TOTW 22/08: Do you think they kept each others postcards?

[Penthesilea]

Howdy BetterMostians ,


One outcome of the questionnaire a while ago was that many people seem to embrace highly speculative topics. Additionally, I intend to include polls more often, and this week's question lends itself to a poll. So here ya go .

Ennis and Jack communicated mostly through postcards to set a date for meeting up. We see Ennis's reaction to the very first postcard from Jack, the first sign of life in four years. Clearly an absolute highlight for Ennis .

But, isn't it somewhat sentimental to keep those postcards (not saying so, just asking)?  Something a teenage girl would surely do, but a grown up, rough cowboy?  And even if they had wanted to keep the cards, would they have dared to?
If you think they kept postcards, what do you think? All of them? Neatly stored away in some hidden place? Or maybe they kept the most recent one for a while, lying in some drawer?
Just tell us what you think!

Do you think they kept each others postcards?



This photo creation comes courtesy of Quiplash,
and is used with permission under the Creative Common license.

[Brown Eyes]

I voted yes, because I actually think it seems likely or plausible for each character. 

I think Ennis might actually be capable of being very sentimental about that kind of thing despite his outward facade and insecurities.  It seems particularly likely that he would save them following his divorce when it would be much easier for him to hide them.  Maybe while he was still married he may not have saved them.  But, even then, I suppose he might be able to come up with a way to save them in secret.

And, I think since we have clear proof of Jack's sentimental attachment to Ennis-related objects (i.e. the shirts in Lightning Flat), I think that it's not much of a stretch to imagine him keeping the postcards too.  If he found a place to hide the shirts he could surely find a place to hide postcards. 

I think the likelihood of Jack keeping the postcards is slightly higher than the likelihood with Ennis.  But, still, I do believe it's plausible that both would have saved them.

[belbbmfan]

Good question Chrissi.

I voted 'yes' too. I think they both must have been so desperate to have something that reminded them of each other (even subconsciously when Ennis started wearing blue after he and Jack had separated), they would have kept the postcards. I was wondering whether Ennis would dare to keep them somewhere hidden. Alma might find them, while cleaning or something. But then I realised that certainly further into their marriage, Ennis didn't bother to use the fishing gear or even pretend to have used it, to keep up appearances. So, my guess is that he kept them somewhere.

As for Jack, I agree with Amanda. Keeping the postcards fits very well with Jack.

And I have a question regarding one of the postcards. Remember when Alma came home one day with the groceries and the mail and she found a card from Jack there? She put it under the newspaper (the one with the 'honey' add). I was wondering if Ennis ever found this card. Come to think of it, Alma could have sabotaged their meeting if she wanted to by intercepting Jack's postcard, as she was apparently dealing with the family mail.

[Penthesilea]

And I have a question regarding one of the postcards. Remember when Alma came home one day with the groceries and the mail and she found a card from Jack there? She put it under the newspaper (the one with the 'honey' add). I was wondering if Ennis ever found this card. Come to think of it, Alma could have sabotaged their meeting if she wanted to by intercepting Jack's postcard, as she was apparently dealing with the family mail.

That postcard read: Ennis, see you in a couple weeks. Fish should be jumping. Jack

No date mentioned. Either the date had already been set previously, or this was the answer to a card with a suggested date, written by Ennis (much like the last postcard).
So had Alma hidden/thrown away the card, it would have had either no effect at all (in case the date was already firmly set, in whatever way), or Ennis would have waited for a response from Jack, would have probably asked Alma, had written another card to Jack, etc. It just happened (and still does) that a postcard gets lost in the mail sometimes.
Throwing away the card would not have kept them from seeing each other.

For the 'What if she had thrown away all cards from Jack?' If she had tried to cut the contact completely?
Ennis sooner or later would have tried to call Jack, or Jack had driven up in person, or whatever. Second, I don't think she had the chance to do so. Ennis worked ranch work, long and irregular hours. He must have been home during the day sometimes, so she couldn't control the mail completely. But the most important reason is that I think it wasn't in her character. You have to have a good deal of futiveness to try something like that. Not Alma.

[mariez]

Great topic, Chrissi!

I voted "yes" also - I guess it would actually be a "probably, yes."  And it's not only a matter of picturing them "saving" the postcards, but a matter of not being able to picture either one of them just tossing them out, throwing them away, especially when I think of the way Ennis kind of caressed that first card.  So, for him, especially, it may not have been a matter of consciously thinking "I'm going to save all these postcards in a certain place" as much as a kind of reflexive reaction of not being able to part with them.

 

And I have a question regarding one of the postcards. Remember when Alma came home one day with the groceries and the mail and she found a card from Jack there? She put it under the newspaper (the one with the 'honey' add). I was wondering if Ennis ever found this card. Come to think of it, Alma could have sabotaged their meeting if she wanted to by intercepting Jack's postcard, as she was apparently dealing with the family mail.

Good question, Fabienne.  I don't get the impression in that scene that Alma is trying to hide the card from Ennis, so much as she just can't bear looking at it at that moment.  Kind of like - "out of sight, out of mind."  I think if she had wanted to keep it from Ennis, she would have actually thrown it away or ripped it up and I can't see her doing that either - even if it was a postcard that wasn't merely confirming a previous arrangement.  I get the impression Alma felt that the entire situation was pretty much out of her control.

Marie

[Fran]

Ennis no, Jack yes

I'm going to have to say no with regard to Ennis.  For one thing, he's super private about his relationship with Jack.  I don't think he'd want to take a chance that Alma would discover those postcards and ask why he was saving them. 

If Ennis had saved the postcards, you bet Alma would have found them.  She had years to try to figure out what was wrong in her marriage.  I can easily picture her snooping around his stuff.  (And I can also see her admitting it at Thanksgiving:  "I looked through that box.  I saw those postcards you saved, Ennis, and not one little card or love note from me or the girls.  I know what it means....")

If anyone saved the postcards, it'd be Jack.  He's sentimental, and I think he would like holding on to something from Ennis, even if it was only postcards with cryptic messages on them.

As to whether Alma ever intercepted one of the postcards, I would think not.  She wouldn't dare throw away any of Ennis's mail  because she'd be scared of the consequences.

[Mikaela]

I voted "Yes".

I think even Ennis wouldn't be able to throw away the card that re-established his contact with Jack after those four f**n years. He found some where to keep that one safe, I imagine. And I think he also probably kept the cards from the time after his divorce - there was no Alma-related need to get rid of those, and they *were* little tangible reminders of Jack. Ennis would hold Jack close in every way he thought sufficiently "safe and secure" - keeping the easily hidden postcards and looking at them now and them was one such means of closeness.

And Jack - yes, I do think he kept the cards too. Perhaps not all of them, but some - and I think that would be the early years' ones, before he got more disillusioned and despaired of Ennis ever coming around to the Sweet Life. I can imagine Jack treasuring his "You Bet" card nearly as much as the shirts.

[Brown Eyes]

I can imagine Jack treasuring his "You Bet" card nearly as much as the shirts.

You bet!   I can surely imagine that too Bud.

[Artiste]

How many postcards were made for this movie?

[Kd5000]

I tend to agree with Fran.  Ennis was just so closeted about the whole affair. Plus he seemed so utilitarian.  The trailer at the end of the movie, did it have anything sentimental (photos of his daughters) other then Jack's shirt?  It seemed most sparse.  I think Ennis thought Jack would always be around. Why keep a postcard when you see him every six months?? Ennis probably regrets not keeping the postcards though or whatever other things that would remind him of Jack.

And their wives. Lureen doesn't seem like the type who would go poking around and asking questions unlike Alma who checks up her husband's fishing equipment.