Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Fan Fiction & Poetry
Can't Stand It - by nosunlight
mariez:
cwby and Fran - some very thoughtful comments. Thanks for sharing - I always like to hear lots of perspectives.
cwby - at this point it doesn't appear to me that Jack would even want Ennis to buy into a partnership - and you're right that that would be an acid test - but I don't think there's any chance of him winnng the lotto. I'm not bothered that the sex is too kinky and I don't have a problem with Ennis liking it - but I do sometimes find myself confused as to, err, specifics, when they're hanging upside down from closet rods and such - :laugh: - sometimes my imagination isn't up to the task!
Fran - "Mack Daddy Twist" made me LOL! Yeah, it does seem a little like that, doesn't it? I realize Jack has been hurt by a lot of people, including Ennis. But the hurt that Ennis caused Jack in the past was never intentional, it was only born from his own considerable pain and self-loathing. So I don't think it's quite accurate for Jack to lump Ennis in with Lureen and L.D. as people who have controlled and hurt him - the issues he had with them, as hurtful as they have been, are not Ennis's fault. The author refers to Jack as finding an "inner strength" - and I like that a lot - that's always a good thing for anyone. But inner strength has nothing to do with money or power or how much stuff we own or how many people we think we "control." And that's something I don't think this Jack has learned yet.
Yes, a very tangled mess, with a lot of complex issues (and I don't even think we've seen all of them yet!). It will be interesting to see how it all plays out and if, indeed, everything can be resolved.
Thanks,
Marie
frantic65:
Hi Marie,
Yes-complex issues sums it up very well & your musing that there may be more to come in that department sounds pretty accurate to me. One of the things I love most about this story is that she is not predictable & always keeps me off balance though.
Jack's "inner strength" seems to be coming out in that kinky sex though-don't you think?? He's been acting a little on the dom side. Hmmm.
Brown Eyes:
**Spoilers, questions, etc... **
I agree with many of you that this sudden idea from Jack that he would not be willing to share EJ with Ennis in co-ownership/ management seemed like a very odd gesture from a typical-Jack-character. I always thought that the reason that he named the farm EJ was because he was dreaming that Ennis would someday be co-owner. I do understand his desire for control and for calling the shots in the relationship for a while... especially following Ennis's divorce fiasco, but I think he's definitely going too far at the moment.
And, I have another somewhat related question... Do you think Jack is being paranoid about Bobby's potential reaction to Jack being gay and/or to his relationship with Ennis? I find it a tad hard to believe that a kid could do as much damage as Jack seems to think he could. And, I find it upsetting that Jack thinks that being outed really could mean the end to his success as a farmer and cause so much overall damage to his life. Is this situation about Jack being as paranoid/ overly worried as Ennis usually is in other fanfics, etc.?
mariez:
SPOILERS
Hi, Amanda!
Yep, I was nodding my head while reading your post, I think you stated that perfectly.
Yes, the Bobby thing is confusing to me, too! I'm not clear on exactly what it is that Jack thinks will, or could, happen. From what I gather he thinks that Bobby might want to go back to Lureen and L.D. and then he'd have to run off with Bobby to keep that from happening? I don't know ....that sounds a little extreme to me. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I think Jack has to start being more pro-active in having talks with Bobby and not just wait for Bobby to act up and say hateful things and then try to correct them. I totally understand that Jack is walking on eggshells when it comes to Bobby - the poor child has been through a lot - but I don't think he's doing Bobby any favors by pampering him and, in fact, he's probably hurting him in the long-run.
I'm also not sure about what he thinks will happen to the farm - does he think he'll lose all his customers and everyone he does business with? Is this where that creepy Scott comes into the picture - there's been a lot of foreshadowing about him for awhile. Yeah, it is ironic - Ennis has completely opened up to him - and now Jack is the paranoid one! I know Jack has a lot invested in the farm and a lot to lose - but if that's Jack's rationale, then weren't Ennis's fears all those years equally valid? Why does having money and propery make it ok to be fearful?
Well, as I said, a very complex set of issues!
Thanks,
Marie
Penthesilea:
***Spoilers***
--- Quote from: atz75 on November 04, 2007, 08:12:19 pm ---..., but I think he's definitely going too far at the moment.
--- End quote ---
Yup.
--- Quote ---And, I have another somewhat related question... Do you think Jack is being paranoid about Bobby's potential reaction to Jack being gay and/or to his relationship with Ennis? I find it a tad hard to believe that a kid could do as much damage as Jack seems to think he could. And, I find it upsetting that Jack thinks that being outed really could mean the end to his success as a farmer and cause so much overall damage to his life. Is this situation about Jack being as paranoid/ overly worried as Ennis usually is in other fanfics, etc.?
--- End quote ---
--- Quote ---From Mariez:
Yes, the Bobby thing is confusing to me, too! I'm not clear on exactly what it is that Jack thinks will, or could, happen. From what I gather he thinks that Bobby might want to go back to Lureen and L.D. and then he'd have to run off with Bobby to keep that from happening? I don't know ....that sounds a little extreme to me.
--- End quote ---
No, I don't think Jack fears Bobby would want to go back to Lureen and LD. But what he fears is that Bobby, in a first (?) angry, hateful, exaggerated reaction would run for the phone - first chance he'd get ;) - and tell Lureen/LD everything straightaway. And LD/Lureen wouldn't stand for their son/grandson growing up in the household of a queer (let alone two, if Ennis moved in). So Jack fears LD/Lureen would take some kind of action against him (from fighting for custody to send out hired killers).
I think this setting is illogical for two reasons: first of all, Bobby is ten years old. Kids of that age are not *that* hateful. He may have been influenced by LD and have prejudices against people who are "different" in any way - but he's too young to hate in an adult manner. And kids of this age are so influenceable. Especially by a parent who they love and trust (what Bobby obviously does with Jack). My girls are 9 and 11. If I told them the earth is flat, and everything I've told them before about this subject and everything they've learned at school or ever heard about the earth being round had recently proven wrong by newest scientific research - they would believe me.
If Jack told Bobby there's nothing wrong with loving and living with another man and explained it, Bobby would believe him. He's ten!
The other reason I find the setting not thoroughly logical is that the author completely ignores what is much more likely to be the case: If he knew, Bobby would sooner or later blab about it to Lureen/LD. Even if he has no contact w/ them at the moment, this won't last for eternity.
Of course the author writes the story the way she likes to (and rightfully so). So if she wants Bobby to be truly hateful, she'll just write it this way. But I, as a reader, have the choice to find it realistic or unrealistic.
But even when/if I find the Bobby subplot not very realistic, it doesn't take away from the story for me. I can overlook this.
What bothers me more is Jack's egoistic attitude.
And yeah, I think it is about punishment and it is about money. Just imagine Jack would have bought a much smaller property had managed to get by the last two years, but hadn't made much profit. How welcome Ennis' skills and willingness for hard work would be.
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