TOTW 06/08: Did Ennis die at the day described in the prologue?

[Sheriff Roland]

Awright, it's 5 in the morning here and this may not sound as coherent as I would like but here goes anyways ...

Annie Proulx wrote a short story. Every word has meaning, I accept. But the use of symbolism is more a Ang Lee thing. The many mataphores are the product of the movie version of BbM. Annie put a lot of wind in BbM to help us feel we were in Wyoming - as she does with most of her other Wyoming stories. To say that Jack is the wind in the prologue is extrapolating from the movie, not the book, and the discussion this week's suppose to be focussing on the prologue, which is strictly a short story happening. I do not think of the many metaphores when reading the short story and so, I remain the the camp of those who do not see any reason to think that Ennis is on the last leg day of his life in the prologue.

Maybe it's an emotional response on my part (I want him to continue to live), but that's how I feel about the current discussion.

[injest]

Awright, it's 5 in the morning here and this may not sound as coherent as I would like but here goes anyways ...

Annie Proulx wrote a short story. Every word has meaning, I accept. But the use of symbolism is more a Ang Lee thing. The many mataphores are the product of the movie version of BbM. Annie put a lot of wind in BbM to help us feel we were in Wyoming - as she does with most of her other Wyoming stories. To say that Jack is the wind in the prologue is extrapolating from the movie, not the book, and the discussion this week's suppose to be focussing on the prologue, which is strictly a short story happening. I do not think of the many metaphores when reading the short story and so, I remain the the camp of those who do not see any reason to think that Ennis is on the last leg day of his life in the prologue.

Maybe it's an emotional response on my part (I want him to continue to live), but that's how I feel about the current discussion.

I agree.

I dont' think Ennis died that day (or was already dead) mainly because of the last line about 'can't change it so you have to stand it'. To me that shows that he is hanging on...because as long as he lives, Jack lives.

[mouk]

Maybe it's an emotional response on my part (I want him to continue to live), but that's how I feel about the current discussion.

LOL Roland, I want him to die so he is free from his pain, so my interpretation is probably also an emotional response on my part!

As regards metaphors, I read somewhere that AP had been brought up with metaphors by her mother who also asked her what particular music pieces evoked for her - or something like that, I can't remember exactly. And there was this strange thing where a piece of music reminded her of 'a bishop running in the forest' - I just wish I could remember properly  - old age...

[southendmd]

The keys were also mentioned, I think as the offer of a choice of a new life, and a parallel with the keys thrown at him by Aguirre was also mentioned, giving him the choice of a life with Jack. As I write this I just realise this could well be the keys to love, thrown by Aguirre and then the keys to death dropped in his hand by the shark -  death that may well reunite him with Jack, so these are perhaps again the keys to love...

Mouk, this is an interesting idea, but Aguirre tosses Ennis a watch, not keys.  The story says he winds it and sets it before tossing it.  Perhaps his time with Jack is limited...

Trailer as doomed submarine and coffin of loneliness.  I can see that. 


In the italicized prologue, I think the "grey" reference is the only clue as to the time.  The end of the story seems to take place shortly after discovering the shirts.  "A few weeks later", Ennis goes to the gift shop to order the postcard.  "Around that time Jack began to appear in his dreams" is the second-to-last paragraph. 

Perhaps Ennis had been dreaming of Jack for a long time.  Interesting to think of the prologue taking place in 1997. 

Is it Ennis's last day?  I think not, but it's another example of what we choose to project, or how we "finish" the story ourselves, depending on who we are.

[mouk]

Sorry, memory playing up again - you're right Southendmd, it was a watch, not keys, and there was talk indeed about limited time with Jack. So much for my new little theory 

The connexion between washing the horse blankets, going to the gift shop and starting having dreams of Jack remains intriguing - could it be that he is washing his guilt away (but not entirely as there are still lurid pictures in the dreams), acknowledging with the postcard that BBM was real and it was love, and then over the years losing the guilt totally and remembering only the love - 'suffused with pleasure' and trying to keep the dream alive so that it might stoke the day?

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Ever since my first viewing of the movie, I have thought of Ennis Del Mar as a living entity out there in the world somewhere, grown old and in declining health. I thought of him as a relic, the survivor of the two.

What I have noticed since Heath's passing is that I no long feel that way. With the passingof the actor that played his character, it feels like Ennis Del Mar is gone too. 

[Lynne]

...
What I have noticed since Heath's passing is that I no long feel that way. With the passingof the actor that played his character, it feels like Ennis Del Mar is gone too.

 

It's a tribute to Heath's ability as an actor that he was able to embody Ennis so completely, I suppose.  I've felt the same way though.  I wonder if people thought the same with Bogart died - that he never had a chance to meet Ilse in New York one day?  Somehow, I doubt it.

[Marge_Innavera]

I recall the discussion on DC, but unfortunately their search function is disabled so it would be difficult to search for. It was at least a year ago, probably well before that.

That question is one I've never had a firm opinion on, but the suggestion that Ennis hasn't dreamed about Jack for awhile was one aspect I'd never thought of.  One part of the other discussion I do remember is the mention of the sound of the wind being like shovels full of earth. (? ? ? my copy of the ss doesn't include the prologue)

As far as pissing in the sink is concerned, IMO if this has any significance it's to underscore Ennis being alone, and having been alone for some time. And you can add to that the fact that in the country, taking a pee outside when Nature calls unexpectedly is much more common and practical than in more populated areas.  For someone who lives alone, at least a man who lives alone,* I guess it wouldn't be a very big step to piss in the sink right after waking up rather than bother with the bathroom.


*For a woman, peeing in a sink might iinvolve climbing up on a chair!

[WhiskySpring]

Absolutely not. There is nothing in the prologue that suggests death whatsoever.

[belbbmfan]

Ever since my first viewing of the movie, I have thought of Ennis Del Mar as a living entity out there in the world somewhere, grown old and in declining health. I thought of him as a relic, the survivor of the two.

What I have noticed since Heath's passing is that I no long feel that way. With the passingof the actor that played his character, it feels like Ennis Del Mar is gone too. 

Well, it's been a day of gloomy thoughts...I was watching the youtube video about the video Heath had made of the Nick Drake song Black Eyed Dog and all the talk about depression and the signs about the mental state he was in.

http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,16517.msg341002.html#new

And thinking about the topic of this (excellent btw) thread, it seemed like Ennis's state of mind in the prologue almost resembled Heath's. It's a very unsettling feeling.