yet I don't think we have the same questions in our heads about Jack as we do about Ennis. Like the Ennis questionnaire, it would be interesting to have an identical questionnaire about Jack and his understanding of his homosexuality. Why don't we have the same questions about him?
Always so egalitarian!
I focused my questionnaire on Ennis because it sprang out of these constant back and forths regarding what did Ennis know and when did he know it. That seems to be one of the most controversial subjects here at BetterMost. Jack stirs less controversy.
However, there are probably lots of interesting questions you could ask about Jack. So post them!
As for why they get pitted against each other (sometimes) lots of people criticize Ennis, or even out-and-out lambaste him (I just responded to a post in which the person gave about 10 reasons why Ennis is "selfish," including the fact that he never brought home any fish), whereas Jack rarely gets much criticism.
In fact, usually the opposite -- his behavior is lauded. And that's not only because there are so many Jackophiles around, it's also because Jack actually does make fewer mistakes than Ennis. Occasionally people -- like Ruthlessly, for example, in this thread -- point out that Jack missed an opportunity, or possibly should have considered doing this or that differently. But these gentle suggestions are not on par with the mean things people say about poor Ennis.
If we're talking about fault and blame as to why their story took such a frustrating and tragic turn... I think we need to look beyond both Ennis and Jack.
I agree. But I don't think it's "blame" to notice that there are times when either or both could have handled things better or differently. What makes it sad is society's prejudices and their effects on people, but what makes it tragic is the missteps the two men make in responding to that problem (Ennis, as I said, makes a few more).
I think Jack's "I wish I knew how to quit you" line is meant to be a little bit of a threat (an empty threat... which he makes clear within the sentence itself). It may be his version of Ennis's empty threats earlier during the argument.
I agree. Though it's not even a complete threat. He's saying he wishes he knew how -- that is, he actually doesn't know how.
A sideline thing: everybody always quotes that line as if "quit you" were some kind of colorful colloquialism on the order of "stemmin the rose" or "puttin the blocks to." But actually, it seems to me just a parallel response to Ennis saying "I can't quit this one" about his job.
