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Character you pitied most

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Penthesilea:
From the above, it was tough to decide between Alma and Jack's mom. We see more from Alma, we see her suffer.
But my vote went to Jack's mom. Both women of Ennis and Jack sure suffered, but were able to get their lifes into their own hands. Alma eventually divorced Ennis and married Monroe, Lureen was the more independent type anyway.

But Jack's mom was married to that mean old bastard and captured in this desolate place. She had a hard life and lost her only child.

As for Ennis and Jack, for me it was Ennis I pitied most. I know, Jack is the one who ends up dead. But I think Ennis was the more troubled character throughout the story and I hardly can bear it to watch him after Jack's death.

Scott6373:
The reason I say Jack is not because he died.  Lets face it...he was a loose canon and probably was not as prudent in his behavior as he should have been. 

I had the most sympathy for him because he tried and tried and eventually gave up his life (and I am not referring to his death) trying to be what Ennis wanted...the only thing Ennis could handle.  That's why I firmly believe at that the last fishing trip, Jack knew he was leaving Ennis.  He knew he had to leave Ennis if he ever hoped to have the chance to experience the very thing he thought he had with Ennis all along. 

I know how he felt in that heart-wrenching moment: when you have to finally come to the realization that "love" is really not enough, especially when the love cannot be equally shared and expressed.  In fact, as I put more distance between myself and my initially emotional reaction to the film, I feel less and less sympathy or pity for Ennis, and it has even approached anger.

It was far more than being sad about future trip plans.  It was the end of a dream...a very long dream, that shaped and ultimately destroyed lives.

ednbarby:

--- Quote from: Penthesilea on October 31, 2006, 02:46:30 pm ---From the above, it was tough to decide between Alma and Jack's mom. We see more from Alma, we see her suffer.
But my vote went to Jack's mom. Both women of Ennis and Jack sure suffered, but were able to get their lifes into their own hands. Alma eventually divorced Ennis and married Monroe, Lureen was the more independent type anyway.

But Jack's mom was married to that mean old bastard and captured in this desolate place. She had a hard life and lost her only child.

As for Ennis and Jack, for me it was Ennis I pitied most. I know, Jack is the one who ends up dead. But I think Ennis was the more troubled character throughout the story and I hardly can bear it to watch him after Jack's death.
--- End quote ---

You hit the proverbial nail of how I feel about this on the head with this reply.  I voted for Jack's Mom because her life had been so hard to begin with and then she had to lose her beautiful, beloved son to top it all off.  But most of all my heart goes out to Ennis, especially in the final scene.  I find it almost unbearable, too.  I swear, I have never been as moved by a fictional character in any medium as I am by Ennis Del Mar as he backs away from that closet, and I highly doubt I ever will again.  Of course my heart breaks a little bit for Jack every time Ennis pushes him away.  But he ultimately is free of his pain.  Ennis must live on with his (and his guilt and regret).  The thought of that is almost unbearable, too.

Katie77:
Alma........lets face it, the marriage was doomed from the start, once ennis had fallen for Jack......but she didnt know it, and most of it was out of her control.....

horo35:
Definatley Alma.  The acting was so good it seemed real.  I really felt sorry for her.  Cheating on a spouse is probably one of the worst things a person can do.

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