Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Why Jack Quit Ennis
ruthlesslyunsentimental:
--- Quote from: Amber on July 12, 2006, 05:16:28 pm ---… and that if Ennis one day miraculously decided that he did want a life with Jack and pursued it, Jack would have agreed.
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Here’s a sticky question… let’s say Jack “quit” Ennis. And Jack moved up to Lightning Flat with the other fella. Now, it’s five years later. Ennis pays a call to say he’s ready, willing, and able. Does Jack dump Randall? Did Jack just accept Randall as a warm body? Or did Jack make/allow himself to fall in love with Randall? We’ve all heard that the first love is the strongest. (I question this, though.) So even if we all agree that any love that Jack would have for Randall is not as strong as the love Jack had for Ennis, would Jack dump Randall and his love for Randall after, let’s say, five years of living together? I don’t want this to go the fan fiction route; rather, just a good discussion of our views of Jack’s and Ennis’ characters.
--- Quote ---I also think that there was a degree of it though that was Jack protecting himself from putting anymore effort into something that wasn't getting reciprocated the way he wanted it to be.
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Thus, his comment: “I wish I knew how to quit you.”
Thanks for your input!
ruthlesslyunsentimental:
--- Quote from: ednbarby on July 12, 2006, 05:21:44 pm ---That look in his eyes as he watches Ennis drive away … I just can't see Ennis ever agreeing to live together.
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I agree. :'(
--- Quote ---… and realizing he has to let Ennis go to free Ennis from his torment …
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Well put.
--- Quote ---… how would Jack meet with him one last time to tell him all this?
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I think everything you said in this paragraph is wholly plausible. But, can you just imagine the scene in Ennis’ trailer after Jack told Ennis it had to be over? I think Ennis would be stunned. Would he break down? Would he lash out? Would he beg? Argh!
Speaking of Ennis’ reaction… just how would Ennis react to a postcard from Jack saying:
--- Quote ---"We got to meet sooner - just for an hour or two - to talk. Can we do that sometime? I'll come to you."
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Every wheel in his head would be spinning so fast…
--- Quote ---Ennis would have to drive God knows how far back to his lonely old house or trailer having just been told by Jack that they can never see each other again. If Jack did tell him face to face, I also think he would be cruel to be kind, again, and would tell Ennis he's met someone else and wants to live with him. Period. Clean break. It's the only way.
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Shouldn’t there be a smiley for “sobbing uncontrollably?”
--- Quote ---Am I truly the ruthless one?
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Join the club. Are you closer to Wyoming or Texas? If Wyoming, we meet the first Wednesday of every month at Don Wroe’s cabin. If Texas, we get together at Roy Taylor’s every other Saturday – there’s a lot more “ruthlesslys” in Texas. But as a newcomer, you’ll have to bring the apple pie or a nice elk.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: ruthlesslyunsentimental on July 12, 2006, 06:13:56 pm ---Would he break down? Would he lash out? Would he beg? Argh!
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No. The scene would echo the ones when they say goodbye in Signal and then Ennis goes into the alley.
Jeff Wrangler:
Tell you what, I was just reading through the posts on this thread since my own brief response of this morning, when suddenly this popped into my head:
Are we making assumptions about Randall? Not just on this thread, but elsewhere?
What if Jack was wrong about "the ranch neighbor"? What if Randall turned out to be no more willing to ranch up with Jack than Ennis was?
Just because Randall came on to Jack doesn't necessarily mean he would have turned out to be "husband material."
What if all Randall wanted from Jack was ... sex?
:o
ruthlesslyunsentimental:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on July 12, 2006, 06:18:40 pm ---No. The scene would echo the ones when they say goodbye in Signal and then Ennis goes into the alley.
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Hadn't even thought of this. Now THIS is sad!
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