Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
What is behind Jack and Ennis' hats?
Rutella:
--- Quote from: dly64 on August 20, 2006, 10:58:25 am ---I bring this theory back into discussion because I think the yin-yang symbol illustrates Jack’s and Ennis’ relationship …. albeit not the “passive, cold female force” … but the concept that they exemplify the “harmony of these forces.” It is stated in the screenplay that, after the “dozy embrace,” when we see an older Jack watching Ennis drive away …. Jack is watching his “other half.” Their hats are an outward expression of the “yin-yang” philosophy. Since the lake scene was their last time together (although Jack and Ennis didn’t know it) we, the audience, are brought back to the idea that one is not complete without the other.
--- End quote ---
I mentioned this in the original y/y thread, but one of the many things that I really love about the lake scene and yin/yang is that the original meanings of yin and yang are the north side of a mountain and the south side of a lake (yin) and the south side of a moutain and the north side of the lake (yang) so when I watch that scene as well as all the emotion and everything [gulp] I also love the harmony of the setting and the reminder of the two as two halves of the same natural element.
Hat wise, some of my favourite moments in BBM are to do with their hats; TS2, the happy tussle, the reunion kiss.... And when Ennis goes to Lightening Flat at the end there is something about his hatless head that makes him seem extra vunerable :'(
dly64:
--- Quote from: Rutella on August 21, 2006, 02:10:47 pm ---I mentioned this in the original y/y thread, but one of the many things that I really love about the lake scene and yin/yang is that the original meanings of yin and yang are the north side of a mountain and the south side of a lake (yin) and the south side of a moutain and the north side of the lake (yang) so when I watch that scene as well as all the emotion and everything [gulp] I also love the harmony of the setting and the reminder of the two as two halves of the same natural element.
Hat wise, some of my favourite moments in BBM are to do with their hats; TS2, the happy tussle, the reunion kiss.... And when Ennis goes to Lightening Flat at the end there is something about his hatless head that makes him seem extra vunerable :'(
--- End quote ---
Well said! Where did you hear about the original meanings of y/y? I never read that! It's GREAT!
As for the "hat" scenes ... AGREED!
Mikaela:
*Warning - comments on Jack's death scene*
--- Quote ---But it's not really a "flashback." It's what Ennis thinks happened. Although it's ambiguous, I do tend to think that is what happened.
--- End quote ---
Since I am definitely of the opinion that Jack was in fact killed, much like we see in that scene in the film, I too have tended to think of it as a sort of "flashback"; - that is: A combination of the real event and the horrific scene as played out by Ennis's imagination.
But we know that Jack's fate will remain ambiguous to us and to Ennis.... and so the scene that we see in the film is Ennis's grief and fear given life, breath and motion, and not a faithful representation of what actually happened to Jack. The events and elements in the scene do clearly underline that. I've steeled myself to watch it in slow motion:
There's the hat falling off as Jack is knocked viciously to the ground. The black hat is a Jack symbol not only to us, but to Ennis; - the hat being removed through violence indicates that a part of what makes Jack *Jack* is being removed. Hatless, he's symbolically being rendered vulnerable, unprotected, helpless.
After watching the vicious beating from a distance Ennis’s inner eye moves to close-up. One assailant proceeds to stomp viciously down on Jack's crotch, echoing Ennis's memory of the torment Earl was subjected to. And then comes the tire iron, striking Jack across the face, - Jack's beloved face beaten, rendered bloody, almost unrecognizable. Jack’s face seen “upside-down” adds further to the disoriented, nauseous feeling of the scene. All of it happens on a patch of vibrantly green grass, eerily reminiscent of the lush surroundings where J&E’s used to meet for their “fishing trips”.
The hat, the face, the genitals, the vibrant greens of nature: Concrete physical elements, the recollection of which would clearly speak to Ennis of Jack, speak of their relationship and their love and passion. And here in this violent, blurry scene it’s all under lethal attack from those faceless malevolent assailants Ennis has been waiting for, all of it being visually and intimately tied to Ennis's recollection of what happened to Earl. Though the indications are subtle (even if the scene in itself is not), and the whole scene flies by in a blur, leaving a horrified emotional impression but few concrete or detailed visuals, it seems certain from the elements in the scene that we are witnessing Ennis's deepest fears brought to life by his imagination….. doing its very worst. And Jack’s hat flying off is one of the first indicators, perhaps.
dly64:
--- Quote from: Mikaela on August 22, 2006, 03:31:58 pm ---Since I am definitely of the opinion that Jack was in fact killed, much like we see in that scene in the film, I too have tended to think of it as a sort of "flashback"; - that is: A combination of the real event and the horrific scene as played out by Ennis's imagination.
--- End quote ---
I am on the same wavelength.
--- Quote --- The hat, the face, the genitals, the vibrant greens of nature: Concrete physical elements, the recollection of which would clearly speak to Ennis of Jack, speak of their relationship and their love and passion. And here in this violent, blurry scene it’s all under lethal attack from those faceless malevolent assailants Ennis has been waiting for, all of it being visually and intimately tied to Ennis's recollection of what happened to Earl. Though the indications are subtle (even if the scene in itself is not), and the whole scene flies by in a blur, leaving a horrified emotional impression but few concrete or detailed visuals, it seems certain from the elements in the scene that we are witnessing Ennis's deepest fears brought to life by his imagination….. doing its very worst. And Jack’s hat flying off is one of the first indicators, perhaps.
--- End quote ---
Great interpretation! I had never watched that scene in slow motion … too painful. But after you said that you did this and you caught so many things, I decided to do it, too. The thing I noticed was that the first swing of the tire iron was towards Jack’s head. What I can’t make out is if his head was actually struck, or if it was just Jack’s hat that was thrown off. Either way, it is nightmarishly reminiscent of Ennis and Jack’s reunion scene. What I mean is that these men are pushing Jack and, in violence and hatred, knock Jack’s hat off (as opposed to Ennis’ grabbing Jack out of love and knocking Jack’s hat off due to Ennis’ pure and unadulterated passion).
serious crayons:
I don't think I could stand to watch it in slow motion; I can barely stand to read Mikaela's vivid and observant but painful blow-by-blow description. I'm sure this was probably mentioned on another thread, but as I read it what kept coming to mind was Ennis' "Sure enough, if you don't get stomped doin it."
I think I'll have to stick with watching the tent and reunion scenes in slo-mo.
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