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

Truth and Lies

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dly64:
As I was watching BBM tonight for the zillionth time, I all of a sudden had a “light bulb” moment. It has to do with truths and lies.

We have discussed in great length about Jack’s “omissions” or out-and-out lies. But Ennis lies, too (mostly to himself). It begins post-mountain. While on BBM, both Ennis and Jack could be themselves. They were alone in an intimate setting. They worried about no one and were not influenced by societal judgment and expectations. Once they began descending the mountain, their world came crashing down around them. The lies began immediately when reality hit them. Ennis was lying to himself that, by marrying Alma, his feelings for Jack would somehow disappear. He becomes mad at himself when he breaks down, because he doesn’t want to feel  his true affection for Jack. Jack lies to himself, too, by marrying Lureen. Jack, of course, had many blatant lies as their relationship continued. I could list the many lies that had occurred, but that is not what I realized tonight. It is at the lake scene that everything changes. Jack says he is seeing a ranch foreman’s wife, when it was really Randall he was seeing. But immediately after that, Jack speaks his truth. Jack states: “The truth is ….. sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it.” That is the key that changes everything. While in the parking lot, both Jack and Ennis speak their truths. Jack, who has held back information, begins to reveal the depth of his anger and frustration. More importantly, Jack admits to his infidelity. He brings up his disappointment that Ennis was unable to commit to having a life with Jack. Ennis, on the other hand, is trying not to speak the truth, but is unable to. He falls into Jack’s arms and expresses that he can’t “stand” this anymore. Then comes the “dozy embrace”. It is the one time that Jack feels true intimacy with Ennis.

All the scenes that follow reflect Ennis and Jack’s truths. Ennis can no longer lie to himself or Cassie. He knows that it is Jack he loves. Then Jack dies; Ennis believes Jack has been murdered because he believes Lureen is lying. This is the first time that Ennis refers to BBM. At that moment, Lureen realizes the truth … that her husband loved Ennis. After Ennis’ conversation with Lureen, he goes to Jack’s parents and again speaks of BBM. It is clear to everyone in that room that Ennis loved Jack and that Jack loved Ennis. Ennis goes to Jack’s room, finds the shirts, and discovers the true depth of Jack’s love (for him). At the end, Ennis last words, “Jack, I swear …..”, expresses his undying love for Jack. It is Ennis’ final truth.

Katie77:
Thank yu for that dly64......while reading your post, I thought to myself, yes, you are right here......all the lies, whether spoken or thought, until that last time, when they finally told the truth to one another.....was like a "coming out".....and just in time, because it was the last time they were together, their last chance to tell each other the truth about everything......

At least Ennis had that to endure the loss of Jack, that he had told him the truth before he died......and it seems, as you say, it also gave Ennis the strength then, to speak out to others about Brokeback, he was finally showing the truth to everyone else.

I had never picked up on that before, but it is just another thing, that even after all this time, that makes the story, so enthralling.

Front-Ranger:
That was a beautiful insight Diane, and helped me understand why the last scenes of the movie are so poignant and heartbreaking. In essence, Jack and Ennis come full circle. They discover their truths on Brokeback Mountain, and then they live through lies, and they come back to the truth at the end. Annie Proulx uses the metaphor of the coat hanger, the way that it can be straightened out in order to unlock the car door, and then is bent back into shape again to serve its original purpose of holding a garment. But in this case, the unlocking is done to the soul, to gain access to the truth.

nakymaton:
...the sparks flying up with their truths and lies...

Yeah. Jack lies to other people, but Ennis lies to himself. :( At least, I'm convinced that Ennis lies to himself in the story. In the movie, I'm less certain -- movie-Ennis seems to be more aware that he's in love with Jack, though his internal struggle over that knowledge seems to tie him up in knots.

That's an interesting point, that they both start telling the truth at the lake. (Does it ever seem like the lake scene is almost the climax of the movie, except that it isn't, because it doesn't resolve, and then Jack dies and Ennis has to confront the truth in Jack's closet?)

(PS to Lee... but when the metaphorical coat hanger is torqued back to its original shape, do they go back to pretending the lies are true? ...for what they'd said was no news. Nothing ended, nothing begun, nothing resolved. In the story, do they both know about the lies, both Jack's lies to others and Ennis's lies to himself, but prefer to go on pretending to believe them? When the car door is unlocked, does it matter if the coat hanger is torqued back into shape? And what is the coat hanger a metaphor for, anyway? What unlocks truth?)

Front-Ranger:
Mel (continuing the dialogue... :))

Yes, they go back to pretending the lies are true, don't you think? Yes they know about the lies. It's not that they prefer to believe them, but they don't see any other way to live. And isn't it true, that once the car door is unlocked, that the coat hanger is pretty much forgotten, is returned to just being a utilitarian object. Strange, but tonite I am thinking that the coat hanger is like a border collie, its reward is to continue doing its work...okay U can say "Earth to Lee" now!!

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