how Ennis feels rather than what he is thinking. So "I swear" means just that and that alone. There isn't any more.
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Rayn on April 15, 2006, 12:16:49 pm ---Oh, yes, Jack and Chris... There is hope for Ennis. I don't know about other people, but I for one see that the strength of Jack's love for Ennis and Ennis' final realization of the depth of his own love for Jack has, like nothing else in life could, "saved" Ennis.
He is able to see what is truly important ... the loved ones around him are; his daughter, for starters is, because Ennis will start over, has no choice but to start over, but with the knowledge of what love really is and how important it is not to stifle it in life. His first step toward a new beginning is his decision to attend "Junior's" wedding.
I don't think anything else could have "saved" Ennis but the real love that the two men continued to share all those years. Although Jack never had what he wanted exactly, he still had as much of Ennis as Ennis could give and, in the end, what Jack gave Ennis was a true gift.
--- End quote ---
Hey Rayn, that was a really lovely post. It's a nice interpretation.
It's occurred to me recently (in addition to all the comments, possiblities and interpretations we've already talked about)... that this could be a symmetrical moment to Jack's amazing admission.
"Sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."
So, Ennis's last moment here could be something like, "Jack, I swear... sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."
It's clear that he feels this all the time. But, it also echos the book since the last line of the book is "If you can't fix it you have to stand it."
Aussie Chris:
--- Quote from: atz75 on April 16, 2006, 11:29:02 am ---So, Ennis's last moment here could be something like, "Jack, I swear... sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."
--- End quote ---
Oh wow, I'm gobs-macked, that's just perfect! The best one yet! Err, IMHO!
This thread is just too cute. Just when I thought there couldn't be any more gold in thar hills, along comes a gem!
Brown Eyes:
Awwww, thanks Aussie Chris. :D
I thought that was a nice, neat and tidy idea for filling in the blank. Yeah, the possibilities are endless... and usually very interesting and heartbreaking.
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