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

...if you don't get stomped winning it

<< < (2/3) > >>

Mikaela:
Oh, Jack cared about money. Part of his dreams surely had to do with more affluent living, getting away from the poverty of Lightning Flat. And as he got used to *having* money, I think he'd have had a hard time giving it up. But nevertheless his most cherished dreams, his deepest wish, had nothing to do with money. I think he'd have happily lived in poverty with Ennis, if they could only be together.

I've always thought that Lureen's money served mainly as Jack's "sanitized-for-Ennis" reason for marrying her rather than the one, big, true and only reason. It was *one* reason for marrying her, sure - but there were so many others and in my view at that point in his life those were the companionship and closeness she offered in his loneliness, and the admiration (and self-esteem at having snagged the rodeo queen) she offered when he was feeling rather like a failure, and the safety in "straight normalcy" she was offering when he may have risked being outed by the likes of Jimbo.

serious crayons:
I agree with everything you just said, Lisa!

 :D

2robots4u:
Yes, nakymaton, there is positively a "huh" at the end of Ennis's comment.

I watch Pro Bull Riding a lot, and quess what?  Half of the riders are wearing blue denim shirts and black hats.  There is a larger variety of shirts available to these "cowboys", but usually hat choices are black, white, ivory, grey, brown..depending on you mood for any given day, I guess.

As for the year's earning of $2000 in 1964, compare that to my income of about $7000, but factor in that I worked 12 months a year; rodeo cowboys were seasonal, still are, at about 4 months.  So, I think $2000 for an average of 3.2 secs per ride, 3-5  rides per week, approximately 15-20 weeks per year, less his costs (clothes, gear, medical costs for injury, traveling, food on the road) was poverty level.  Top rodeo cowboys today are earning upwards of $1 million plus endorsements.  But is it worth all those broken bones, brain concussions, possibility of never having offspring?  I happened to see an event just 2 nights ago where the rider wa thrown but got caught up in his rope and was left dangling from the bull until ole "Jimbo" was able to pull him loose.  In the meantime, he suffered separated shoulder, brain concussion, broken wrist, and a stomp to the gonads that would have made scrambbled eggs!
Risks?  A very big YES.

Brown Eyes:
Just a quick comment about the conversation on Brokeback about rodeoing and money.  It always seems to me that the conversation here is meant to illustrate the line in the book about being "respectful of each other's opinions".  When Ennis says "sure enough" to Jack's response that money is a good point in favor of rodeoing... that "respectful" line always comes to mind for me.  It's clear he disagrees, but he's willing to concede a point to Jack.

Mikaela:

--- Quote ---It always seems to me that the conversation here is meant to illustrate the line in the book about being "respectful of each other's opinions".
--- End quote ---

I agree. And in so doing (or being), Ennis comes closer to voicing his real opinion than Jack does where the bull-riding is concerned. Jack's main motivation isn't money, but (I think) the exhilarating rush, the ultimate living-in-the-moment feeling that the bull-ride provides. I bet he feels keenly *alive* during those 8 seconds - and there's no possibility of planning ahead or doing anything but *being*.
(There's also the wish for his father's approval thrown into the mix of Jack's reasons, of course).

While Ennis, I suspect, only to a very small extent if at all agrees that "money's a good point" in this case. Knowing his character, in all likelihood he would focus on the risks and would think that the possible rewards did not by any means outweigh the risks. So "If you don't get stomped winning them" certainly is true, unabashed Ennis the worrier.

I've just been re-reading the short story, and in connection with this "being stomped" discussion I especially noted the description of Jack's and Ennis's last "fishing trip" together, in May 1983: Ennis worries the weather will deteriorate, looking west for clouds, anticipating rain or snow - and after 3 days his expectiation proves true(!).  While Jack focuses on enjoying the beauty of the moment: "The boneless blue was so deep, said Jack, that he might drown looking up."

Then they reach the river and Jack dismounts to drink - beautiful, crystalline drops. Once more, he's following his need of the moment. While Ennis worries ahead as usual: "Get beaver fever doing that".

Ennis worries for the future and the consequences of his/their action. Jack lives in the moment, enjoys the beauty of simply "feeling alive" - even if he has to take risks to do so.

They approach bullriding in much the same manner, IMO.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page