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Deconstructing Jack
by - the_protector (Fri Apr 14 2006 12:56:02 )
UPDATED Fri Apr 14 2006 16:58:28
I know there are threads about what we love about Jack. And they're great. But I was thinking about the character of Jack today and wanted to start a discussion about the 'real' Jack. How do you think he views himself, Ennis, his Family, his society. What kind of person is Jack?
To me. Jack is very honest with himself. Very matter-of-fact as well. I agree with some previous thoughts about him being an administering angel. He handles Ennis very carefully, especially at the beginning. He's like the light seeping under the door of Ennis' closet, beakoning him to come out. But he knows that Ennis needs to be lightly pulled and not shoved out.
I presume Jack has already experienced is denial phase and is pretty much confortable with the fact he's gay. Ennis must have been a great challenge for him. And I'm sure he thought it was worth it.
He says 'me neither' the morning after the first tent scene. He knew Ennis couldn't have handled him saying 'Well, I am queer and I think you are, too.' It's similiar to when he said that he's seeing the foreman's wife instead of the foreman...because he knows Ennis will be jealous and this jealousy will make Ennis even more confused, stand-off-ish, and closeted.
As much as I felt for Ennis and his internal struggles, I greatly empathize with Jack because he understood Ennis' struggles, moreso than Ennis himself. He undertook this huge mission to express his love to Ennis WHILE keeping Ennis' fears in mind. It was like wanting to give someone all of you RIGHT now, but knowing that you had to give them pieces of you slowly. Very tough.
And he really means it when he says 'It's no one's business but ours.' He's not naive, he knows what society thinks, but his love overshadowes his fears. Unfortunately for Ennis, it's the other way around.
..........
Thank You, Stranger, for your therapeutic smile.
Re: Deconstructing Jack
by - artsybaebe (Fri Apr 14 2006 15:51:03 )
lovely and insightful reading of the 'real' Jack, protector. . . I agree with more or less everything you've said. I love the metaphor re Jack as 'the light seeping under the door of Ennis's closet, beckoning him to come out . . . ;' very poetic and so true.
Re: Deconstructing Jack
by - lo-eveline (Sat Apr 15 2006 12:55:24 )
UPDATED Sat Apr 15 2006 12:56:26
Very well said, protector.
I love both Ennis and Jack. But for me, the character Jack hit me emotionally even more than the tormented Ennis. Jack is the hopeless romantic that few dare to be. And the way he loves Ennis is not easy and very brave.
Some people accuse Jack of lying and cheating on Ennis, but I always think it's Jack's way to protect Ennis and to keep the relationship going. If he had acted like a nun to wait around for Ennis' call, he would have ended up going mad and hating Ennis for it, he has to dealt with it the only way he knew how and all the while, tried to protect Ennis by hiding the fact from him. When Ennis accused Jack of making him being nobody and nowhere, Jack could have easily threw it back at him by saying it was Ennis who pushed him to the arms of those strangers, but he never did.
Jack knew what Ennis wouldn't give him, but he hang in there, holding on a thin hope that one day Ennis would wake up until the very very end - in fact, we never know if Jack was ever able to quit Ennis.
Re: Deconstructing Jack
by - erichmercado (Sat Apr 15 2006 14:08:58 )
Well said @ lo-eveline.
It's real love that Jack gave to Ennis and hoping that it will go through even with tough challenges.
And I think, Jack still loves Ennis till the end.
Re: Ennis only attracted to Jack and not others
by - hsuvera (Tue Apr 25 2006 21:48:50 )
Ennis called it the "thing" with Jack and took it exclusively.
Ennis only provoked the divorce was due to "Jack Nasty" by Alma on Thanksgiving Dinner in the kitchen, then followed almost got killed by car, instead into a treat of beaten with his own fault.
Ennis would have thought he sacrificed his family-Alma n. children bc of Jack as Alma claimed. But Jack told him at the last lake scene that there's other men in his life, which caused Ennis' breakdown.
Ennis blamed all the failure in his life for Jack if Jack could have other men why not let him be?
Jack might have started "quitting" Ennis as he saw Ennis' breakdown which really hurt to see his lover hurt. Old Trist testified jack's quitting on Ennis by telling Ennis about the "neighbor" of Jack. But Jack's mon knew his son better asked Ennis to go upstairs to see Jack's room. In Jack's room is the real proof the Jack have kept "Ennis" in his (two nested shirts)and without changes as always.
Re: Deconstructing Jack
by - stevme (Wed Apr 26 2006 08:05:34 )
protector --- thanks for your insightful post. I fine these character discussions very, very interesting, and they enrich the experience of the film.
Re: Deconstructing Jack
by - korgriff (Wed Apr 26 2006 09:30:16 )
WOW! Very insightful and thought provoking. I agree with you. I felt for Ennis too but i loved Jack. He tried so hard to have a life with Ennis but everytime he brought it up Ennis would shut down. So he took what Ennis offered because he would rather have him a couple weeks a year than not at all. He tries to make a life for himself just like Ennis does but it doesnt work for either man because thats not where they want to be. When they leave one another they leave their hearts with the other.
"...you got a better idea?" Ennis
"I did once." Jack
Re: Deconstructing Jack
by - taj_e (Mon May 8 2006 14:06:47 )
UPDATED Mon May 8 2006 14:21:43
Protector
Understanding better Ennis' fear, made me understood Jack's 'fear' as well, maybe...
I have no doubt, Jack's love has always been sacrificial kind of love. You said it better
It was like wanting to give someone all of you RIGHT now, but knowing that you had to give them pieces of you slowly. Very tough
I remembered when he said 'For what is worth' although refering to his marriage with Lureen
Ennis must have been a great challenge for him. And I'm sure he thought it was worth it
Jack had tried all means, to persuade Ennis, to trust on him. To move beyond BBM, he even dared to 'be-little' BBM, telling Ennis it has been their stumbling block. Almost saying, 'you should know that Ennis, even if you don't know the rest'
IMHO, to no avail, in the end, he realised it has been very selfish of him to stick around (I'm quite sure he realised it all along with Lureen and saw that in Ennis too 'You and Alma? You called that life?')
He realised that he had caused more pain than Ennis already self-inflicted himself 'why don't you let me be? It is because of you Jack, I'm like this. I'm nothing, no where'
Having said that, it is even sad, that I have doubts, that Jack did let Ennis be (the one thing I strongly believed all this while). The flashback perhaps was more like... let be let be
He never really had the courage to quit Ennis. He tried, hence the mentioned of Randall and a divorce plan with Lureen. I can't even imagine the pain he suffered, until his death
And that his death, wasn't a decision made, but rather, an excruciating pain, that have eaten him to the last piece, thus enable him to let Ennis be...
I'm in hesitation to visit threads, that talks about this, that Jack never really quit Ennis. For it seems he never did. It is just devastating
A selfish Jack? It can't be, a helpless Jack is more like it
At times, I wanted to knock Ennis on the head, he should know how 'wild and reckless' (how bad it gets) Jack can be, 'threatening to kill him isn't enough'
And imagine when I realised Ennis is a homophobe himself, when Ennis realised he is a homophobe himself... *sighs*
Jack never utter his love for Ennis nor challenge Ennis on his 'sexuality'. A mistake maybe, but perhaps the one thing he couldn't do for fearing breaking their one-shot pact/oath done in BBM. The only 'thing' he can cherished, together with Ennis. He doesn't want to betray that oath even though he knew it was a lie
In silence, the shirts did that for him (about his love I mean)
'I wish I knew how to quit BBM...'
Re: Deconstructing Jack
by - the_protector (Mon May 8 2006 14:39:40 )
Wow, taj, that was really nice.
I hear ya when you say you hestitate to visit thread's about Jack quitting Ennis. It is such a tragic subject. That's why I started this thread. I wanted to discuss Jack as just a person in love and a person with feelings...not some selfish predator.
"Jack never utter his love for Ennis nor challenge Ennis on his 'sexuality'. A mistake maybe, but perhaps the one thing he couldn't do for fearing breaking their one-shot pact/oath done in BBM. "
I can totally see Jack's dilemma here.
Either: Don't rock the boat and go along with Ennis' 'one-shot' belief. You won't get what you really want--a complete relationship, but at least you'll have...something.
Or: Put everything on the table. Call Ennis on his fears and risk losing him...or maybe getting through to him and finally having a complete relationship.
Very hard choice and a lot to risk.
If you feel embarrassed, I'll be your pride.
If you need direction, I'll be your guide.
