Author Topic: Truth and Lies  (Read 4939 times)

Offline dly64

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Truth and Lies
« on: October 07, 2006, 02:36:46 am »
As I was watching BBM tonight for the zillionth time, I all of a sudden had a “light bulb” moment. It has to do with truths and lies.

We have discussed in great length about Jack’s “omissions” or out-and-out lies. But Ennis lies, too (mostly to himself). It begins post-mountain. While on BBM, both Ennis and Jack could be themselves. They were alone in an intimate setting. They worried about no one and were not influenced by societal judgment and expectations. Once they began descending the mountain, their world came crashing down around them. The lies began immediately when reality hit them. Ennis was lying to himself that, by marrying Alma, his feelings for Jack would somehow disappear. He becomes mad at himself when he breaks down, because he doesn’t want to feel  his true affection for Jack. Jack lies to himself, too, by marrying Lureen. Jack, of course, had many blatant lies as their relationship continued. I could list the many lies that had occurred, but that is not what I realized tonight. It is at the lake scene that everything changes. Jack says he is seeing a ranch foreman’s wife, when it was really Randall he was seeing. But immediately after that, Jack speaks his truth. Jack states: “The truth is ….. sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it.” That is the key that changes everything. While in the parking lot, both Jack and Ennis speak their truths. Jack, who has held back information, begins to reveal the depth of his anger and frustration. More importantly, Jack admits to his infidelity. He brings up his disappointment that Ennis was unable to commit to having a life with Jack. Ennis, on the other hand, is trying not to speak the truth, but is unable to. He falls into Jack’s arms and expresses that he can’t “stand” this anymore. Then comes the “dozy embrace”. It is the one time that Jack feels true intimacy with Ennis.

All the scenes that follow reflect Ennis and Jack’s truths. Ennis can no longer lie to himself or Cassie. He knows that it is Jack he loves. Then Jack dies; Ennis believes Jack has been murdered because he believes Lureen is lying. This is the first time that Ennis refers to BBM. At that moment, Lureen realizes the truth … that her husband loved Ennis. After Ennis’ conversation with Lureen, he goes to Jack’s parents and again speaks of BBM. It is clear to everyone in that room that Ennis loved Jack and that Jack loved Ennis. Ennis goes to Jack’s room, finds the shirts, and discovers the true depth of Jack’s love (for him). At the end, Ennis last words, “Jack, I swear …..”, expresses his undying love for Jack. It is Ennis’ final truth.
Diane

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Offline Katie77

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2006, 06:31:16 am »
Thank yu for that dly64......while reading your post, I thought to myself, yes, you are right here......all the lies, whether spoken or thought, until that last time, when they finally told the truth to one another.....was like a "coming out".....and just in time, because it was the last time they were together, their last chance to tell each other the truth about everything......

At least Ennis had that to endure the loss of Jack, that he had told him the truth before he died......and it seems, as you say, it also gave Ennis the strength then, to speak out to others about Brokeback, he was finally showing the truth to everyone else.

I had never picked up on that before, but it is just another thing, that even after all this time, that makes the story, so enthralling.
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2006, 11:18:49 pm »
That was a beautiful insight Diane, and helped me understand why the last scenes of the movie are so poignant and heartbreaking. In essence, Jack and Ennis come full circle. They discover their truths on Brokeback Mountain, and then they live through lies, and they come back to the truth at the end. Annie Proulx uses the metaphor of the coat hanger, the way that it can be straightened out in order to unlock the car door, and then is bent back into shape again to serve its original purpose of holding a garment. But in this case, the unlocking is done to the soul, to gain access to the truth.
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Offline nakymaton

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2006, 11:33:45 pm »
...the sparks flying up with their truths and lies...

Yeah. Jack lies to other people, but Ennis lies to himself. :( At least, I'm convinced that Ennis lies to himself in the story. In the movie, I'm less certain -- movie-Ennis seems to be more aware that he's in love with Jack, though his internal struggle over that knowledge seems to tie him up in knots.

That's an interesting point, that they both start telling the truth at the lake. (Does it ever seem like the lake scene is almost the climax of the movie, except that it isn't, because it doesn't resolve, and then Jack dies and Ennis has to confront the truth in Jack's closet?)

(PS to Lee... but when the metaphorical coat hanger is torqued back to its original shape, do they go back to pretending the lies are true? ...for what they'd said was no news. Nothing ended, nothing begun, nothing resolved. In the story, do they both know about the lies, both Jack's lies to others and Ennis's lies to himself, but prefer to go on pretending to believe them? When the car door is unlocked, does it matter if the coat hanger is torqued back into shape? And what is the coat hanger a metaphor for, anyway? What unlocks truth?)
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2006, 11:47:19 pm »
Mel (continuing the dialogue... :))

Yes, they go back to pretending the lies are true, don't you think? Yes they know about the lies. It's not that they prefer to believe them, but they don't see any other way to live. And isn't it true, that once the car door is unlocked, that the coat hanger is pretty much forgotten, is returned to just being a utilitarian object. Strange, but tonite I am thinking that the coat hanger is like a border collie, its reward is to continue doing its work...okay U can say "Earth to Lee" now!!
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Offline nakymaton

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2006, 11:59:40 pm »
Yeah, "prefer" is definitely the wrong word to have used there. You're right, I don't think they see any options other than continuing to pretend to believe the lies.

And coathanger as border collie... now I'm picturing this coat hanger obsessively running around the closet, eyeing all the shirts until they nest inside one another. Or maybe herding them out of the closet and into the laundry basket.

(Sorry about random weird images, Diane!)
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2006, 12:04:22 am »
ROFLOL!! ;D
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Offline dly64

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2006, 07:21:25 pm »
You guys are cracking me up!

In essence, Jack and Ennis come full circle. They discover their truths on Brokeback Mountain, and then they live through lies, and they come back to the truth at the end. Annie Proulx uses the metaphor of the coat hanger, the way that it can be straightened out in order to unlock the car door, and then is bent back into shape again to serve its original purpose of holding a garment. But in this case, the unlocking is done to the soul, to gain access to the truth.


...the sparks flying up with their truths and lies...
 
(PS to Lee... but when the metaphorical coat hanger is torqued back to its original shape, do they go back to pretending the lies are true? ...for what they'd said was no news. Nothing ended, nothing begun, nothing resolved. In the story, do they both know about the lies, both Jack's lies to others and Ennis's lies to himself, but prefer to go on pretending to believe them? When the car door is unlocked, does it matter if the coat hanger is torqued back into shape? And what is the coat hanger a metaphor for, anyway? What unlocks truth?)

I like what you are both saying. I had never thought of the coat hanger metaphor that Annie uses. If we look at the coat hanger … when it’s straightened, it can never really go back to its original shape. It will never look the same. That’s what happens when the truth is spoken. Nothing is the same. And anyway … what does Ennis find later on a coat hanger? He finds the shirts. The tool that is used to unlock a door is the key to Jack’s truth … his love for Ennis.

That's an interesting point, that they both start telling the truth at the lake. (Does it ever seem like the lake scene is almost the climax of the movie, except that it isn't, because it doesn't resolve, and then Jack dies and Ennis has to confront the truth in Jack's closet?)

I think that’s the power of this film. The story changes directions at the time of the lake. They both realize the truth, but it’s too late. We (the audience) don’t know that until we see what Ennis sees: DECEASED  stamped across the postcard. And then …. The shirts! Could it get any sadder, more poignant?
Diane

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Offline Katie77

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2006, 07:35:10 pm »
I think some of you are giving Annie too much credit for all those so called metaphors.........
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Offline nakymaton

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #9 on: October 08, 2006, 10:41:31 pm »
Wait til you hear what "the" is a metaphorical symbol for.... ;) ;D

*...and the border collies start circling Mel until she promises to behave...*
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2006, 10:48:13 am »
Whoa, that flock's gone AWOL (SFX: high-pitched whistle)!!
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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Truth and Lies
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2006, 04:12:55 pm »
I think their environment and the era they lived in caused them to lie. It was easier to buy into the lies (even though they were aware of them) rather than accept how they would be forced to live their lives otherwise.

The lies helped keep them together.

A lie is a lie, and I despise lies, but I can easily understand why they did it. And unfortunately things haven't changed all that much over time. Many gay people in the U.S. (and certain other countries too) still experience the same unfortunate conditions Ennis and Jack did.  :'(
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