Our BetterMost Community > Chez Tremblay
If you were Alma............
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: cricket99999 on May 08, 2006, 08:36:50 pm ---I think that IS what the statement meant to Ennis, and that it was not an insult. But I think Alma misinterpreted it as such, which would be easy enough to do.
--- End quote ---
What Ennis meant may not be as important as what Alma thought he meant. Still, though, I'm glad the "once burned" remark was brought up. I'd forgotten about it--and regardless of what Ennis meant, personally I think that was a pretty rude thing for him to say to Alma. She was his hostess, even if she was the woman who "burned" him.
MaineWriter:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on May 08, 2006, 09:27:47 pm ---What Ennis meant may not be as important as what Alma thought he meant. Still, though, I'm glad the "once burned" remark was brought up. I'd forgotten about it--and regardless of what Ennis meant, personally I think that was a pretty rude thing for him to say to Alma. She was his hostess, even if she was the woman who "burned" him.
--- End quote ---
I don't think it's rude, in context. She started it, "After all these years, Ennis, you ain't found anybody else t'marry..."
and he says, "Once burned..."
You have to remember, they were married for 12 years and did have conversations...many of which probably devolved into arguments, esp. at the end. I think we were witnessing yet another dysfunctional conversation pattern, which can be very hard to break.
The other thing--holidays tend to bring out the worst in people--we saw that here.
L
Jeff Wrangler:
Nope, I gotta part company with you on this one, Leslie. Regardless of whether Alma started it, he's casting it in her face that she's the one who burned him. And that's rude. There might have been more polite ways to respond to her--a simple "No" would have done very nicely--but then, they wouldn't have served the plot.
"Jesus H.!" I can't believe I'm defending Alma against Ennis! :laugh:
You're absolutely right, though, about holidays bringing out the worst in people. I'm afraid there are an awful lot of families--especially families with gay and lesbian children--who can testify to that.
MaineWriter:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on May 08, 2006, 09:59:20 pm ---Nope, I gotta part company with you on this one, Leslie. Regardless of whether Alma started it, he's casting it in her face that she's the one who burned him. And that's rude. There might have been more polite ways to respond to her--a simple "No" would have done very nicely--but then, they wouldn't have served the plot.
"Jesus H.!" I can't believe I'm defending Alma against Ennis! :laugh:
You're absolutely right, though, about holidays bringing out the worst in people. I'm afraid there are an awful lot of families--especially families with gay and lesbian children--who can testify to that.
--- End quote ---
Sorry, love bunny...ain't gonna let ya get away with this one...
I believe you said in another post that you were "an effete homosexual northeastern snob" -- I'll match you--I am an overeducated, insufferably liberal northeastern snob (or whatever I am)...point being, we have learned something about conversation, verbal sparring and all that.
Alma and Ennis did not have that frame of reference to work from. Their conversations were raw and uninformed. Her comment about not finding someone else to marry was, in our eyes, rude. His response, in our eyes, was rude. In the language of their day to day conversations. it was probably a natural discourse and a large part of the reason they got divorced. They could not communicate effectively. We are seeing just another example of that.
The conversation started as so many of their conversations probably did start. Look at Ennis's posture...it is a place he has been before. It escalated quickly...and unexpectedly...to a place he did not expect. For Alma? I am not sure, need to think on that one.
But I am not casting either one of them in the "being rude" role.
L
serious crayons:
Here's the opinion of a Midwestern snob: it was kind of rude. But more cheeky than cutting. Her response was REALLY rude -- deliberately cutting. Especially since he was her guest. And was even helping clear the table! I think she was getting back at him for her years of unhappiness.
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