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Jack and Ennis: ECONOMIC DIVIDE, HELPING HAND?
David:
--- Quote from: rtprod on April 26, 2006, 12:56:06 pm ---Think he wouldn't take it because full-time would have interfered with the trips.
--- End quote ---
True, but he was working those types of jobs even before Jack showed up four years later.
serious crayons:
My interpretation of the power-plant question, based on context (he's about to go off with Jack), his flimsy excuse for not applying, and his later remark that in them days he'd just quit the job, is that he wanted more freedom to see Jack.
But back to RT's original question. Jack does offer to help out Ennis financially, and gets harshly rebuffed, that first summer as they're packing up to leave the mountain. Granted, Ennis reacts that way because he's distraught that their time together is ending, and because he's angry that Jack doesn't read between the lines and understand the real reason he's so upset, and because Jack seems so cheerful himself. But Jack seems to take the exchange more literally, which may be what keeps him from ever offering again.
But if he did, I don't think Ennis would have accepted.
rtprod:
Right about the offer up on the mountain in 1963, but at that time they were two kids on equal terms.
When the rising economic inequity over the years was apparent to both, with Jack aware of Ennis' back-breaking work to pay child support and just survive, I was wondering why he never offered.
rt
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: rtprod on April 26, 2006, 01:32:22 pm ---Right about the offer up on the mountain in 1963, but at that time they were two kids on equal terms.
When the rising economic inequity over the years was apparent to both, with Jack aware of Ennis' back-breaking work to pay child support and just survive, I was wondering why he never offered.
rt
--- End quote ---
Well, what I meant was Jack took from that exchange the message that Ennis was too proud to accept a handout, and perhaps assumed that pride still existed as their economic gap widened. (And by the way, even then they weren't quite on equal terms.)
Of course, Jack SORT OF offers financial help through his proposal that they take LD Newsome's money and set up ranching. And Ennis rejects that, too, though obviously for more complicated reasons. And in the years that follow, by always being the one to drive up to Wyoming, Jack takes on a slightly greater financial burden.
But I think Jack assumes correctly that if he offered anything more substantial, Ennis would repeat his "I aint in the poorhouse, you know" response.
rtprod:
Lat, you just might be right about that one.
I would have done it in other ways than just trying to write him a check. For instance, bought him some new clothes maybe, a downpayment for a decent place to live, or a better truck.
rt
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