Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
What if Jack gave Ennis an ultimatum? Come with me to Mexico or it,s over.
opinionista:
--- Quote from: ednbarby on May 31, 2006, 03:26:07 pm ---I know from this. This is the reason that after two years of punishment, I finally moved on from the love of my life to the point where, when I'd been seeing my now husband for a couple of months and he came practically crawling back to me, practically begging me to give him another chance, as hard as nails as it was, I was able to say, "No."
I had much less to go on than Jack did, though. Well, wait a minute - yes and no. I was about to say that this guy never once told me he loved me, then I remembered... I was about to say that this guy never once made any future, long-term plans of any kind that included me, then I remembered... And this guy only allowed himself to be truly intimate and affectionate with me on very rare occasions - so rare, I can count them on one hand. But then, I was a woman and he was a man and I had much more opportunity to find another man I could love *openly* and with whom I could be accepted by society as a couple. There's the difference.
I agree. Jack had given up. That's what that last look with those empty eyes and hardened jaw is all about. Doesn't mean he'd ever have stopped loving Ennis. And I'm sure if he hadn't died and had taken up with Randall at his parents' ranch and Ennis got wind of it and tried to talk him/beat him out of it, he'd have one hell of a fight on his hands. Jack was a broken man at the end - that's almost as heartbreaking as his literal death. Like Jake said, he died the moment he knew he couldn't be with Ennis like he wanted. I know from that, too. To a much lesser extent. It occurs to me just now that maybe that's why Jack appeals to me more than Ennis. I feel his pain more because I've felt it before.
--- End quote ---
I've gone through this too which is why, contrary to what some people think, in my opinion Jack and Ennis's relationship was doomed since the day Jack went to see him after the divorce and Ennis rejected him. Even if he hadn't died, and Ennis has changed his mind, I don't think they would've survived a as couple. I know a lot of people disagree with me, but from a reality point of view, I seriously doubt their relationship had any future from that moment on, no matter how much they loved each other. They'd need extensive professional therapy for it to work. Twenty years of struggle and pain is too much for a person to handle, I think. You end up feeling kind of numb.
nic:
--- Quote from: opinionista on May 31, 2006, 04:18:14 pm ---I've gone through this too ....
--- End quote ---
I've experienced it too, but didn't ever connect it before in any way with BBM, being too consumed with thinking myself as an Ennis type. Wow - that's given me another angle to contemplate, something from Jack's POV. Thanks guys, but hugs all round for having experienced the negative stuff. You know what I mean :)
tiawahcowboy:
Oh, I would say that Jack and Ennis's relationship was doomed since the day Jack went to see him in Riverton in 1967.
If I had been Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar told me that there was no way that we could have a relationship when in the Riverton motel in 1967, I would have told Ennis that I would not be seeing him again and tell him "See ya!"
Oh, I might have asked Ennis why (according to the book) he said, "Alma? It ain't her fault," What ain't Alma's fault? The fact that you thought you had to marry her to prove you are a man? Does that mean you weren't in love with her to begin with?"
opinionista:
--- Quote from: tiawahcowboy on May 31, 2006, 05:20:21 pm ---Oh, I would say that Jack and Ennis's relationship was doomed since the day Jack went to see him in Riverton in 1967.
If I had been Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar told me that there was no way that we could have a relationship when in the Riverton motel in 1967, I would have told Ennis that I would not be seeing him again and tell him "See ya!"
Oh, I might have asked Ennis why (according to the book) he said, "Alma? It ain't her fault," What ain't Alma's fault? The fact that you thought you had to marry her to prove you are a man? Does that mean you weren't in love with her to begin with?"
--- End quote ---
But this is assuming you weren't married. Jack was married too, so he was in no position to actually judge Ennis at that point of their relationship, was he? Then why did he marry Lureen? Just for her money? That could also be questionable. I think Jack had sexuality issues too, not as bad as Ennis but he did to a certain degree, I guess. He was human, after all. Although in the short story Proulx implies that Jack was having sex with other men or at least trying too when he was rodeoing in Texas.
tiawahcowboy:
--- Quote from: opinionista on May 31, 2006, 05:54:04 pm ---But this is assuming you weren't married. Jack was married too, so he was in no position to actually judge Ennis at that point of their relationship, was he? Then why did he marry Lureen? Just for her money? That could also be questionable. I think Jack had sexuality issues too, not as bad as Ennis but he did to a certain degree, I guess. He was human, after all. Although in the short story Proulx implies that Jack was having sex with other men or at least trying too when he was rodeoing in Texas.
--- End quote ---
Oh, I think that Jack got married to Story Lureen "What's-her-name?" in hopes that he could get her father (no name either) and his farm equipment company to sponsor him as a rodeo bull rider. Story Jack really has nothing good to say about Lureen when he is alone with Ennis.
If you read the short story, you will see how Jack talked about his father-in-law.
--- Quote ---"I was in Texas rodeoin. How I met Lureen. Look over on that chair."
. . .
"I made three fuckin thousand dollars that year. Fuckin starved. Had to borrow everthing but a toothbrush from other guys. Drove grooves across Texas. Half the time under that cunt truck fixin it. Anyway, I didn't never think about losin. Lureen? There's some serious money there. Her old man's got it. Got this farm machinery business. Course he don't let her have none a the money, and he hates my fuckin guts, so it's a hard go now but one a these days -- "
"Listen. I'm thinkin, tell you what, if you and me had a little ranch together, little cow and calf operation, your horses, it'd be some sweet life. Like I said, I'm gettin out a rodeo. I ain't no broke-dick rider but I don't got the bucks a ride out this slump I'm in and I don't got the bones a keep gettin wrecked. I got it figured, got this plan, Ennis, how we can do it, you and me. Lureen's old man, you bet he'd give me a bunch if I'd get lost. Already more or less said it -- "
--- End quote ---
See why I said what I did about Jack? Annie Proux's Jack Twist NEVER worked for his father-in-law.
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