Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum

Interesting observations about the short story

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silkncense:
I haven't read the short story in some time (need to read it again soon), but the section
--- Quote --- Ennis as "suffused with a sense of pleasure because Jack Twist was in his dream."
--- End quote ---
to me was not so much hopeful as sad (ish). 

Ennis had the memories & dreams of the love of Jack & even now recognized that he'd been in love with Jack in return.  But, I see Ennis living totally in the past with that love & not moving forward.  I know some believe that Ennis moved on (thus fanfic such as Ennis & Ellery) but my feeling was just as I later heard Annie Proulx say "There is no Ennis w/out Jack." - his being died w/ Jack & then, outside his love for his daughters, only the shell existed.

Jeff Wrangler:

--- Quote ---I haven't read the short story in some time (need to read it again soon), but the section
Quote:
Ennis as "suffused with a sense of pleasure because Jack Twist was in his dream."
to me was not so much hopeful as sad (ish).
--- End quote ---

Fair enough. Maybe hopeful isn't the best word here, it's just the one that came to my mind first. Not to turn morbid or share too much, but to me that line is hopeful because it's exactly how I feel when I think of my late boyfriend--which I do, numerous times a day, though he's been dead nearly seven years--and I assure you it's a positive feeling, a good feeling not sad or depressing. 

I don't believe Ennis "moved on" and found someone else--I didn't mean hopeful in that sense--and I won't read the Ennis and Ellery saga, and that's why I ended up turning to writing Alternative Universe fanfiction where Ennis and Jack do ranch up and have a sweet life together.

But to move on, I checked materials I saved both on line and in hard copy, and all I can find are recollections of Annie Proulx having said that the prologue was added for the Front Range version of the story, but no positive evidence in the form of direct quotes from Annie with the source of the quote.

Brown Eyes:

--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on July 20, 2006, 02:49:14 pm ---This is so interesting and I'm so glad U brought it up. The topic of word choices in the book and movie is deep and we have hardly even scratched the surface. As I recall from reading the story, Jack loved to use big words. He would say "I'm commutin four hours a day" and would often get them wrong, such as asphixiate (as U point out), athaletes,  and vertebrates. I attribute this to Jack always wanting to better himself, to leave the poverty-ridden confines of his youth. And, as Jake said, he always tried really hard in everything he did.

--- End quote ---

Maybe Jack's love of long words mirrors a similar urge in Ennis.  I'm thinking here of the part (in the story) about Ennis wanting to be a sophomore.

"He had wanted to be a sophomore, felt the word carried a kind of distinction..."

Katie77:
I have been reading all the posts in this thread, and they are all interesting, and I think I have become to like the book a little bit more than what I did originally...

I saw the movie twice, before I bought the book, and after reading it for the first time, I thought, shit, how did they make such a powerful movie from that book.
I didnt like the description of the boys, didnt like the "urinating in the sink" bit, maybe I'm just not that good at gauging the emotions from the written word....(I usually prefer to see a movie before reading the book, then I have the characters and story all ready in place to fit to the written words)..

I have read the book many many times, usually when i just need a quick "hit", and havent got time to sit and watch the movie, and the more I read it, I must admit, the more I do like it, but I have said, that if I had read the book first, I might not have been so eager to see the movie.

On the other hand, I have always wished the book was a two inch thick novel, that I could have curled up with, and devoured , with explanations and lots more detail for everything we wonder about, and side stories, that we just imagine, or assume happened.......So often, have I damned Annie for only writing a short story.

Anyway, was wondering if any others out there felt like i did about the book.

ednbarby:

--- Quote from: silkncense on July 20, 2006, 09:30:13 pm ---Ennis had the memories & dreams of the love of Jack & even now recognized that he'd been in love with Jack in return.  But, I see Ennis living totally in the past with that love & not moving forward.  I know some believe that Ennis moved on (thus fanfic such as Ennis & Ellery) but my feeling was just as I later heard Annie Proulx say "There is no Ennis w/out Jack." - his being died w/ Jack & then, outside his love for his daughters, only the shell existed.
--- End quote ---

Ah, Silk.  As is so often the case, you and I are on the same page, sentence, and word.  Just as Jack died the moment he knew for certain he couldn't be with Ennis, Ennis died the moment he knew Jack had literally died - the moment he looked at that returned postcard.  I love that shot, as painful as it is to watch - that 180 degree camera turn - the pivotal moment, as it were.  That shot mirrors the shot at the lake.  And that says - to me, anyway - that that was the moment Jack knew - the moment that Jack quit Ennis, as dear Ruthlessly so eloquently wrote.

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