Ennis and the Earth

[Brown Eyes]

I thought I'd go ahead an start the symmetrical thread about Ennis and the Earth to go along with the Jack and the Wind topic.  Again all this seems vital in relation to the movie's tag line "love is a force of nature."

I realize that some people will prefer to see Ennis as Fire.  I tend to like the earth idea. It reflects his brown/neutral colors and it reflects his character as the one who stays in one place, doesn't travel (except around a coffee pot) and is paralyzed to a certain extent by his own fears and emotional bind.  He's the "down to earth" one who worries about the practical aspects of things in contrast to Jack the dreamer with his "head in the clouds" (air/wind).  Maybe my favorite aspect of the earth/air or earth/wind idea is that it perfectly reflects the image of a mountain against the sky... the interaction between the air and earth is what's interesting... how one impacts or changes the other and how they harmonize with each other.

I think that fire can be seen as an element in their relationship (just like water) or fire can be seen as an element that comes from the earth (like a volcano... i.e. fireworks scene).

Here's one of my favorite descriptive passages from Proulx where wind (the storm/wind/breeze) and earth (mountain and stones) are activated and interact in a really interesting way.  The wind seems to make the mountain come alive... and to sing.

"The next week Joe Aguirre sent word to bring them down - another, bigger storm was moving in from the Pacific- and they packed in the game and moved off the mountain with the sheep, stones rolling at their heels, purple cloud crowding in from the west and the metal smell of coming snow pressing on them.  The mountain boiled with demonic energy, glazed with flickering broken-cloud light, the wind combed the grass and drew from the damaged krummholz and slit rock a bestial drone. As they descended the slope Ennis felt he was in a slow-motion, but headlong, irreversible fall."




Wow.

[Ellemeno]

Amanda, I am so appreciative of your posts.

I'm sleepy and slow-witted right now, so no coherent paragraphs from me tonight, but I did just have this thought while reading here - it never seems right for Ennis to be living up on the second floor in their apartment.  To be with Jack, he comes running down to ground level.

[starboardlight]

I realize that some people will prefer to see Ennis as Fire.  I tend to like the earth idea. It reflects his brown/neutral colors and it reflects his character as the one who stays in one place, doesn't travel (except around a coffee pot) and is paralyzed to a certain extent by his own fears and emotional bind.  He's the "down to earth" one who worries about the practical aspects of things in contrast to Jack the dreamer with his "head in the clouds" (air/wind).  Maybe my favorite aspect of the earth/air or earth/wind idea is that it perfectly reflects the image of a mountain against the sky... the interaction between the air and earth is what's interesting... how one impacts or changes the other and how they harmonize with each other.

I'm with you Amanda. Ennis as the earth is more fitting to me. After all, his mantra is that of endurance, a characteristic of a mountain.

I also think of the interaction between mountain and sky, and I think of all the post cards that Jack sent. He wasn't just sending pretty pictures of mountains, but rather metaphoric expression of their relationship.

[Penthesilea]

I tend to like the earth idea. It reflects his brown/neutral colors and it reflects his character as the one who stays in one place, doesn't travel (except around a coffee pot) and is paralyzed to a certain extent by his own fears and emotional bind.  He's the "down to earth" one who worries about the practical aspects of things in contrast to Jack the dreamer with his "head in the clouds" (air/wind).

I like your desciption. I think of Ennis as the earth, too. Ennis is grounded and solid. The earth seems to be very solid - but if you look closer, under the surface, there are weak points: tectonic plate movement (which erups in earthquakes) and very, very deep inside the earth, at it's core, there is magma (=fire), which sometimes comes to the surface and erupts as a volcano. Just like Ennis.

[Front-Ranger]

I don't think you have to choose between earth and fire. Ennis is of the earth, and fire is his element, whereas Jack is of the air, and water is his element. As far as animals associated with Ennis, they are all 4-footed animals that walk on the earth but Jack is associated with eagles and fish.

[starboardlight]

whereas Jack is of the air, and water is his element.

*emphasis mine.
can you expand on that a bit?

[Penthesilea]

very, very deep inside the earth, at it's core, there is magma (=fire), which sometimes comes to the surface and erupts as a volcano. Just like Ennis.

(Except that the magma doesn't usually come from the core. /geology geek  )

(Tries not to drool too much at the idea of Ennis and plate tectonics in the same sentence.)

(Tries really, really, really hard not to make any of my usual geology puns. Or to elaborate on exactly what kind of rock I see Ennis as. Meryl, if you're out there reading, please restrain me.)

Sorry. Amanda, this is really cool stuff. Same to everyone else on the thread. Don't let me get you off track.

Answer from someone who is complete geology- ignorant:

Magma doesn't come frome the core??? That's what I learned at school  But maybe my translation to English is wrong. Then I'll sue my online-dictionary  Otherwise I'll sue my former teachers, my schools and the headmaster's dog.    Or maybe I just come out as a total fool if I rememberd something completely wrong.

[nakymaton]

And I just looked up the Chinese elements, because I remembered from some class in my distant past that there were five elements in Chinese philosophy, and I couldn't remember what they were. (And because they might factor into Ang Lee's choices more than the Western versions would.)

Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_elements_%28Chinese%29

Wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. I'm not very good with making symbolism make sense, but Ennis = earth fits with that, as well. (Earth = yellow, center, smell.)

(But there is no air, and I'm not sure which of the Chinese elements makes the most sense with Jack. Wood, associated with blue and green and wind, and overcomes Earth? Water, associated with black, is overcome by Earth?)

[Ellemeno]

Ennis = earth fits with that, as well. (Earth = yellow, center, smell.)

I think of Ennis smelling his own, Jack's, and Alma Jr.'s clothes.

[j.U.d.E.]

I'm totally 'buying' the idea of Jack and the Wind! It makes so much sense in so many scenes. Also the name 'Twist'.. maybe paralleled to 'twister'..

I also love the idea of Ennis and the Earth, but I was just thinking about his last name 'Del Mar' - from the Sea.. Maybe its' more Ennis and the Water.. but I don't know how to elaborate further..

~ j U d E

[TJ]

OT, here in a way; but, I have known several people whose surname was "Ennis," And they all live in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

And while there are no "Del Mar" folks in the Tulsa Metro Area Phonebook, there are several people with the surname of "Delmar." I am not sure that I know any of them; but, I have know a couple of Delmars with different surnames.

[ednbarby]

"The next week Joe Aguirre sent word to bring them down - another, bigger storm was moving in from the Pacific- and they packed in the game and moved off the mountain with the sheep, stones rolling at their heels, purple cloud crowding in from the west and the metal smell of coming snow pressing on them.  The mountain boiled with demonic energy, glazed with flickering broken-cloud light, the wind combed the grass and drew from the damaged krummholz and slit rock a bestial drone. As they descended the slope Ennis felt he was in a slow-motion, but headlong, irreversible fall."

Wow.

Wow is right.  I love this especially:  The mountain (Ennis) boiled with demonic energy, glazed with flickering broken-cloud light, the wind (Jack) combed the grass and drew from the damaged krummholz and slit rock a bestial drone.  I love the idea of Jack drawing from Ennis - of drawing him out - of coaxing out that scared, unloved but so incredibly loving child deep inside of him to him and the world.  Damaged and slit - that is Ennis, and it's both of them, too.

[Brown Eyes]

Heya ednbarby,
I just love the way Proulx describes things throughout the story.  I think it's her peculiar turns-of-phrase and amazing ability to make description *exciting* is one of my favorite things about the story version of BBM.  And, I do think a lot of the nature metaphors are a lot more dramatic (hit you over the head more) in the story.  I much appreciate Lee's very subtle translations of these metaphors.  I guess I see Proulx's nature as much more drama-filled while Lee's nature is more wistful.

Hi JudeW, the question of Ennis's name is really interesting in relation to the water idea.  But, here's how I see it... As far as I understand Ennis Del Mar can be translated as "Island of the Sea" of "Island in the Sea", which I see as a little bit of "earth" isolated in the middle of water, or surrounded by water.  So, Ennis can still be seen as earth.  If the water is either Jack (some people see him this way... "Water walking Jesus," etc.) or the element of time (here and there people have suggested that rushing water in the creeks and rivers in the movie symbolizes the flow of time and the "never enough time" problem) then Ennis is consumed by either Jack and/or time and the circumstances of their relationship.   In any case the idea of an island clearly fits well with Ennis's loner personailty and sense of isolation from conventional society.

[j.U.d.E.]

Hi JudeW, the question of Ennis's name is really interesting in relation to the water idea.  But, here's how I see it... As far as I understand Ennis Del Mar can be translated as "Island of the Sea" of "Island in the Sea", which I see as a little bit of "earth" isolated in the middle of water, or surrounded by water.  So, Ennis can still be seen as earth.  If the water is either Jack (some people see him this way... "Water walking Jesus," etc.) or the element of time (here and there people have suggested that rushing water in the creeks and rivers in the movie symbolizes the flow of time and the "never enough time" problem) then Ennis is consumed by either Jack and/or time and the circumstances of their relationship.   In any case the idea of an island clearly fits well with Ennis's loner personailty and sense of isolation from conventional society.

OH HOW I LOVE THIS!! Perfect! Yes, Ennis as the water-surrounded-island... *dream*

Each day I think, soon I will be over BBM, but no way! With minute, detailed imagery and interpretations of almost each small scene, I can't quit! LOVE IT!

~ j U d E

[TJ]

While us over-educated folks in this forum can use examples from what we learned from College/University humanities  and/or literature classes in describing people and possible themes in the movie and even what we have studied in various religion traditions, we do have to be careful when reading our ideas and experiences into Annie Proulx's short story an/or Ang Lee's movie adaptation of the story.

If Annie Proulx said she chose certain names of her characters (or even location names) for a particular purpose, then we should accept that.

But, when we delve into writings of various religions and/or mythologies and try to make them apply to the movie's final "script," we are using a literary device called "eisegesis." "Eixegesis" refers to impose one's own world view into a story or piece of literature without considering the world view of the original author. To approach a piece of literature without any preconceived ideas and attempt to understand the author's POV based on his or her world view, is using "exegesis."

[Brown Eyes]

Since Jack and the Wind seems to have come back to life a bit... I thought I'd give Ennis a bump.  I like it when our boys are near each other.

[starboardlight]

Thanx for bumping this Amanda. It's funny to read TJ's comment. It must have really bugged him to no ends, how we read into the story. The thing is, the elemental association is so fitting that I just don't think it's an accident. It's not so clear in Proulx's writing, but it's very apparent in Lee's film. At this point, it's the movie that defines Ennis and particularly Jack for me. So I kinda disregard what Proulx may say about her intention. She gave up that when she sold the rights to the stories to the film makers. What ever he intentions, Lee, Osana, McMurtry, Jake and Heath have as much in put into bringing the two characters to life. They brought their own intentions that may or may not conflict with Proulx's, and that's okay to try and reconcile them, and even choose to ignore or accept the contradictions. We do live in a post modern world where the artist is dead. What ever the artist may intend, it's what his audience understands that matters. A great artist can merge the gap between creator's intention and audience's perception, but in some case the latter has over shadowed the former's intent.

[wolf]

Thanx for bumping this Amanda. It's funny to read TJ's comment. It must have really bugged him to no ends, how we read into the story. The thing is, the elemental association is so fitting that I just don't think it's an accident. It's not so clear in Proulx's writing, but it's very apparent in Lee's film. At this point, it's the movie that defines Ennis and particularly Jack for me. So I kinda disregard what Proulx may say about her intention. She gave up that when she sold the rights to the stories to the film makers. What ever he intentions, Lee, Osana, McMurtry, Jake and Heath have as much in put into bringing the two characters to life. They brought their own intentions that may or may not conflict with Proulx's, and that's okay to try and reconcile them, and even choose to ignore or accept the contradictions. We do live in a post modern world where the artist is dead. What ever the artist may intend, it's what his audience understands that matters. A great artist can merge the gap between creator's intention and audience's perception, but in some case the latter has over shadowed the former's intent.

three cheers for this very pertinent post!  Couldn't agree more that Lee's decidedly oriental approach to film tends to overwhelm (beautifully, IMHO) the decidely occidental Ms Proulx.  Elemental themes would be the most obvious and sumptuous of his many gorgeous touches.  Earth, Wind & Fire indeed!

as for my bolding, above.  seemed a good opportunity to insert the caveat that you never know who you're talking too in forums such as these  .

w

[Front-Ranger]

I would like to point out that when Jack comes back to camp after tending the sheep, he eats "two of Ennis's stone biscuits." 

[Brown Eyes]

Wow!  That's quite a good bookend indeed!  Good catch.
 

[serious crayons]

After Ennis opens and closes a couple of doors, the camera looks out the window (and so does Ennis, in one version of the screenplay).

This makes me think of something. You know how Ennis is always looking out of windows thinking about Jack? That's probably the metaphor they meant to reference in the earlier screenplay.

But when the camera looks out the window, holds the shot, ends on it ... it suggests a bigger, more long-term window looking, don't you think? Especially with the outdoors and the tan and blue colors whatever else you might find symbolic or suggestive of their relationship in the view. By leaving us there, looking out the window, it's like they're telling us that Ennis will be looking out the window forever (or for a long long time, anyway).

And this makes me think of yet another thing. Maybe Ennis' window looking is meant to faintly illustrate his attitude toward the sweet life. When he looks out the window, he sees nature (or at least something closer to nature than whatever's inside the room). And nature represents his life on Brokeback with Jack, where they could live together in peace. So when he looks out the window, he's not only thinking specifically of Jack, but wistfully thinking (maybe subconsciously) of the life he wishes they could have together. And in the end, seeing that out the window, contrasted with Ennis in his closet ... what a powerful image!

We could just go on and on like this forever with this movie, couldn't we?

[Front-Ranger]

You bet, Katherine!

[Brown Eyes]

Bump
 

[Meryl]

bump

[Brown Eyes]

Hey Meryl!

I'm happy to see this thread arrived safely to its new home in Open Forum.
 

[coffeecat33]

Just when I think there is nothing more to divine from this movie, there is more. Happily. 

[serious crayons]

What about Jack and doorways? He stands in the open door of his truck (twice), leans against the doorframe at Ennis’s apartment, and stands in two different doorways at the Twist house in Texas. Jack’s “open” to things, ready / eager to step through?

Good one, Barbara. Ennis, stuck inside his societal limitations, looks wistfully out through windows he can't go through. Jack just goes ahead and walks out through the door.