Ennis Stands It; Jack Fixes It

[two_bloody_shirts]

OK, this is a theme that is probably as obvious as the day I was born, but I find something quite interesting in the duality of Ennis and Jack's personalities. 

"I'll stick with beans."   
"Well, I won't." 

Those two lines pretty much sum it up.  Ennis will stick with what is easy and safe.  Jack will do what is unorthodox and risky (Aguirre might catch them, Game and Fish might catch them).  After a while, after some prodding from Jack, Ennis does the risky thing and shoots an Elk for Jack.  So, after all, he can "fix" the situation versus standing it. 

The result is not the same with their love lives.  Jack always wants to go the riskier route, Ennis is always refusing.  Jack tries to "fix" it in his own way, with the prostitute and Randall, but it sadly is not enough.  And guess what, Jack does as Ennis wants for all those years, even though it hurts him.  Jack really was at a place where he can't stand it any more - it is truly against his nature to ride it out the easy, safe way. 

Again, probably as obvious as the nose on my face, but one theme I find very nice in this film as it recurs so often.

[ednbarby]

Yes, I think "No more beans" and "Well, I won't" are the two defining moments of Jack.  And yes, that theme recurs throughout the rest of the movie.  Jack would have left Lureen in a heartbeat had Ennis said the word - he knew that marriage was a sham before he even embarked upon it.  Jack wanted to get a tutor for Bobby; Lureen just wanted to let it ride.  Even in smaller ways - at the Thanksgiving dinner, a different kind of person would have sat back and let Bobby watch the game so as not to rock the boat.  But Jack knows that isn't the right thing to do, and it's against his nature to sit back while the wrong thing to do plays out unchallenged.

[Brown Eyes]

Yes!  I think this is part of the "ying and yang" aspect of their relationship. 

Jack is optimistic, wants things to move forward and even if he is afraid (of homophobia/ violence, etc.) he resolutely does not want the fear to control their lives.  He also wants to be significantly more honest about their relationship.  I really don't think he likes sneaking around behind Lureen's back, etc.  I think he regrets ever having to marry her.  He'd rather get an honest divorce and be completely true to Ennis.  So, yes, he would certainly "fix it" if he could.

So, Ennis is the opposite.  He's the pessimist (he would probably say, the 'realist') and tragically lets his fear control their relationship.  He's stuck in one place and is paralyzed in fear and confusion over how to move his relationship with Jack forward.  His fear consumes him so much that it manifests itself physically in his posture, his silence, etc.

These aspects of their personalities remind me of the old symbolism discussions back on the imdb boards.  Jack as the wind/ air (moves, shifts, changes, adjusts, is the dreamer "has his head in the clouds", etc.) and Ennis as the earth (static, rigid, silent, stubborn, etc.).

Lately I've had a new thought about the ambiguity of the film's ending and the line "if you can't fix it you've got to stand it."  It's really important that this is the last line of the book I feel.  It becomes Ennis's life sentence in many ways (he imposes this on himself and unfairly on Jack) and he has to live under the burden of this after Jack's death, because he's run out of chances to "fix it" with Jack just as he's reached the point when he's desparate to fix it.

Well, Jack's heartbreaking line in their final camping trip echos this line-
"Sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."

Lately I've been hearing Ennis's last unfinished sentence as a response.  Something as simple and symmetrical as  "Jack I swear, sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."

[hermitdave]

 

[littledarlin]

So, Ennis is the opposite.  He's the pessimist (he would probably say, the 'realist') and tragically lets his fear control their relationship.  He's stuck in one place and is paralyzed in fear and confusion over how to move his relationship with Jack forward.  His fear consumes him so much that it manifests itself physically in his posture, his silence, etc.

absolutely.  i think jack rubs off on ennis as well, made apparent by these two scenes.

when jack is complaining about the commute, and staying in separate camps, to us it is obvious he just wants to be in the same camp with ennis.  he says "aguirre got no right makin us do something against the rules."  if ennis were anyone else in the world, you know jack could care less about the commute.  ennis is oblivious to his intentions, though.

but later, after the storm, and when aguirre says to bring 'em down, ennis is the one saying "it ain't right" because he'd be cutting them out of a months pay.  when in reality, ennis is now attached to jack and does not want to leave him.  he confims that he is not in the poorhouse and he doesn't need jack's money, making his previous statement completely irrelevant.  so what's the real reason?  he knows when they leave brokeback, they have to go their separate ways.  well in ennis' eyes they have to.  but that's a whole other discussion..

[RouxB]

I agree about the this duality but what wasn't mentioned,and what is also constantly underscored in the movie is that while Jack may want to fix things, ultimately he is never able to-his tragedy. Using the beans example, he wants something other than beans but he can't provide-Ennis needs to. The whole "good with a can opener" line yet we see him make a mess of opening the beans. He tries bull riding but, ultimately, is not good at that. Interesting book end on that one-when he is unsuccessful the first time we see him ride, also gets brushed off by Jimbo. In the Lureen scene, he is successful in the ride and successful with the girl. I don't think Jack is as much a do-er as he is a persistant try-er. "Twist" the muscles in a rider that allow him/her to hang on.
Ennis tells him "it ain't gonna be like that" but Jack hangs on.

Oh, I been there and done that...

[Front-Ranger]

Very thoughtful points Roux and atx especially. Also, remember when Ennis collapses in his final confrontation with Jack he says (and shows) "Jack, I can't stand it no more." One lesson of the movie is that Ennis' formula doesn't work over the long run. You can't always stand it if you can't fix it.

[starboardlight]

Yes!  I think this is part of the "ying and yang" aspect of their relationship. 

Jack is optimistic, wants things to move forward and even if he is afraid (of homophobia/ violence, etc.) he resolutely does not want the fear to control their lives.  He also wants to be significantly more honest about their relationship.  I really don't think he likes sneaking around behind Lureen's back, etc.  I think he regrets ever having to marry her.  He'd rather get an honest divorce and be completely true to Ennis.  So, yes, he would certainly "fix it" if he could.

So, Ennis is the opposite.  He's the pessimist (he would probably say, the 'realist') and tragically lets his fear control their relationship.  He's stuck in one place and is paralyzed in fear and confusion over how to move his relationship with Jack forward.  His fear consumes him so much that it manifests itself physically in his posture, his silence, etc.

These aspects of their personalities remind me of the old symbolism discussions back on the imdb boards.  Jack as the wind/ air (moves, shifts, changes, adjusts, is the dreamer "has his head in the clouds", etc.) and Ennis as the earth (static, rigid, silent, stubborn, etc.).

Lately I've had a new thought about the ambiguity of the film's ending and the line "if you can't fix it you've got to stand it."  It's really important that this is the last line of the book I feel.  It becomes Ennis's life sentence in many ways (he imposes this on himself and unfairly on Jack) and he has to live under the burden of this after Jack's death, because he's run out of chances to "fix it" with Jack just as he's reached the point when he's desparate to fix it.

Well, Jack's heartbreaking line in their final camping trip echos this line-
"Sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."

Lately I've been hearing Ennis's last unfinished sentence as a response.  Something as simple and symmetrical as  "Jack I swear, sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."

yes, the Yin-Yang is very appropriate descripiton. Not only are they opposite, but they exert a push-pull dynamic upon one another. It's because of Jack that Ennis didn't stick with beans. It's because of Ennis that Jack sticks it out with his responsibility to untangle the sheep. Jack endured their nearly 20 years for Ennis, but Ennis finally learns to love because of Jack.

[Brown Eyes]

Heya starboardlight and RouxB!

I like the idea that both Ennis and Jack pulled at each other and changed one another in their ying and yang capacity.  That makes sense to me.

I also like the idea that Jack is constantly trying.  That's what makes him so adorable and sad to me.  You're absolutely right that it's a major part of the tragedy to see his efforts constantly rebuked.  That's part of the melancholy of the Lightning Flat scene where his horrible father talks about Jack's ideas never coming to pass.  Talk about a guilty moment for Ennis.
 

In the "bonus features" on the DVD there's a brief interview with Jake where he says that he also tried to portray Jack as "really trying" all the time.  He saw "trying" is part of his character.  LOL, but Jake also uses this to explain why his cowboy skills like horse riding, etc. are less graceful/ perfected than Heath's.  Anyway, it's nice to realize how much the actors tried in a very serious way to get into the heads of these characters.

[Lumière]

yes, the Yin-Yang is very appropriate descripiton. Not only are they opposite, but they exert a push-pull dynamic upon one another.

To add to this "push-pull" dynamic that the 2 men shared, one scene that always gets me - during the confrontation scene, when Ennis starts crying, Jack comes over to console him, he screams out "Get the fuck off me!", what does Jack do without even giving it a second thought or a moment's reflection?  He grabs hold of Ennis, holds onto him tightly.  Jack knew Ennis so well, he understood that Ennis was literally saying the opposite when he pushed Jack away, Ennis needed Jack more than he ever admitted, I think Jack understood this, although it was killing him that Ennis couldn't face this truth and accept it for himself..

Jack's patience and love was overflowing ... and Ennis needed every drop of it.

[Kd5000]

ATZ75 says
Lately I've been hearing Ennis's last unfinished sentence as a response.  Something as simple and symmetrical as  "Jack I swear, sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."

Very good. I do agree that it would seem on the surface that Jack is the less tragic of the two figures, a capacity for self re-invention it would seem, whereas Ennis is resigned to leading a cautious life which ends up being just an existence, living to work, to sustain oneself. His situations worsens as the years progress. 

Jack seems somewhat paradoxical in that he can't quit Ennis. Nothing changes. Of course, John Twist Sr says that his son never finishes anything that he starts, in so many words.  He can't "finish" Ennis or that rather long chapter (20 years) in his short life,  so he just rides along.

[starboardlight]

yes, the Yin-Yang is very appropriate descripiton. Not only are they opposite, but they exert a push-pull dynamic upon one another.

To add to this "push-pull" dynamic that the 2 men shared, one scene that always gets me - during the confrontation scene, when Ennis starts crying, Jack comes over to console him, he screams out "Get the fuck off me!", what does Jack do without even giving it a second thought or a moment's reflection?  He grabs hold of Ennis, holds onto him tightly.  Jack knew Ennis so well, he understood that Ennis was literally saying the opposite when he pushed Jack away, Ennis needed Jack more than he ever admitted, I think Jack understood this, although it was killing him that Ennis couldn't face this truth and accept it for himself..

Jack's patience and love was overflowing ... and Ennis needed every drop of it.

dam you Lucise, for making me cry. that's just the so painful and beautiful.

[kirkmusic]

Bump for an interesting thread. 

[Brown Eyes]

In recent viewings I've been increasingly struck by a couple lines that are just heartbreakingly sad and good examples of Ennis's "stand it" attitude.

In the motel when Jack asks what they "should do now" Ennis says "I doubt there's nothing much we can do.  So I'm stuck with what I've got here."
I think those qualify as some of the saddest lines in the movie.  The heartbroken look on Jacks face as he leans against Ennis's head just kills me.

 

Oh, Ennis....

[DeeDee]

The one line that sticks a knife in my heart, is when Ennis tells Jack, (last scene together) "its because of you, Jack that I'm like this." 
The sad look on Jacks face and the absolultely tortured look on Ennis' had me bawling in that movie theater.

[nakymaton]

I got to thinking earlier today -- you know, the elk is really somewhere between "standing it" and settling for beans, and "fixing it" and shooting one of the sheep.

Beans: that's what they're supposed to be eating. Settling for beans is following the rules that society sets forth.

Sheep: a total transgression. They're going to be counted at the end of the summer. They're domesticated, associated with farms and ranchers and people.

Elk: still breaking the rules, but with something that's wild. Somehow shooting a wild animal seems a bit less like rule-breaking than shooting the sheep is, even though Ennis is technically poaching. But they're off in the middle of nowhere, and Fish and Game are unlikely to actually catch them at it. So it's a compromise.

So, the relationship. All those years of meeting in the wilderness. Is that settling for beans?

I think the relationship equivalent of beans would be even more bleak than what Jack and Ennis end up doing. Beans would have been going their separate ways after the reunion, Ennis continuing to try to be what he was taught he should be, refusing to ever see Jack again. 

Sheep would be Jack's "cow and calf" operation: having their relationship out in the open, in human society, to hell with the rules. It's a big wide world, and why would anyone notice Jack and Ennis in a world of thousands of sheep, and besides, it's nobody's business but theirs.

But what they do is a compromise, breaking the rules that Ennis (and probably Jack) learned early on, but breaking them in the wilderness, where the rules don't hold in quite the same way. Kind of like shooting the elk.

Except that the bull elk is a huge, magnificent beast, enough meat to keep two hungry 19-year-old boys satisfied for quite some time. Two or three meetings a year is hardly equivalent to an elk; it's more like a jack rabbit or a ptarmigan (a bird the size of a guinea hen), hardly enough to sustain two hungry boys for one meal, let alone a lifetime. 

[Meryl]

Wow, great analogy, Mel.  Thanks! 

[two_bloody_shirts]

That is a very good explanation.  I daresay it's much more accurate than my attempt was!   

[Brown Eyes]

Yes, I agree.  I really like that analogy of Elk as a creative way to subvert authority.

There's another reason why they can't kill a sheep within the 'ethics' (so to speak) of the movie.  Sheep- specifically as 'sacrificial lambs'- are equated symbolically with gay men in the movie.  The only images of bloody, violent death are those of the dead sheep, Earl, and the image of Jack's murder in Ennis's mind.  Actually, all of these visions of violence are through Ennis's perspective (he's the only one who sees the mutilated sheep, we know about Earl through Ennis's memory and we see Jack's death in Ennis's imagination).  Anyway, all three -sheep, Earl, and Jack (in the murder scenario)- are victims of 'predator loss'.  Ennis and Jack absolutely cannot become the predators here (when it comes to the idea of killing a sheep for dinner).  Also, early in the movie we see Jack sitting in the field gently tending to the hoof of a lamb that's lounging in his lap.  I think this is meant to re-enforce the idea that Jack = lamb.  In a way Ennis's emphatic statement "we're supposed to guard the sheep, not eat 'em" becomes really, really touching when you think about it in terms of this metaphor.

By the way, I think it's interesting that before Ennis gets the first postcard from Jack, he's driving through town back to the apartment and passes a building that has a big white "ELKs" sign on it.  What a contrast... the wild elk that's a sign of their romance on the mountain and the dismal, run-down Elks lodge in average society.  But, I think that the word "ELK" here is a sign that romance is right around the corner again.

(I just posted this elk sign idea on the old board yesterday in the "notice anything so subtle" thread)

[Ellemeno]

Amanda, that's awesome.  Thank you.

[Brown Eyes]

Gee, thanks Ellemeno.  I think the elk and sheep topic is really interesting.
 

[Meryl]

Very good thinking, Amanda.  I especially like the ELK sign as a harbinger of the reunion. 

[serious crayons]

Great observations, Amanda, nakymaton, and everyone! It's amazing that after all these months, we're still uncovering new metaphors.

I can't add any brilliant animal symbols, but I do want to make a point about the push-pull thing and Lucise's good observation:

To add to this "push-pull" dynamic that the 2 men shared, one scene that always gets me - during the confrontation scene, when Ennis starts crying, Jack comes over to console him, he screams out "Get the fuck off me!", what does Jack do without even giving it a second thought or a moment's reflection?  He grabs hold of Ennis, holds onto him tightly.  Jack knew Ennis so well, he understood that Ennis was literally saying the opposite when he pushed Jack away, Ennis needed Jack more than he ever admitted, I think Jack understood this, although it was killing him that Ennis couldn't face this truth and accept it for himself..

This scene is a perfect bookend of the push-pull they go through at the very beginning of their (romantic) relationship, in TS1, right after they've lunged up from the bed. Ennis throws Jack off, but Jack doesn't back away. Then ultimately Ennis reaches out and holds Jack's head.

There's kind of a partial version of this in the fight scene on Brokeback. But that one, unfortunately, does not end in embrace.

These are all among the reminders that Jack can read Ennis really well. We wish that Ennis was more verbally forthcoming with Jack, at least we know that, despite Ennis' taciturnity, Jack gets it.

[mlewisusc]

I got to thinking earlier today -- you know, the elk is really somewhere between "standing it" and settling for beans, and "fixing it" and shooting one of the sheep.

Beans: that's what they're supposed to be eating. Settling for beans is following the rules that society sets forth.

Sheep: a total transgression. They're going to be counted at the end of the summer. They're domesticated, associated with farms and ranchers and people.

Elk: still breaking the rules, but with something that's wild. Somehow shooting a wild animal seems a bit less like rule-breaking than shooting the sheep is, even though Ennis is technically poaching. But they're off in the middle of nowhere, and Fish and Game are unlikely to actually catch them at it. So it's a compromise.

So, the relationship. All those years of meeting in the wilderness. Is that settling for beans?

I think the relationship equivalent of beans would be even more bleak than what Jack and Ennis end up doing. Beans would have been going their separate ways after the reunion, Ennis continuing to try to be what he was taught he should be, refusing to ever see Jack again. 

Sheep would be Jack's "cow and calf" operation: having their relationship out in the open, in human society, to hell with the rules. It's a big wide world, and why would anyone notice Jack and Ennis in a world of thousands of sheep, and besides, it's nobody's business but theirs.

But what they do is a compromise, breaking the rules that Ennis (and probably Jack) learned early on, but breaking them in the wilderness, where the rules don't hold in quite the same way. Kind of like shooting the elk.

Except that the bull elk is a huge, magnificent beast, enough meat to keep two hungry 19-year-old boys satisfied for quite some time. Two or three meetings a year is hardly equivalent to an elk; it's more like a jack rabbit or a ptarmigan (a bird the size of a guinea hen), hardly enough to sustain two hungry boys for one meal, let alone a lifetime. 

Good Gravy!

Just when I thought I couldn't see another ounce of symbolism in this film!  Excellent, excellent analogy!

[Front-Ranger]

This is a great topic and there is also a poll on this same topic.