"I figured you were sore from that punch"

[serious crayons]

Ennis is a human tangle of contradictions; that's a large part of why I find him so fascinating.

And I wouldn't contradict you on either of these points!

Here's a portrait of Ennis:

 

[Meryl]

And I wouldn't contradict you on either of these points!

Here's a portrait of Ennis:

 

All Praise and Glory be to Heath Ledger, who had all that goin' on and then some!     

[serious crayons]

Oh yeah, I forgot to illustrate the second half of Mel's statement that I agreed with.

I find him so fascinating.

 

[dly64]

I think the punch is the result of all of those things... but I think it's mostly the result of experiencing all sorts of contradictory feelings. (I mostly take issue with the argument that Ennis is primarily reacting to Jack's inappropriately nonchalant manner while taking down the tent. Yeah, that might be part of it, but I think that Ennis's response has more to do with whatever complicated and confusing stuff is going on in Ennis's head and heart, and not so much with exactly what Jack does or doesn't do.  I think that almost everything Ennis does is, in large part, a response to stuff going on inside Ennis. Well, except for purely physical reactions, like catching keys. Ennis's physical reactions are so fast and uncomplicated, compared to his emotional reactions. So maybe I'm contradicting myself and not making any sense.)

 (And how many times have I used the word "contradict" in this post? Aw, shoot, I'm not going to try to phrase it better.)

Doesn't Jack murmur something like "It's all right" as he wipes Ennis's blood? There's something about Jack's actions that recall the 2nd tent scene (as well as the scene after Ennis encounters the bear).

And that makes Ennis's punch all the more painful. (Emotionally painful, I mean.)

(Which is not to say that I blame Ennis. But I don't blame Jack either.)

Mel – I agree with everything you are saying. I think that the punch is a combination of Ennis’ reflexes and an inability to deal with the emotional pain …. a pain that he can not understand or even begin to express. The one emotion Ennis doesunderstand is anger … so he lashes out at Jack. IMO, the timing is not a coincidence … Ennis hits Jack when Jack is comforting him. It does hearken back to SNIT. Could it be that the comforting invokes a fond memory that Ennis knows will not be repeated? Could it be that Ennis wants to hurt Jack as a way to express how much he is hurting? I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that this sequence is one that I find confusing and extremely painful to watch.. Both Ennis and Jack are anguished at the thought of leaving BBM and the uncertainty of what will follow. Each one handles it very differently … Ennis - very child like … Jack - rather stoic. I think this scene is meant to be confusing. After all, doesn’t that evoke what both Jack and Ennis are feeling at that moment?

[Brown Eyes]

I think that almost everything Ennis does is, in large part, a response to stuff going on inside Ennis. Well, except for purely physical reactions, like catching keys. Ennis's physical reactions are so fast and uncomplicated, compared to his emotional reactions. So maybe I'm contradicting myself and not making any sense.)

Tell you what, I think that Ennis is capable of holding a lot of contradictory emotions inside himself. And  it may be that Ennis lashes out the most when the contradictions become too much to take. So the Mexico threat may be the result of fear of losing Jack AND not wanting to deal with that living together thing again AND the tacit admission that Jack is gay and, by extension, Ennis is also gay. Contradictory? Yes. But Ennis is a human tangle of contradictions; that's a large part of why I find him so fascinating.

Hey there Mel!  That was a fantastic post.  I definitely agree that Ennis is so introverted that he often or usually responds to "stuff going on inside Ennis."  And, Katherine, I also agree that Ennis often tries to deflect attention/ blame/ tension away from himself and on to whomever he's arguing with.  He does this with Alma ("once burned"),  Cassie ("it looks like I got the message in any case") and then Jack with the Mexico conversation.  In a way, I think that's just his style of arguing and also demonstrates a certain amount of stubborn-ness.  This being said, I think there are other moments when he demonstrates his deep concern for other people and/ or his sense of guilt.  I think maybe his recurring urge to deflect blame is a flip-side of his tendency to carry a lot of guilt (warranted or not) inside himself too.  I think his question to Jack in the motel about the punch is a perfect example of this.  I also sort of think that Ennis's change of tone with Cassie in the bus stop (when he says "sorry... I probably wasn't much fun...") he's backing down from his frequent "don't blame me" stance and is demonstrating some empathy for Cassie (even if just a bit... but you can tell he really does feel bad about the situation with her too... even if it's not his primary concern).

Something's been on my mind a bit,...It's a bit OT (and also a bit rambling), but I might as well bring it up here since the topic of Jack continually pushing to live together has come up here in recent posts.  I think that Jack might have found inspiration for this idea, not just from their domestic arrangements on Brokeback, but also from the motel scene when Ennis says (I think probably two of the saddest lines in the whole film)  "I doubt there's nothing we can do.  So, I'm stuck with what I've got here."  Jack probably heard that "I'm stuck" comment as something that he could try to "fix" and kept suggesting this option of living together.  Ennis's statement there is probably the ultimate example of a "stander" attitude in that he's resigned to stay in his current situation without really even pondering alternatives.  So, maybe Jack heard this and thought that if he presented Ennis with some alternatives he might be able to shake Ennis out of his rut in Riverton.  But, the main point here... is that Jack did hear Ennis complaining about not liking his life in Riverton (the idea that he was "stuck" there... is certainly not a happy way to think about one's home).  By the time of the "I did once" comment... had Jack almost given up on his idea of helping Ennis "fix" things?  And, yes, I totally agree that by the time this comment came around in the argument Ennis is terrified of losing Jack.  I think we get our first flashes of this worry in the post-divorce fiasco scene.  When Jack turns to leave Ennis looks at Jack in a really concerned/ intense way and says "Jack" in a way that makes it seem like he's finally switched his attention away from the guy in the truck/ his awkwardness, etc. and is now noticing how upset Jack is.

[serious crayons]

And, yes, I totally agree that by the time this comment came around in the argument Ennis is terrified of losing Jack.  I think we get our first flashes of this worry in the post-divorce fiasco scene.  When Jack turns to leave Ennis looks at Jack in a really concerned/ intense way and says "Jack" in a way that makes it seem like he's finally switched his attention away from the guy in the truck/ his awkwardness, etc. and is not noticing how upset Jack is.

Amanda, judging from the context I'm assuming the "not noticing how upset Jack is" in your last sentence is meant to read "NOW noticing"?

Anyway, I agree. He does tend to lash out in anger, but he still feels bad -- certainly with Jack and Cassie, possibly even Alma. And he clearly feels really bad in the divorce scene. Not only the concerned look and the way he says Jack, but the way he hangs his head as Jack drives away. It's the same pose he assumes when listening to Jack's "all we got left is Brokeback Mountain" speech by the lake.

And in a milder, less traumatic way, the post-divorce scene echoes the scene where he turns down Alma Jr.'s request to live together. He doesn't look as guilty (and he needn't -- it's not as devastating), but clearly he feels bad about having to turn her down and tries to make sure she's all right with it.

As for the other part of your post, I agree that Ennis' "I'm stuck" remark probably encourages Jack, especially after the divorce, to think that's something that could be fixed. Still, later there was the Earl story as a tipoff that Ennis' reluctance isn't all about family responsibility (though family responsibility genuinely does always play a part, too, such as in the post-divorce scene and the "why don't you move to Texas?" scene).

[mlewisusc]

Post to index and easily find later.

[dly64]

Anyway, I agree. He does tend to lash out in anger, but he still feels bad -- certainly with Jack and Cassie, possibly even Alma. And he clearly feels really bad in the divorce scene. Not only the concerned look and the way he says Jack, but the way he hangs his head as Jack drives away. It's the same pose he assumes when listening to Jack's "all we got left is Brokeback Mountain" speech by the lake.

I completely agree with this.!!!

As for the other part of your post, I agree that Ennis' "I'm stuck" remark probably encourages Jack, especially after the divorce, to think that's something that could be fixed. Still, later there was the Earl story as a tipoff that Ennis' reluctance isn't all about family responsibility (though family responsibility genuinely does always play a part, too, such as in the post-divorce scene and the "why don't you move to Texas?" scene).

The "I'm stuck ..."  comment may have encouraged Jack, but the idea of living together came before that. After having been away from Ennis for four years and then reuniting with even passion and intensity, Jack did not want to let Ennis go. It's not Jack trying to "fix" anything. It is because the two of them love each other and, in Jack’s mind, the next step would be having a life together (which, of course, Ennis will not do because of his fears). Jack keeps trying to encourage Ennis, but is eventually resigned to the fact that the life he had hoped for would never happen.

[Daphne7661]

Hey Diane, Littlewing and any other IMdB friends...

I've been on vacation and out of circulation for about a week and a half, but I'm back now...


Poor Ennis, so stunted and repressed on so many levels.  He just can't seem to get out of his own way.

I find myself shaking my head at Ennis whenever he can't respond to Jack or give back to Jack what they BOTH need so desperately - their love with and for each other!  But, at the same time, I guess part of me does understand him, if not be totally frustrated with him, too.

These two characters have made us SOOO believe in their love and passion for each other, that we, the viewers, get all crazy and defeated in their inability to be truly together.  It is the genious of this film, isn't it?  We are HOOKED, totally and utterly HOOKED...

[serious crayons]

The "I'm stuck ..."  comment may have encouraged Jack, but the idea of living together came before that. After having been away from Ennis for four years and then reuniting with even passion and intensity, Jack did not want to let Ennis go. It's not Jack trying to "fix" anything. It is because the two of them love each other and, in Jack’s mind, the next step would be having a life together (which, of course, Ennis will not do because of his fears). Jack keeps trying to encourage Ennis, but is eventually resigned to the fact that the life he had hoped for would never happen.

Just to clarify, Diane, when I say Jack is trying to "fix" something, I think I mean exactly what I think you're saying -- he realizes they love each other, the next step is to have a life together -- i.e., Jack wants to "fix" the problem of them being apart, rather than "stand" the situation, as Ennis believes they must do.

Do you think the idea of living together came before Ennis made his "I'm stuck" comment? But they'd been reunited only, I don't know, maybe an hour or two by then. Or do you think Jack got the idea as he was redlining it up to Wyoming? My feeling is that, while it may have crossed Jack's mind before then, he couldn't have really thinking about it seriously before the reunion, because he couldn't have been sure about how Ennis would respond when he got there.