Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Fan Fiction & Poetry
Beans and Crazies by montana crows
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: mariez on October 09, 2007, 01:01:09 pm ---
I agree with nic that these punishments are not truly S&M based - I wouldn't use that term to describe them. There is punishment - but I don't see an element of enjoyment, sexual or otherwise. Ennis may feel he deserves it or needs it or whatever, but it hasn't come through to me that he's enjoying it. And Jack definitely is not enjoying any aspect of it. I do think the latest interlude was a form of S&M - and while I don't mind that generally (I love TTTB, for example) - that one didn't really work for me. But, I agree with all of you, these things don't take away from my overall enjoyment of a really excellent and well-written story. I'm already anxious for the next chapter.
Marie
--- End quote ---
Hi Marie,
I think you raise a good point. And S/M is probably not the right way to describe what's going on in B & C. You're right that neither character seems to find pleasure in the activity, which to me, is why it's so disturbing. As for Jack's participation... it's really hard to understand why he (or anyone) would go through with activities that seem so unhealthy for his partner. I think Ennis's attitude towards these "punishments" is more in line with something like self-mutilation or cutting. And, from the beginning Jack has seemed to recognize how distasteful this activity is. I guess I can see him getting carried away by Ennis... but it's still hard to imagine how he could get himself to participate in these self-destructive, violent bouts. It is definitely a good thing that Grace now might be able to intervene now that she knows.
And, I also agree that Grace and Joanna are great, very well-rounded characters.
mariez:
--- Quote from: atz75 on October 09, 2007, 01:53:00 pm ---... I think Ennis's attitude towards these "punishments" is more in line with something like self-mutilation or cutting. And, from the beginning Jack has seemed to recognize how distasteful this activity is. I guess I can see him getting carried away by Ennis... but it's still hard to imagine how he could get himself to participate in these self-destructive, violent bouts. It is definitely a good thing that Grace now might be able to intervene now that she knows.
--- End quote ---
Hi Amanda,
SPOILERS
Yeah, I'd have to agree with your self-mutilation and cutting analogy. It seems to me (and I'm going to have to do a re-read on the most recent chapters to get the details) that after Grace gave Ennis hell over how much he was hurting Jack with these punishments, I think Ennis and Jack had a talk about it - and Jack was really honest with Ennis for the first time about what it was taking out of him. I hope more discussions along that line - along with Grace's intervention - will help. Maybe once they stop the punishments, and Ennis finds a healthier way of dealing with his issues, they can have more discussions and we'll get a little more insight.
I'm worried about Eric, too, in Vietnam. Wonder when Joanna will be getting another letter.
Marie
nic:
Yes, the self-harming analogy is the closest but it doesn't add up for me as in my understanding self-harming occurs mainly either for attention-seeking to a serious emotional problem or as a distraction from the turmoil that problem is causing within. I can't see that it would involve directly reaching out to someone else, as in B&C, unless this Ennis' communication problems are really that messed up - which is always a possibility. Ennis is always such a complex character to me!
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: nic on October 09, 2007, 09:03:30 pm ---Yes, the self-harming analogy is the closest but it doesn't add up for me as in my understanding self-harming occurs mainly either for attention-seeking to a serious emotional problem or as a distraction from the turmoil that problem is causing within. I can't see that it would involve directly reaching out to someone else, as in B&C, unless this Ennis' communication problems are really that messed up - which is always a possibility. Ennis is always such a complex character to me!
--- End quote ---
Yes, the fact that Ennis has wanted to involve Jack in the activity is very, very strange. I agree. Complex indeed.
nic:
I had more or less been glossing over these darker aspects of B&C but these recent posts have got me pondering & I have come up with two ideas that could represent a potential explanation. However, I have commited the cardinal sin of not going back to rigorously research all the source material (ie re-read) & so these ideas are nothing more than clutching at straws in the asbsence of anything else. I’ll stick them here FWIW.
First – Ennis has a guilt complex causing inner pressure, from jilting Alma, from being a sinner, from being queer, etc Although he loves Jack completely, at some subconscious & mean level he also sees Jack as the cause of this inner turmoil (I got this from the cannon Ennis at the lake scene; “it’s cos of you….”). He knows to release the inner pressure he needs a violent outlet so by asking Jack to dispense this, he gets his outlet & eases that mean internal voice by knowing that it is also punishing Jack as it hurts Jack to do it. Ennis is not aware of this complex explanation though.
Second – similar to above but with a more self aware Ennis. He has the inner turmoil & knows he needs the physical outlet, hence the “accidents” he’s been having around the ranch – tearing his hand on fencing, etc He realizes this is not enough of an outlet & can’t let himself be more careless in case it ends up more seriously & he ends up badly hurt so can’t work on the ranch (or worse). If that happened, it would end up hurting Jack by causing all sorts of hassle. He also realizes he can’t go off into the town & get into random fights, as that would certainlyl ook odd. So he reaches out to Jack to mete out the violence on him, as he thinks Jack would want to help him out & it also imposes a control valve, ie he knows Jack wouldn’t go too far –even though he’s aware it is hard on Jack, at least it means his feelings are dealt with, which is better for the both of them & the relationship, & Ennis remains in one piece.
I certainly think that whatever the reasons, then Ennis is not doing it out of conscious maliciousness towards Jack. I would also like to think there is an actual explanation as why else would the author throw this in? Quite amusingly this fic is often referred to as a Utopian Ranch Fic yet these episodes are definitely not utopian!
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