Author Topic: On buckets, eagles, impatience, and...  (Read 85412 times)

Online Front-Ranger

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On buckets, eagles, impatience, and...
« on: April 05, 2006, 05:41:09 pm »
I've been thinking about Ennis and his buckets lately. The first time I noticed a bucket was on that fateful first night when Jack ordered him to stop hammering and get in the tent. Ever obedient, Ennis stumbled towards the tent, kicking over a bucket, or a pot, or whatever but it made a loud clanging sound like it was empty. Then I noticed several more encounters with buckets and I thought, what's with the buckets? Are they there for comic relief?

This is what I finally decided is the meaning of the buckets. First of all, the bucket that Ennis kicks over first is empty. The vessel of his life is about to be filled up. The next time we see him kicking, it's not a bucket, but a couple of bikers. No buckets around. But wait! He had just told the bikers to get control over their slopbucket mouths. Okay, so at this point there's a load of slop in the bucket that is Ennis' life. He has come down from the mountain, and he has no hopes of ever seeing Jack again and he's resigned himself to a life that is an endless road waiting to be slopped with asphalt (didn't see a bucket in that scene, but I'm sure there was one involved).

Cut to after the reunion. Jack and Ennis are separated again, and Ennis is hurting. He has an argument with Alma. Alma wants to go to work at the grocery store, the source of her sustenance and site of her future husband, and Ennis wants to keep her at home to serve dinner. She leaves and he follows but turns back and loudly, violently, kicks over a bucket of ashes. Now, Ennis' life is represented by a bucket of ashes. His passion for Alma is all burned out and his passion for Jack smolders inwardly (he wears a down vest that has a red lining).

The last time I saw the bucket, my heart sank. Jack and Ennis were camping beside a stream and for the last time Jack suggested that Ennis leave Riverton and come and live near him in Texas. Ennis responds angrily and while he is berating Jack, a bucket starts to float down the stream. Silently I cried out, Ennis, your life and all your chances for happiness are floating away! But Ennis just kept grousing about how Jack was a big thinker (dreamer). Jack F**king Twist.

So, that's my ode to the bucket, and if any of you have a BBM symbol that means a lot to you, I would love to hear about it.
« Last Edit: April 16, 2006, 07:35:03 pm by Front-Ranger »
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Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: Ode to the bucket
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2006, 05:49:18 pm »
Don't forget that, during the 'getting to know you on Brokeback' montage, Jack brings Ennis two overflowing buckets of water as Ennis, kneeling, wrestles with hard stones.

Imagery. Symbolism. Can't fight it no how!
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Offline fernly

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Re: Ode to the bucket
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2006, 05:54:57 pm »
Oh, Frontie, you got my former English-lit-major heart all a flutterin with that one.  What, I thought, could you possibly tweak out of a bucket?  That was convincing, lovely, and moving. It's so horribly sad when that bucket floats downstream, and we hear Ennis say with anger what we first heard him say with love.
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Offline newyearsday

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Re: Ode to the bucket
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2006, 06:04:29 pm »
Oh, Frontie, you got my former English-lit-major heart all a flutterin with that one.  What, I thought, could you possibly tweak out of a bucket?  That was convincing, lovely, and moving. It's so horribly sad when that bucket floats downstream, and we hear Ennis say with anger what we first heard him say with love.

Truer words were never spoken Fernly. It's so so sad that he is bitter with those three words.

I have always felt that the big blue pot floating away in the fast stream was symbolic of the quickly evaporating dreams for a home and hearth that Jack had for them (i.e. a large vessel for cooking nourishing food seems pretty symbolic for the emotional home Jack could offer Ennis (since vessels are symbolically associated with emotion and love from Tarot and other symbolic systems and Jack was represented by the blue of the pot/bucket). But Ennis let it drift away from him. Do others feel this is meant to be left in or was just a happy accident that no one noticed?

 I posted about it a long time ago on a thread on the big board about water. A very nice thread, I don't know if it's still there.

But I love the way you have strung it all together Lee!! It's awesome, and yes, the english class lover in me swoons to see such dots connected cinematically.

Thank you for providing my favorite thread of the day!

Jenny
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Re: Ode to the bucket
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2006, 10:37:31 pm »
My pleasure. And thanks, jmm, for adding to the bucket brigade. That was a potent sign when Jack brought the buckets of water.
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Offline henrypie

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Re: Ode to the bucket
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2006, 03:03:27 pm »
Another thanks for the bucket chat -- splendid observations.

bucket
buckle
buck
bud

Offline isabelle

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Re: Ode to the bucket
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2006, 05:24:48 pm »
Just when I thought I'd read just about everything imaginable about BBM, given the nr of hours I have drifted on IMDb and here...
Thanks, front-ranger, I really enjoyed your bucket observations!
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Offline David

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Re: Ode to the bucket
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2006, 06:40:55 pm »
Good observations.    At least Ennis "kicking the bucket" wasn't the usual cliche of impending death.    That was done already by Jimmy Durante in its a Mad mad mad mad World.

Offline Lynne

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Re: Ode to the bucket
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2006, 05:13:00 pm »
It never ceases to amaze me what new treats there are to discover each and every time I see this - what a nice analysis!  My bucket contribution is that there's an overturned bucket behind Ennis in the background during the 'rodeo cowboys are f*ups' scene when he's opening up and talking to Jack...It's conspicuous now that you've pointed it out to me!

Thank you,
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Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Ode to the bucket
« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2006, 12:57:22 am »
How did I miss this bucket a fingerlickin goodness?  My little addition is that the water sloshes sloppily all over when Jack puts the buckets down.  Just what Ennis is afraid of - Jack not keepin all the joie de vivre contained around others.