TOTW 08/08: What if they had lived together? Would Ennis's fears have allowed a

[THE WINGS]

I would have to say, rather pragmatically, that in the end, Ennis's fears would have "won out", over the emotional bond that had developed between he and Jack.  Annie Proulx even acknowledged that their's was a relationship that was 'doomed-from-the start', given the time period, and culture they were brought up in. There really could be no other outcome, as much as we would all like to have seen it end differently.  This is a story of "how things are" as opposed to "how we would like them to be", and dare say "how they SHOULD BE."  Let's face it: "REALITY BITES" ....BIG TIME!!!!  The only glimmer of hope is at the end, where Ennis finally decides not to "miss out" on the opportunity to be at his first-born daughter's wedding.  Also, his barely audible protestation of his love, albeit, "after the fact" for Jack in the closing scene. 

I hope I have made sense here. ( Sorry, I'm still grieving).

THE WINGS

[BlissC]

There really could be no other outcome, as much as we would all like to have seen it end differently.  This is a story of "how things are" as opposed to "how we would like them to be", and dare say "how they SHOULD BE."  Let's face it: "REALITY BITES" ....BIG TIME!!!! 

I guess that's the ultimate truth. Much as we'd all love for them to have had a happier outcome, it couldn't happen any other way.

Doesn't stop us wishing though. 

[Marge_Innavera]

Doesn't hating the father in-law or not being in good terms with the father in-law usually what men do as fathers are most protective of their daughters?

Depends.  More "protective" fathers than you might think are protecting their turf as much as anything else. (edited to add)  Not necessarily in the sense of sexual abuse, just the psychology of a daughter as property.

In the scenario of Ennis and Jack living at Lightning Flat, John Sr.'s hostility toward his son would likely be transferred to Ennis. We're not told what the source of that is, but a fanfic with that plot line could have some interesting background. Some of the father's remarks about his son thinking he's "too goddamn special to be buried in the family plot" might suggest that John Sr. has some abandonment issues of his own that have, to put it mildly, festered over the years.

[Marge_Innavera]

I guess that's the ultimate truth. Much as we'd all love for them to have had a happier outcome, it couldn't happen any other way.

Well, in the original story it couldn't have happened any other way because that's how the author ended the story and those characters are her creation. But this is a thread for speculation -- that's why the "would have" in the thread title is there.

Proclamations like "reality bites" -- whether shouted via all-caps or not -- and especially in discussion of fictional characters, are power claims and little else.

[BlissC]

Well, in the original story it couldn't have happened any other way because that's how the author ended the story and those characters are her creation. But this is a thread for speculation

Yep, I guess that's true. To be honest I'm torn between thinking "this is the way it is and the way it has to be" and "anything's possible" - today I'm in a "just not possible" mood, but it's just as likely that tomorrow I'll be thinking "Well maybe..." (and now I've had a couple of vodka and tonics so I'm feeling much more chilled LOL!).

I guess going back to the original story, if either one of them had done things slightly differently, not been different people or different characters or anything, then the ending could have worked out very differently.

At the root of it I guess the original story still has a powerful hold over me, and at times it does feel like there couldn't have been any other way, and that Ennis's fears would have never have allowed him to entertain the idea of them living together, but then at other times, reading fanfic where there's a different outcome or one or other of them says something that suggests that maybe, just maybe it might be possible, I think it might be.

A few weeks ago I was reading a fanfic that filled in some of the scenes missing from the story and the film, and it wasn't so much what was said, or even what was happening, but a glimpse of them together on one of their fishing trips, just for a short week, just them being together and making camp together, and waking up next to each other together every day, that suddenly made me think that anything's possible. RL stuff's been a PITA, but I'd find myself at odd moments smiling and thinking of something they'd said to each other or a glance or something, and I'd just *feel* that yeah, anything's possible.

At the end of the day yes, they are fictional characters, and yes, in fiction, anything's possible. Possible yes, probable, maybe not...but then Jack has a powerful hold over Ennis, so who knows?