Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
fffffffzzzzzzzzzzzzzap! (lightning and electricity references)
Meryl:
--- Quote from: nakymaton on November 27, 2006, 03:54:50 pm ---Hey all --
kallyn, who just joined after seeing BBM on HBO (yay!), asked about the significance of the single functioning headlight on Ennis's truck after the "Jack Nasty" Thanksgiving scene. I said something vague about electricity and sparks, but really, I have no clue. Anybody else got any suggestions?
--- End quote ---
Good question. On the surface, I'd say it's meant to show Ennis's poverty--he hasn't got the money to get the headlight repaired and so makes do with one. After the abundance seen at Monroe's, it's an effective contrast.
Symbolically, possibly it shows a man who is alone. His other half, whether it be Alma or Jack, is not in his day-to-day life.
Or maybe it symbolizes his being half-blind with rage, thus prefiguring the fight with the truck driver.
kallyn:
Woo, I come over here to post and find that suspiciously my ears are burning. :laugh: Anyway, howdy all. :) I noticed that broken headlight today like it was a freakin' banner and I thought that it had to mean something. The idea that Ennis is poor is good, but we already know from other things that Ennis is poor so that would seem like a somewhat redundant point.
I think my favorite idea so far is that one light is out because he is incomplete without Jack.
Lynne:
--- Quote from: kallyn on November 28, 2006, 01:34:46 am ---Woo, I come over here to post and find that suspiciously my ears are burning. :laugh: Anyway, howdy all. :) I noticed that broken headlight today like it was a freakin' banner and I thought that it had to mean something. The idea that Ennis is poor is good, but we already know from other things that Ennis is poor so that would seem like a somewhat redundant point.
I think my favorite idea so far is that one light is out because he is incomplete without Jack.
--- End quote ---
Welcome to BetterMost, kallyn! And thank you very much for posting.
I noticed the headlight on a fairly late viewing - the earlier ones were for me trying to figure out what had acually just happened to me :)! My interpretation of the busted headlamp is very similar to others offered here:
On one level, the broken headlight is an indication of Ennis' poverty and long work schedule. He was paying child support; he was not able to keep is truck in good (even safe?) repair, because both money and time were short.
I completely agree that Ennis is incomplete without Jack - their two halves make a whole. We can quote many lines from the short story as evidence. That night, though, Ennis is not 'firing on all cylinders' -- I know, mixing metaphors :) -- he lets upset/anger/fear overcome his steely self-control, and he vents all that on the hapless guy on the street who drives by and honks, justifiably.
Another thought comes to mind, though...I think we talk about being drunk or angry as half-blind - referring to the eyes. Ennis was a drinker and was headed for the bar after the confrontration w/Alma probably to get half drunk b/c he was half-blind with rage - with only one headlight.
I tend to think that Alma's confronting Ennis about Jack and the Jack Nasty conversation constitute a 'sucker punch' that is equivalent to the punch Ennis delivers to Jack before their first parting. By this interpretation, is it stretching matters to think that the busted up headlight is a reminder/parallel to the 'sucker punch' Ennis gave Jake' long ago upon Brokeback? Ennis leaves Jack wounded due to who he is, much in the same way Alma wounds Ennis by her recognition of who he is.
Thanks for listenin...
-Lynne
Front-Ranger:
There were some electrical references during the reunion scene that we haven't mentioned yet:
--- Quote ---"You gotta kid?" said Jack. His shaking hand grazed Ennis's hand, electrical current snapped between them.
"Two little girls," said Ennis. "Alma Jr. and Francine. Love em to pieces." Alma's mouth twitched.
...From the vibration of the floorboard on which they both stood, Ennis could feel how hard Jack was shaking.
--- End quote ---
Jack leaves Alma with a "please to meet you" while trembling like a run-out horse, and then Alma asks Ennis for cigarettes, the only time anybody does in the movie. He directs her to his blue shirt in the bedroom, where there is a pack in his pocket, instead of bringing her back smokes from the store.
Aside from the electrical and fire references, it is interesting that Ennis says he loves his girls "to pieces" because it's his love for Jack that is going to break the family in pieces. Alma seems to know this, as her mouth twitches as one would in response to touching fire or being shocked.
nakymaton:
There's a fuse box barely visible in the entryway of the Riverton apartment at a couple points during the reunion scene. Electricity, controlled and in a box -- compare with the electricity of the reunion kiss.
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