Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Who had Control and Used it: Jack or Ennis?
loneleeb3:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on April 29, 2007, 05:53:15 pm ---My opinion is that Jack and Ennis's relationship changed over time, and the balance of dominance and receptiveness was fluid. At the beginning of the movie, Aguirre bestowed dominance on Jack and he showed it by introducing himself, leading Ennis to the bar, taking control of the sheep, and instructing Ennis to "git, less we want to sit around and tie knots all day." But the balance began to shift as Ennis perceived that Jack had a tendency to bite off more than he could chew in selecting a low startle point horse. Ennis easily directed the dogs with his whistle and then switched places with Jack as the herder. A crucial turning point came when Jack again couldn't control his horse and Ennis thoughtfully watched him disappear up the trail. Shortly after, Ennis was laid low by a bear, and Jack was again "on top." Jack seized control by overreacting with anger at Ennis's lateness. Then, Ennis shot the elk, belittling Jack's shooting ability, and the dance continued. Ennis seemed to be the dominant one when their sexual relationship began and perhaps that's another reason why he was so taken aback to ride in and find Jack unexpectedly striking the camp. Everything was mixed up when the last day tussle happened and when Ennis was disabled with a bloody nose, that was the last straw. Unable to control himself, Jack, or events, he lashed out the only way he knew. Their subsequent 20-year relationship reeled more and more out of balance as time went on and Ennis called the shots, leading Jack to resort to more and more desperate measures, and finally ending in his death and Ennis's ultimate control over his life, which he found to be not worth living. :'(
There is a lesson here, that the ancient Way of the Tao sums up very well (which I will post very soon).
--- End quote ---
Wow lee!@
That was awesome! You nailed it all. ;D
chelseagirl:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on April 29, 2007, 05:53:15 pm ---My opinion is that Jack and Ennis's relationship changed over time, and the balance of dominance and receptiveness was fluid. At the beginning of the movie, Aguirre bestowed dominance on Jack and he showed it by introducing himself, leading Ennis to the bar, taking control of the sheep, and instructing Ennis to "git, less we want to sit around and tie knots all day." But the balance began to shift as Ennis perceived that Jack had a tendency to bite off more than he could chew in selecting a low startle point horse. Ennis easily directed the dogs with his whistle and then switched places with Jack as the herder. A crucial turning point came when Jack again couldn't control his horse and Ennis thoughtfully watched him disappear up the trail. Shortly after, Ennis was laid low by a bear, and Jack was again "on top." Jack seized control by overreacting with anger at Ennis's lateness. Then, Ennis shot the elk, belittling Jack's shooting ability, and the dance continued. Ennis seemed to be the dominant one when their sexual relationship began and perhaps that's another reason why he was so taken aback to ride in and find Jack unexpectedly striking the camp. Everything was mixed up when the last day tussle happened and when Ennis was disabled with a bloody nose, that was the last straw. Unable to control himself, Jack, or events, he lashed out the only way he knew. Their subsequent 20-year relationship reeled more and more out of balance as time went on and Ennis called the shots, leading Jack to resort to more and more desperate measures, and finally ending in his death and Ennis's ultimate control over his life, which he found to be not worth living. :'(
There is a lesson here, that the ancient Way of the Tao sums up very well (which I will post very soon).
--- End quote ---
But why? Why such a need for control? To control Jack, to control the situation which he himself couldn't understand, did Ennis feel to control a situation where his sexual desire for Jack overwhelmed him, his own sense of what was "normal"?
Ennis is so complex, I think he's one way, then I read the ss or watch the film, my perceptions change.
Scott6373:
I think it's quite easy to say that Ennis dominated most their relationship with evergrowing control over the twenty years, but when I really pause to think about it, each man had control, respectively, over the two aspects of a relationship that ultimately direct it: Heart and mind.
Ennis, in his logical, albeit self deprecating way, kept the reality of their situation clearly in view, and always reminded Jack of it. Jack on the other hand, knew instinctively, that Ennis needed to be with him, that it was vital to his soul to be with Jack.
When AP said that there can be no Jack without Ennis, and vice versa, perhaps what she meant, was there could be no true love without each man doing what came naturally and instinctively to them. It's the old yin and yang thing.
chelseagirl:
Did Ennis discovered this too late?
loneleeb3:
--- Quote from: Scott on May 04, 2007, 08:13:33 am ---I think it's quite easy to say that Ennis dominated most their relationship with evergrowing control over the twenty years, but when I really pause to think about it, each man had control, respectively, over the two aspects of a relationship that ultimately direct it: Heart and mind.
Ennis, in his logical, albeit self deprecating way, kept the reality of their situation clearly in view, and always reminded Jack of it. Jack on the other hand, knew instinctively, that Ennis needed to be with him, that it was vital to his soul to be with Jack.
When AP said that there can be no Jack without Ennis, and vice versa, perhaps what she meant, was there could be no true love without each man doing what came naturally and instinctively to them. It's the old yin and yang thing.
--- End quote ---
Absolutely!
Thats a great way of putting it. Jack was the heart of the relationship. Not that Ennis didn't love Jack, but Jack followed his heart where Ennis followed everything else but.
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