Note: this post is an answer to ruthlessly regarding a post of his, which was posted before the questionnaries were divided to several threads. So ruthlessly's post I refer to is still on the questionnaires part 1 thread. But my answer doesn't fit over there, because it refers to questionnaire #2. So I post it here, hoping you don't mind the jumble. If you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, feel free to ignore
Note #2: my answers to questionnaire 2 are gone on
this new thread, but still intact on the old (first) thread. I will copy and paste them.
Yes. There are two scenes where Jack plays the harmonica and he plays “He was a Friend of Mine” in both.
I listended to both scenes today (first time ever I put my DVD in just for the purpose to check some specific scenes). Both times, he plays the same tune (wouldn't swear an oath on it, but am pretty sure). I still can't hear any similarity to "He was a friend of mine", but
if it is this song, then it's played twice.
Many people see a tie between Earl’s death and Ennis’ imagination during the Lureen phone call. These are separated by about 15 years and many, many scenes. Many people see a tie between Ennis arriving in Signal in a truck in a green-lit sky with a paper bag with a shirt in it to the scene at the end of the movie where Ennis drives home in a truck in a green-lit sky with a paper bag with two shirts in it. ........I could go on and on
I got the picture.
And you don’t think this sounds like a metaphor foreshadowing Jack’s death? Because humming and singing and playing the harmonica are upbeat activities? Are the two songs that roll through the credits (“He was a Friend of Mine” and “Maker Makes”) supposed to be upbeat? Are they not about death and loss and longing?
I never said the songs you mentioned (the ones hummed and sung by Ennis or Jack) are funny, upbeat songs with hilarious lyrics. And of course the songs at the end of the credits are not upbeat. So music
can be sad.
But the occasions you itemized are upbeat activities. The the singing/humming/playing person is in a good mood when doing so:
Ennis humming on his way back to camp (before he encounters the bear)
Jack playing the harmonica and Ennis joking about it
Water-walking-Jesus-scene: Jack singing and Ennis doing "percussions" on the coffeepot: barely a downbeat mood
Ennis making the "as long as I don't have to sing"-comment: he is cheerful, on his way to Jack and makes a joke to his children
Dozy embrace: lovable, tender, at peace
I could go on and on...
Then add in Ennis' comment about the harmonica breaking in two. If humming, singing and playing the harmonica foreshadow Jack's death, then it seems logical that Ennis' comment is a foreshadowing of Jack's ashes being in two separate places.
This is one thing I agree. Being not in consencus with your "
Every singing etc. foreshadows Jack's death"-statement, I would phrase it slightly different: "If there is a connection between Jack and the harmonica, then it sems logical that Ennis's comment is a foreshadowing of Jack's ashes being in two seperate places".
I absolutely see the connection between Ennis's comment and the divided ashes, because I agree about the connection between Jack and the harmonica. As I said before.
Back to my original answer, it was:
hmm, undecided. But I can't follow ruthlessly with his argumentation as a whole. Perhaps partly. The above paragraph is a part where I can follow you.
I'm not undecided anymore regarding to the original question, whether there is symbolism in Jack playing the harmonica and Ennis's comment. I thought about it the last two days (thanks to your further inquiry). My answer is now a yes to the symbolism.
Then add in Ennis' comment about being glad that Jack forgot his harmonica. If the humming, singing, playing metaphor foreshadows Jack's death, then is it not highly ironic that Ennis foreshadows Jack's death himself by telling the Earl death story, right after he himself mentioned the missing harmonica ... the foreshadowing of Jack's death is missing (the harmonica), but is filled in with the Earl death story.
Yes,
if...
This is a circular argument: you use the music metaphor to explain the scene and you use the explanation of the scene (and it's possible irony) as an evidence for the metaphor.
Honestly, with all due respect, I am confused.
Is it so confusing when different people have different opinions
?
After reflecting this topic once more since your answer yesterday: Bottom line is, I still can't buy your statement in it's finalty. But you're not wrong, too. I guess this is another topic where we could debate endlessly, like the debate about Jack's death. But seeing that this movie is open to interpreation in so many ways and on so many layers, we could just agree to partly disagree again.