Our BetterMost Community > Chez Tremblay
Ennis Stands It; Jack Fixes It
RouxB:
I agree about the this duality but what wasn't mentioned,and what is also constantly underscored in the movie is that while Jack may want to fix things, ultimately he is never able to-his tragedy. Using the beans example, he wants something other than beans but he can't provide-Ennis needs to. The whole "good with a can opener" line yet we see him make a mess of opening the beans. He tries bull riding but, ultimately, is not good at that. Interesting book end on that one-when he is unsuccessful the first time we see him ride, also gets brushed off by Jimbo. In the Lureen scene, he is successful in the ride and successful with the girl. I don't think Jack is as much a do-er as he is a persistant try-er. "Twist" the muscles in a rider that allow him/her to hang on.
Ennis tells him "it ain't gonna be like that" but Jack hangs on.
Oh, I been there and done that...
Front-Ranger:
Very thoughtful points Roux and atx especially. Also, remember when Ennis collapses in his final confrontation with Jack he says (and shows) "Jack, I can't stand it no more." One lesson of the movie is that Ennis' formula doesn't work over the long run. You can't always stand it if you can't fix it.
starboardlight:
--- Quote from: atz75 on April 16, 2006, 11:50:25 am ---Yes! I think this is part of the "ying and yang" aspect of their relationship.
Jack is optimistic, wants things to move forward and even if he is afraid (of homophobia/ violence, etc.) he resolutely does not want the fear to control their lives. He also wants to be significantly more honest about their relationship. I really don't think he likes sneaking around behind Lureen's back, etc. I think he regrets ever having to marry her. He'd rather get an honest divorce and be completely true to Ennis. So, yes, he would certainly "fix it" if he could.
So, Ennis is the opposite. He's the pessimist (he would probably say, the 'realist') and tragically lets his fear control their relationship. He's stuck in one place and is paralyzed in fear and confusion over how to move his relationship with Jack forward. His fear consumes him so much that it manifests itself physically in his posture, his silence, etc.
These aspects of their personalities remind me of the old symbolism discussions back on the imdb boards. Jack as the wind/ air (moves, shifts, changes, adjusts, is the dreamer "has his head in the clouds", etc.) and Ennis as the earth (static, rigid, silent, stubborn, etc.).
Lately I've had a new thought about the ambiguity of the film's ending and the line "if you can't fix it you've got to stand it." It's really important that this is the last line of the book I feel. It becomes Ennis's life sentence in many ways (he imposes this on himself and unfairly on Jack) and he has to live under the burden of this after Jack's death, because he's run out of chances to "fix it" with Jack just as he's reached the point when he's desparate to fix it.
Well, Jack's heartbreaking line in their final camping trip echos this line-
"Sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."
Lately I've been hearing Ennis's last unfinished sentence as a response. Something as simple and symmetrical as "Jack I swear, sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."
--- End quote ---
yes, the Yin-Yang is very appropriate descripiton. Not only are they opposite, but they exert a push-pull dynamic upon one another. It's because of Jack that Ennis didn't stick with beans. It's because of Ennis that Jack sticks it out with his responsibility to untangle the sheep. Jack endured their nearly 20 years for Ennis, but Ennis finally learns to love because of Jack.
Brown Eyes:
Heya starboardlight and RouxB!
I like the idea that both Ennis and Jack pulled at each other and changed one another in their ying and yang capacity. That makes sense to me.
I also like the idea that Jack is constantly trying. That's what makes him so adorable and sad to me. You're absolutely right that it's a major part of the tragedy to see his efforts constantly rebuked. That's part of the melancholy of the Lightning Flat scene where his horrible father talks about Jack's ideas never coming to pass. Talk about a guilty moment for Ennis.
:'(
In the "bonus features" on the DVD there's a brief interview with Jake where he says that he also tried to portray Jack as "really trying" all the time. He saw "trying" is part of his character. LOL, but Jake also uses this to explain why his cowboy skills like horse riding, etc. are less graceful/ perfected than Heath's. Anyway, it's nice to realize how much the actors tried in a very serious way to get into the heads of these characters.
Lumière:
--- Quote from: starboardlight on April 16, 2006, 09:22:14 pm ---yes, the Yin-Yang is very appropriate descripiton. Not only are they opposite, but they exert a push-pull dynamic upon one another.
--- End quote ---
To add to this "push-pull" dynamic that the 2 men shared, one scene that always gets me - during the confrontation scene, when Ennis starts crying, Jack comes over to console him, he screams out "Get the fuck off me!", what does Jack do without even giving it a second thought or a moment's reflection? He grabs hold of Ennis, holds onto him tightly. Jack knew Ennis so well, he understood that Ennis was literally saying the opposite when he pushed Jack away, Ennis needed Jack more than he ever admitted, I think Jack understood this, although it was killing him that Ennis couldn't face this truth and accept it for himself.. :'(
Jack's patience and love was overflowing ... and Ennis needed every drop of it.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version