Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum

Would it have worked? Merged with "Would a SWEET LIFE ever have been possible?"

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rtprod:
Update 9/19: At opinionista's request, I have merged her thread, "Would it have worked?" with the older thread on a similar subject: "Would a SWEET LIFE ever have been possible?" (started in April by rtprod). When two threads are merged, the posts are automatically sorted in chronological order. The more recent posts start on page 3. Opinionista's opening post is #41.
-- latjoreme/Katherine


Hi everyone,

Ever wondered what might have happened in our film if that cow and calf operation had really been born circa 1967?  Let's imagine for a second that Jack and Ennis had set up life together and pursued Jack's utopian ideal -- and then imagine that although society possibly did not accept them, it at least left them alone and let them somewhat prosper.  Could it have ever really worked, even if those external barriers were lifted?   

Not in my mind.  Ennis is his own nemesis, and I wonder how long it would have taken Jack to "quit." 

Anyone have any feelings on this or even on their own "quitting" or limits? 

rt

EnnisDelMar:
I think they could have had a 'sweet life', but I do agree that Ennis had been scarred as a boy by his father, and that probably would have kept him from giving himself completely to Jack.

Jeff Wrangler:
Funny you should bring this up now, rt. I've been thinking along the same lines myself, although I've been coming at the question from an economic perspective.

I believe I remember reading in Annie Proulx's essay that she is interested in the lives of people in changing economic conditions. I find myself thinking that perhaps the only way they would even have had a chance was to take over the Twist spread in Lightning Flat--which, apparently, Jack did mention to his folks from time to time. How much money could he have expected to get out of his father-in-law? I'm sure it takes quite a lot of capital to set up even a "little" cow and calf operation. At least by taking over the Twist homestead, they wouldn't have had to buy property to set up the operation--let alone equipment and stock.

Regardless of Ennis's personality--and I'm not disputing your point here--many couples, gay and straight, break up over money issues. So I'm wondering whether Ennis and Jack's relationship could have withstood economic strain. Or, put another way, was Jack's dream ever really possible in the Wyoming of the 1960s and 1970s?

moremojo:
If Ennis could get to the point of setting up a menage with Jack in the first place, that would indicate remarkable progress in his acceptance of himself, of Jack, and of their relationship. He might still have rationalized the situation with thinking that he and Jack were otherwise straight guys who had this unusual thing between them, but he would have been aware that he was in love with Jack and that this might work for them.

And I think it could have worked...Ennis had reason to fear for  his and Jack's safety, but there was no certainty that either of them would meet the same fate as Earl (and whatever happened to Earl's partner?). By the end of the story, a remarkable number of people know (or knew) the truth about Ennis and Jack: Aguirre, Alma, Mr. and Mrs. Twist, Lureen, and possibly Alma Junior. And Ennis is still alive at the end. I agree with you that Ennis was his own worst enemy in thwarting any possible future with Jack (and Jack surely realized this eventually). The rest of his life will probably be haunted by thoughts of what-might-have-been, had he been more receptive to Jack's desires.

Scott

houstonangel88:
rt, I think the ONLY chance they had was the time when they first came down from the Brokeback mountain.   There is NO way Ennis would get a divorce; he loves his two daughters too much to do it.   It was Alma who kicked him out after 10 years...  and still, Ennis wouldn't make any move.   

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