How old was Ennis, when his parents died?

[Jeff Wrangler]

From the text:

"I was what, nine years old and they found Earl dead in a irrigation ditch."

[littleguitar]

So when we first see Ennis in the film, his parents only just died about 5-7 years ago

Wow, for some reason that fact never struck me when I watched the movie, that makes it even more sad to me.  When we're talking losing a parent, 5 years is not a lot of time.  It really makes sense that this in part contributes to his isolation.

Great thread!

[slayers_creek_oth]

Wow, for some reason that fact never struck me when I watched the movie, that makes it even more sad to me.  When we're talking losing a parent, 5 years is not a lot of time.  It really makes sense that this in part contributes to his isolation.

Great thread!

Agreed!  Makes you feel for Ennis even more...

[Brown Eyes]

I think Ennis's status as an orphan is a tremendously interesting part of the story.  Given his rough upbringing (his father subjecting him to something as awful as the sight of Earl's body/ his father making sure Ennis knew the details of that horrible incident, his brother beating him up all the time, losing his parents, etc., etc.) it makes the sweetness he finds in Jack seem all the more wonderful.  You get the sense that by the time he met Jack he not only hadn't spoken much to anyone for a long time (as he tells Jack), but that he certainly hadn't had any kind of affection (like a hug, or a kiss, etc... no lullabies from his Mom) for ages either.  Jack's warmth must have seemed like a whole new world compared to the mean-spiritedness of his father and the seeming coldness of his siblings (no more room for Ennis).  Ennis's embrace in the flashback while humming his Mother's lullaby to Jack is almost too heartbreaking when you really think about it...

No wonder Ennis was upset about parting ways with Jack at the end of the Brokeback summer.  Ennis probably would have just been consumed with fears of abandonment based on all of his loss as a child/ younger teenager.

The other thing that I find fascinating about Ennis as an orphan is his interaction with Jack's parents at the end.  Back on imdb there were great, long threads about the lengths Jack's Mother goes to in order to make Ennis welcome.  To make this point in a concise way... If Ennis had moved up to Lightning Flat with Jack as Jack had dreamed, then Ennis would have found himself with a new and loving Mother-figure in his life.  Dealing with Jack's Dad on a regular basis probably would have been stressful and almost a comedy of errors at times.  But, you get the sense that Jack's Mom would have tried her best to be great to Ennis if he had moved there with Jack.  Her level of generosity and understanding to him in this one brief visit goes a long way to supporting this idea I think.  In a more general sense, it's wonderful to see how respectful Ennis is of Jack's Mom and how almost fascinated he seems by her.

[moremojo]

  In a more general sense, it's wonderful to see how respectful Ennis is of Jack's Mom and how almost fascinated he seems by her.

This ties into the notion I have that Ennis and Jack, in addition to all the other things they are to one another, are also spiritual brothers. I remember writing a post exploring some of this idea on TOB, which I recopied and archived on teamtremblay. I might dig it up sometime and submit it here on BetterMost.

Interestingly, in both story and screenplay, we are told that Ennis doesn't see much of Jack in either of the Twists, but in the actual experience of the film, I can't help but feel that Ennis surely senses some of Jack's loving presence in the mother's quiet, dignified compassion. Roberta Maxwell's luminous blue eyes certainly remind me of Jake's, and each time we see Ennis regard Mrs. Twist, there is a look of sincere and grateful appreciation on his face.

Scott

[Brown Eyes]

Interestingly, in both story and screenplay, we are told that Ennis doesn't see much of Jack in either of the Twists, but in the actual experience of the film, I can't help but feel that Ennis surely senses some of Jack's loving presence in the mother's quiet, dignified compassion. Roberta Maxwell's luminous blue eyes certainly remind me of Jake's, and each time we see Ennis regard Mrs. Twist, there is a look of sincere and grateful appreciation on his face.

Oh, I totally agree.  I think the filmmakers went out of their way to make Ennis see bits of Jack in both the Mother and the Father.  The casting here is good, so that it is very plausible that Jack/ Jake could be related to these two people physically speaking.  Absolutely, the warm and large blue eyes are key to the similarity to the Mother.  I think the deliberate "tell you what..." from Jack's Dad is meant to be a big reminder of Jack since we've heard Jack start his sentences like that often.  What a contrast though between Mr. Twist's spiteful bitterness and Jack's warmer tone.  The most important instance of "tell you what..." clearly is the "sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it" conversation.  It's amazing how much Ennis learns about Jack in this brief visit. 

[TJ]

From the book: I was what, nine years old and they found Earl dead in a irrigation ditch.

Ennis was older than 9 years old, which we all know, but he was younger than 14, when his parents died in the vehicle accident on the highway.

Since his brother, K. E. was 3 years older, K. E. might have already finished high school or dropped out before Ennis' 14th Birthday. Their sister could have been the eldest child.

Under normal circumstances, Ennis would have been in the 8th Grade around the time he turned 14 years old. Since the "hardship license" was for him to attend "high school" then the Sage area school system must have grades 7 through 12 as "high school" grades.

In 1963 and even many years earlier, boys who lived in the country in Kansas and Oklahoma could get "Farm to Market/Farm to School" when they were 14 years old; although one could get a regular driver's license at age 16. Those special licenses had limits/curfews on how late in the day a younger teen could drive a vehicle.

[Front-Ranger]

Beautiful thoughts, Amanda, TJ, and Scott.

[Ellemeno]

No wonder Ennis was upset about parting ways with Jack at the end of the Brokeback summer.  Ennis probably would have just been consumed with fears of abandonment based on all of his loss as a child/ younger teenager.

Yes, they played it just right, making him have a non-verbal pout and then tantrum.

And I've thought Ennis says in the film, "I wasn't but nine years old..."  "Wasn't but," almost like "Neither of them were 20."

[Artiste]

Ennis was therefore vulnerable ?