Author Topic: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?  (Read 64009 times)

Offline Monika

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #140 on: January 07, 2009, 03:22:00 pm »
I feel fairly confident in saying Jack and Ennis were the only ones applying for the job that summer. There were plenty of "better" places for young men to work, in the oil fields, in agriculture, forestry, etc. in addition to the military or going off to college. Those inclined to work with animals usually chose to work with horses and cattle, sheep being the lowest of the lows (unless you count pigs, goats, or chickens).

That´s interesting. I wonder why then Jack and Ennis didn´t apply for other jobs? Any theories?

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #141 on: January 07, 2009, 05:13:35 pm »
That´s interesting. I wonder why then Jack and Ennis didn´t apply for other jobs? Any theories?

In Jack's case, he knew about the job from having worked it the summer before. And I think he liked the work and the country. It didn't seem like he was making any money on the rodeo circuit, and he might have been unlucky in love and wanting to get away from it all.

For Ennis, I got the feeling that somebody else had motivated him to apply for the job. He didn't seem to have much initiative. The story says both of them were "hungry for any job." Ennis might have also been hungry for independence that would take him away from his brother, who seemed to have a mean streak. Another attraction of the job was that it provided "lodging" which neither man had.

Since the position was located north of Signal, it may be that Alma or her relatives had found out about the job and urged Ennis to apply. Alma was always trying to get Ennis better employment, such as at the power company. It would be somewhat ironic if she had been the impetus for him to go up that mountain with Jack!

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Offline Monika

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #142 on: January 07, 2009, 05:45:55 pm »

For Ennis, I got the feeling that somebody else had motivated him to apply for the job. He didn't seem to have much initiative.


Thanks for an interesting post, Lee. I found this to be particulary poignant. Ennis indeed seems to be happy with any kind of work and it never seems as he has any kind of aspirations in that department. As long as he has food and lodging, he´s content.

I find it more surprising that Jack came back, though. He´s more driven and "ambitious" than Ennis. My guess is that he at least tried to find a better job, but for some reason ended up back on Brokeback Mountain.

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #143 on: January 08, 2009, 10:54:46 am »
Ennis indeed seems to be happy with any kind of work and it never seems as he has any kind of aspirations in that department. As long as he has food and lodging, he´s content.
Can you blame him, given his childhood, not being able to finish school, always a "fifth wheel" in someone else's home, even getting beaten up at night by his brother, and with that cruel miserable excuse of a dad?

I find it more surprising that Jack came back, though. He´s more driven and "ambitious" than Ennis. My guess is that he at least tried to find a better job, but for some reason ended up back on Brokeback Mountain.
Good point, friend. I never thought of Jack that way before, but you're right. To go back to sheepherding just as rodeo season was getting underway...but you can tell from the state of his truck that he's pretty desperate.
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Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #144 on: January 08, 2009, 11:36:46 am »
There is also the question whether Jack really was incompetent. I have a feeling that Aguirre would have complained no matter how well Jack performed, it´s just the way he is.


Agreed. Jack can't have been *that* incompetent, otherwise Aguirre wouldn't have hired him again. Of course Aguirre complained, and in his eyes "ranch stiffs never did much of a job". That's just Aguirre being Aguirre.

But he understood that the 25% loss of the previous year hadn't been Jack's fault. That's why he hired two guys the next year; "bad predator loss, nobody near looking after em at night". Jack couldn't watch the sheep 24 hours a day, he had to sleep, take on other chores, get supplies, etc.


As to why the boys applied for the job: they were hungry for any job, like Lee already said. Jack was also "crazy to be somewhere, anywhere else than LF".

I think the fact that the job came with lodging was the determining factor for both of them. Jack didn't care for the kind of work as long as it led him away from LF (and OMT!). And (movie)Ennis didn't have any place to stay. He had lived with his brother until the brother got married a month ago. "No more room for me. That's how come me to end up here."


... both high school dropout country boys with no prospects.... that's why they applied for the job. The world and the better jobs didn't exactly wait for them. :-\

Offline Monika

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #145 on: January 08, 2009, 12:10:16 pm »


But he understood that the 25% loss of the previous year hadn't been Jack's fault. That's why he hired two guys the next year; "bad predator loss, nobody near looking after em at night". Jack couldn't watch the sheep 24 hours a day, he had to sleep, take on other chores, get supplies, etc.

This makes a lot of sense, I think. I have often wondered why many assumed that Jack had company on Brokeback the year before. It seems to me that the whole camp tender/ sheep hearder deal was pretty new to Jack as well.

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #146 on: January 08, 2009, 12:15:39 pm »
Good point, friend. I never thought of Jack that way before, but you're right. To go back to sheepherding just as rodeo season was getting underway...but you can tell from the state of his truck that he's pretty desperate.

This is a really good observation...  you're right that Jack is taking up this job just as rodeo season traditionally would be heating up... and it seems this was the case the previous year too for his first year on Brokeback.

It makes me wonder about how much rodeo experience he actually had before he joined the rodeo circuit after his time with Ennis.  We know he somehow earned at least one rodeo belt buckle prior to meeting Ennis. It seems this would have to have happened when he was really very young.  It makes me wonder more about how his life had gone prior to his two Brokeback summers.


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Offline Monika

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #147 on: January 08, 2009, 12:17:25 pm »
Can you blame him, given his childhood, not being able to finish school, always a "fifth wheel" in someone else's home, even getting beaten up at night by his brother, and with that cruel miserable excuse of a dad?

No, I can´t blame him. He never had anyone to give him a sense of self-worth. Ennis never got the chance to become the man he could have been.  :(  I think a lot of things in the story is about that, all the what-could-have-beens. About who Ennis could have been, about who Jack could have been and about what kind of life they could have had together.

Quote
Good point, friend. I never thought of Jack that way before, but you're right. To go back to sheepherding just as rodeo season was getting underway...but you can tell from the state of his truck that he's pretty desperate.
Yeah, he probably needed money fast. And as you and Chrissie point out, the whole lodgin situation probably was an important factor.

Offline mariez

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Re: Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
« Reply #148 on: January 08, 2009, 01:33:55 pm »
... both high school dropout country boys with no prospects.... that's why they applied for the job. The world and the better jobs didn't exactly wait for them. :-\

I've always been intrigued by the idea that in the short story AP stresses the ways in which J&E are alike; but in the film, there is more of an effort to highlight the ways in which they are different. 

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Re: Joe Aguirre: Links to other threads
« Reply #149 on: January 08, 2009, 02:04:54 pm »
Here are some other interesting threads about Joe Aguirre:

Working for Aguirre started by saucycobblers. Contains an interesting discussion by nakymaton about working/hunting on Forest Service land

Aguirre's office, started by Penthesilea: all about stuff in his office, from his jackalope to his class ring!

Aguirre surname, started by opinionista. Need more posts!

Do you think Jack realizes that Aguirre has seen, started by kd5000: about the big-ass binocs and other things. Needs more posts!

Ennis and Aguirre, started by fernly, comparing/contrasting the two characters. Needs more posts!

Aguirre Visit, started by Ellemeno. Very small thread.

You think that Joe Aguirre was gay, bi... started by Artiste.

Role of Observers, Viewers, the long-shot, Aguirre, and Us (!!!) in BBM? started by atz75, and touches on that creepy sensation of being watched!

Why did Aguirre hire Jack a second time? started by Artiste. This one actually talks mostly about Jack.

Aguirre's Exhaust Fan -- by garycottle, from imdb. An exhaustive treatise on the subject.  

The Aguirre Character, another imdb thread by Clancypantsnasty.
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