Our BetterMost Community > Chez Tremblay
An interesting thread from the main IMDB board . . .
ednbarby:
"I see that look on his face as Ennis drives away as a the realization that things will not change and his acceptance of that unhappy fact."
I agree with this, RouxB. In the story, when Jack thinks of that time of artless happiness, he thinks of how Ennis couldn't hold him then face to face because he did not want to admit to himself that it was Jack he was holding. And he thinks that maybe they never got much farther than that. So not only will things not change - they never were quite what he wanted them to be, either. That's all shown in his face in that final shot of him. Perfectly.
David:
I get two things out of that scene and the one that follows with Cassie again.
1, Even though Jack and Ennis part after the fight as if nothing has changed, you see in Jacks face that he knows Ennis will never change. To me, that is why Jack goes up to se his folks and mentions Randall coming up.
2, Ennis does realize after the fight with Jack that he may lose him. That is why he breaks it off with Cassie. It is the first step in acknowledging that he would rather be with Jack than anyone else. He knows that Jenny and Alma jr. will be 18 soon, then he'll have no ties to Riverton any more. Ennis is biding his time.
But just like the flowing water in the streams they camp near, time keeps rushing by. Poor Ennis, poor Jack.
:'(
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: DavidinHartford on April 22, 2006, 07:24:52 am ---I get two things out of that scene and the one that follows with Cassie again.
1, Even though Jack and Ennis part after the fight as if nothing has changed, you see in Jacks face that he knows Ennis will never change. To me, that is why Jack goes up to se his folks and mentions Randall coming up.
2, Ennis does realize after the fight with Jack that he may lose him. That is why he breaks it off with Cassie. It is the first step in acknowledging that he would rather be with Jack than anyone else. He knows that Jenny and Alma jr. will be 18 soon, then he'll have no ties to Riverton any more. Ennis is biding his time.
But just like the flowing water in the streams they camp near, time keeps rushing by. Poor Ennis, poor Jack.
:'(
--- End quote ---
I agree, David. Or at least I'd like to. I think Ennis' breaking up with Cassie is a sign that he has come to a new realization. At the very least he now understands that he's always going to love Jack exclusively, and there's no point pretending otherwise. Whether he would have acted on that knowledge and finally accepted Jack's offer, I'm less sure. But I'd love to think so.
And I take Jack's grim expression combined with John Twist's revelation as pretty clear signs that Jack had decided, reluctantly, to turn his attentions to Randall. But I think if Ennis decided he was ready to be with him, Jack would have dropped Randall in a second. Sorry, Randall. Jack had clearly not stopped loving Ennis, regardless of whether he was willing to go on as they were.
One more thing about "see you in the morning": Someone, I believe on the main board, had an interesting interpretation of that line. He/she suggested that, occurring as it does as the last line of dialogue between them, it takes on deeper meaning and suggests something spiritual or symbolic, such as See you in the afterlife, or See you when we live in a better world free of homophobia ... Well, the other poster probably put it more eloquently, but you get the idea. (Maybe that person is here! If so, please chime in!)
Daniel:
Finality of dialogue is actually something I'm writing about in the 9th chapter of the current book I am writing. I addressed the romantic concerns of dialogue in the second chapter and it is important to take into account the opposite of the beauty of Eros, the beauty of Thanatos.
Front-Ranger:
Are the concepts of Eros and Thanatos similar to those of Vishnu and Shiva in the Hindu religion, e.g. Creation and Destruction? I'm embarassed to say I know more about Eastern concepts than Western ones.
I'm sorry I can't agree w u about Ennis' reason for breaking up with Cassie, David (not the 1st time we've disagreed...). Cassie wasn't a threat to Jack, I don't think. I really think Ennis was coming to terms with his true nature and realizing that he could never meet Cassie's expectations, low tho they were. That's why he decided to play the cad and just jilt her so she would have the lowest opinion of him (just like the time he went and got himself beat up at the bar on Thanksgiving). As happens so often in these kind of stories, the object of love is just coming around at the time everything falls apart. I can live w that in a story, but I find it heartbreaking when it happens in our real-life stories.
There was more to the original thread I believe, mie. More about what "See u in the morning" meant as their parting words. And it was a beautiful message of hope. Maybe Amanda has it, or I could search in the archived threads. But I think it is more recent than that.
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