Author Topic: Topic of the Week 1/07: Did Ennis know early on that he was in love with Jack?  (Read 15277 times)

Offline Penthesilea

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Howdy BetterMostians!

You don't know the new feature, Topic of the Week, yet? Go here to learn more about the concept:
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,12186.0.html

Since this is the very first Topic of the Week, I'll explain the idea behind it in short:

  • The Topic of the Week is a Brokeback related question which is in focus at the Open Forum for one week.
  • You can reply with only a short "Yes" or "No" in your message.
  • We encourage everybody to further elaborate their opinion, but of course you don't have to.
  • A new Topic of the Week is presented by Katherine and me every Monday.
  • Every member of BetterMost is encouraged to send their suggestions for a Topic of the Week per PM to Katherine or me.


Here is our brand new, fresh from the press, first Topic of the Week:

Did Ennis know early on that he was in love with Jack?

Discuss and enjoy!  :D
« Last Edit: August 06, 2007, 07:37:00 am by Penthesilea »

Offline Kelda

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No - I don't think he even new what love was.

He knew he had found a new friend he could talk to but I don't think it hit him until they had to leave the mountain... when he was sitting all alone on that little hill just thinking.
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mvansand76

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I think he started to realise it when he came down off the mountain, and I am referring to AP's wonderful "headlong and irreversible fall", I think Ennis knew at that moment that he had fallen in love and that his love for Jack would be forever.

Scott6373

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I don't think he knew (or more to the point understood) what love was until he got the postcard.  For me, the life lesson that Ennis learned was not about his sexuality, but about loving and being loved.  He never knew what love was, or supposed to be, until he lost it.  That's why I feel the end of the story, while very sad, left me with a feeling of hope...for him, and for all of us.  That's what I thought he meant by:  "Jack...I swear..."

Offline Brokeback_Dev

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I don't think that Ennis knew he was in love with Jack until the 4 year reunion, but when they came down from the mountain Ennis was heaving in that alley way because as much as he tried to suppress his feelings, he needed (loved?) Jack. (`?`)
« Last Edit: July 30, 2007, 09:44:32 am by brokeback_dev »

moremojo

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No. He didn't have enough self-awareness at that point to recognize and name such a feeling. The story shows him evolving over a period of decades into the acknowledgement of who he is both as a loving and a sexual being.

Offline Brokeback_Dev

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No. He didn't have enough self-awareness at that point to recognize and name such a feeling. The story shows him evolving over a period of decades into the acknowledgement of who he is both as a loving and a sexual being.

Why then in llater years, did Ennis stopped seeing Jack as often as he once did?  I mean he was living a lonely alone life with nobody, except maybe his girls occasionally.  Its proven by the Thanksgiving "Jack Nasty" scene when he tells Alma he doesnt see Jack that often. and also when Cassie ran into him in the diner.  Apparently he didnt see her anymore either

It breaks my heart when he turns Jack away after his divorce was final.  It could have been some sweet life.

Scott6373

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Why then in llater years, did Ennis stopped seeing Jack as often as he once did?  I mean he was living a lonely alone life with nobody, except maybe his girls occasionally.  As proven by the Thanksgiving "Jack Nasty" scene and also when Cassie ran into him in the diner.

It breaks my heart when he turns Jack away after his divorce was final. 

This is one of the reasons I think that Ennis' emotional devleopment didn't realy start until Jack died, and Junior came to him about her wedding.  Look at the questions he asked her. 

What we saw in Ennis, when he recieved the postcard, and up to he point that Junior came to him, was grief, pure and simple, along with a great deal of self-pity and an increase in his self-loathing.  His reaction to Juniors news, and the subsequent moment with the shirts was really the beginning of Ennis emotional blossoming.

Offline Brown Eyes

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I think the answer might be slightly different for story-Ennis vs. movie-Ennis.  I think both versions of Ennis definitely were in love with Jack very early on.  I think film-Ennis became smitten with Jack during that very early bar scene right after their meeting with Aguirre.  But, the question of when Ennis identified the emotion as love is more tricky.  I agree that film-Ennis probably started really identifying the emotion as love around the time of the reunion (even if he would be reluctant to admit to the word "love" etc.).  But at the same time, it's hard to interpret what his emotions were as he and Jack were descending the mountain.  Maybe his brooding moment, sitting out in the field just prior to Jack's lasso trick and all his subsequent angst were meant to indicate that Ennis was getting closer to understanding that his emotions were about love.  I think it's easier to believe that story-Ennis definitely knew his emotions were about love at the time that they came down from the mountain.
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moremojo

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It breaks my heart when he turns Jack away after his divorce was final.  It could have been some sweet life.
Someone on the old IMDb board the other day (yes, there are still occasional edifying posts on that board) opined that Ennis accepting Jack's offer would have been tantamount to admitting that both he and Jack were homosexual (or were at least involved in a homosexual relationship). As long as he could rationalize their relations as "this thing" that takes hold of them, he could deal with it somewhat, but was confronted with fear and loathing when the truth was pushed too close to his consciousness (note his reaction when he learns of Jack's trips to Mexico). The poster went on to state that Jack eventually realized the hopelessness of the situation, but it took him a tragically long time to do so.

It took Jack's death to force Ennis into conscious awareness of the truth of his heart...only, sadly, it was too late for Jack to then be a part of that. As Scott wrote above, there is hope in knowing that Ennis at least at last has acknowledged his capacity for love and the importance of loving.