Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Symbolism: Ennis and the mules
Brown Eyes:
Heya,
I was just enjoying one of my favorite activities... which is to go look at really old threads that have ended up way down the line in the page count. Some of those good old threads are amazingly nostalgic! And sometimes I get inspired to bump a few old good ones.
So!
Bump
:)
jpwagoneer1964:
--- Quote from: Ellemeno on June 22, 2006, 06:38:06 pm ---I don't have anything big to add to this great thread. Just little bits:
I think that (spokenly or unspokenly) Ennis and Jack agreed that Jack simply didn't have the skill to handle the mules. And my guess is that Ennis continued to go down on Fridays so that no one would know they had switched jobs between them. After all Aguirre hadn't given them a choice - he had assigned the jobs.
Clarissa
--- End quote ---
I think Jack and Ennis were about equally experienced in handling horses and mules both having growm up in ranches. Jack would have had to hitch up the mules when he went to see Ennis after FNIT.
After Agguire had seen Ennis up with the sheep with can came to tell Jack news of his uncle it didn't matter who came to get supplies of Fridays, but most likely it was Jack since the switch.
Brown Eyes:
Heya JP,
Yes, I think Jack certainly could have done the job of getting the groceries and dealing with the mules, etc. And, especially at that early stage, he was certainly comfortable around animals and had to be skilled at horseback riding. But, I think Clarissa has a good point too. Jake (in one of those interviews on the DVD) talks about playing Jack as if he's really trying to be a good cowboy... that Jack is always trying (trying hard at everything) becomes a feature of his persona and character especially as the movie goes on. The fact that he often doesn't reach is goals is also part of this... His awkwardness and fumbling attempts at things take on a kind of grace of their own. Jack really isn't as good at riding horses as Ennis (which seems to be one of the reasons they chose Heath to play Ennis... since he had very good horseback riding skills already. Jake said he had very little experience with horsed before BBM, which fit well with Jack anyway). Jack also isn't a good shot with his rifle, etc., etc.
Whether or not the characters of Ennis and Jack would have recognized such a difference in skill level or whether that was a primary motivation for the job switch, etc. is hard to say.
Ellemeno:
--- Quote from: atz75 on November 11, 2006, 11:30:33 pm ---Whether or not the characters of Ennis and Jack would have recognized such a difference in skill level
--- End quote ---
Amanda, I love that you go around resurrecting precious threads.
They may not have had much education in other things, but I am pretty sure they would have been very good at telling skill levels in handling horses and other critical talents.
I always see Ennis as very proficient at what he does - with an economy of motion he gets the job done. He keeps himself compacted and efficient. Jack does things in a sloppier fashion, but with a stronger desire to be appreciated. I am thinking of that look Ennis gives Jack, when jack splashes himself with the contents of the can he is opening. That look (to me) says, "I can't believe you can't even open a simple can." Even when just sitting down, Jack makes a big production of it, moving his legs all around, taking his gloves off with a flourish, tinking his belt buckle. Ennis checks the knot on his pack, mounts up and is gone.
I have a friend who grew up in a Mennonite farming community in Manitoba. He says that when he was a child, a passtime was to load the family in the car and go examine and critique whether their neighbor farmers got their rows nice and straight when plowing, drilling, cutting hay, etc. Ennis would have noticed Jack's strengths and weaknesses in vital skills.
Penthesilea:
Hey Amanda, thanks for bumping old threads :). Good to re-read them.
I agree with Mark and Amanda that Jack was sure able to deal with the mules. Did he do it the summer before? We don't know whether he was alone his first summer or not.
I think he didn't like it, dealing with this dumbass mules, carefully storing everything. I can hear him bitching. But I think it was his job after the job switch.
And Mark is right, Aguirre knew anyway after coming by. Both about the job switch and our boys. Yet he let it pass. He isn't the most lovable character, but he is far from being the greatest bastard in the story.
--- Quote ---From Amanda:
Jake [...] talks about playing Jack as if he's really trying to be a good cowboy
...
His awkwardness and fumbling attempts
...
Jack also isn't a good shot with his rifle, etc., etc.
--- End quote ---
Maybe we should give Jack a little more credit about his skills in general. I've often read similar things: tossing the keys, not the best bull-rider, not a good shot, etc. This is all correct. But somehow we sound a little bit like OMT: Jack never being good enough in those practical things. He may not be as good as Ennis, but hey, he grew up on a ranch, was used to hard ranch work and I'm sure he coped with it. You don't have to be the best to be good.
--- Quote ---From Clarissa:
I always see Ennis as very proficient at what he does - with an economy of motion he gets the job done. He keeps himself compacted and efficient. Jack does things in a sloppier fashion, but with a stronger desire to be appreciated. I am thinking of that look Ennis gives Jack, when jack splashes himself with the contents of the can he is opening. That look (to me) says, "I can't believe you can't even open a simple can." Even when just sitting down, Jack makes a big production of it, moving his legs all around, taking his gloves off with a flourish, tinking his belt buckle. Ennis checks the knot on his pack, mounts up and is gone.
--- End quote ---
I absolutely love this paragraph. Well observed and so well put.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version