Author Topic: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind  (Read 89493 times)

Offline starboardlight

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Re: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind
« Reply #80 on: June 22, 2006, 12:23:29 am »
I was thinking about the runny nose scene, but he also looks out the window that other time, I think both he and Alma look out the window together. It's like a little ritual, wash hands, glance out window, dry hands on butt.

yep. three kitchen scenes (runny nose, postcard, and thanksgiving showdown), and in all three, Ennis takes a peak out the windows. As a matter of fact, all three scenes are very similar structurally. Alma is there at the corner, Ennis enters, look through the window, they have a brief exchange, and Ennis rushes out of the kitchen leaving Alma there.
"To do is to be." Socrates. - "To be is to do." Plato. - "Do be do be do" Sinatra.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind
« Reply #81 on: June 22, 2006, 12:27:01 am »
Good one, Nipith. I guess whenever Ennis is in any room near a window (or even when he's not, as on the tar-spreading crew), we should be alert for thinking-of-Jack signs!

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind
« Reply #82 on: June 22, 2006, 09:07:19 am »
... head off to the back of the house to wring it out.

LOL!  Yup.  It's fun to see this "controversial" issue re-introduced. 
 ;) ::)

And, yes, Nipith, it's really interesting to note the similarities in those scenes!
the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

ruthlesslyunsentimental

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Re: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind
« Reply #83 on: June 27, 2006, 01:49:17 am »
I come upon a thread here about the harmonica and I posted a response.  atz75 responded to my post by telling me about this thread and suggested that I re-post my comment over here... so here I am...



I think the harmonica continues the Jack as Wind metaphor.  It's a wind instrument that only plays when someone blows wind into it.  Jack plays "He Was a Friend of Mine" a couple of times -- foreshadowing his own death.

I think Ennis' comment about the harmonica breaking in two is symbolic of Jack's death and the fact that he was broken in two... half of his ashes in Texas and half of them in Lightning Flat.

I'm new here so if this has been mentioned before...

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind
« Reply #84 on: June 27, 2006, 02:59:05 am »
Oooh, good one, F-R! Is that the scene with the runny-nosed girls, or the one where Alma says "Ennis, do you know someone named Jack?"

And speaking of that postcard scene -- this may not be the thread for it, but what the hell -- I'm always amazed at how well Ennis keeps his composure when Alma says that. Just calmly finishes washing his hands, finally says "Maybe ... why?" Is he afraid to reveal anything untoward? Afraid to get his hopes up? At the very least, I think it's interesting that when telling Alma about his summer on Brokeback he obviously not only didn't give details but never even mentioned the name of the guy he worked with. What are your thoughts?


I think keeping ones composure in such situations is easier for the more quiet folks. It takes some seconds before he reacts, so he wins a short time to tkink about it. Surely not an unusual behavior for Ennis and Alma is used to it. And Ennis is used to not expressing his thoughts and emotions.
Another stategy to avoid an immediately answer is to pretend you didn't understand the question. So the other person has to repeat and you win a few seconds to prepare a nonchalant answer. That would have been my choice in this situation. But only if I hadn't a heart attack at the very moment  ;)

On Jack's name: maybe he mentioned Jack's name once or twice, but Alma either forgot it or didn't draw any connections to Brokeback summer because Jack is a fairly common name.
Hmmm, could be, but somehow I have the feeling that Ennis indeed never mentioned Jack's name. And what does that say about Ennis' and Alma's relationship before their marriage and during the first years? There's no way I would not have known the name, had Ennis been my husband. (probably I would have known the name of every single sheep two days after my husband's return  ;) )


Jack plays "He Was a Friend of Mine" a couple of times -- foreshadowing his own death

You sure? I have never heard this  :o


Quote
I think Ennis' comment about the harmonica breaking in two is symbolic of Jack's death and the fact that he was broken in two... half of his ashes in Texas and half of them in Lightning Flat.

Another sad one  :'(

Quote
I think the harmonica continues the Jack as Wind metaphor.  It's a wind instrument that only plays when someone blows wind into it
Yes, the harmonica fits good. The harmonica's tones are sometimes similar to the wind. It soughs (howls?) like the wind.

Offline starboardlight

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Re: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind
« Reply #85 on: June 27, 2006, 07:49:10 pm »
I come upon a thread here about the harmonica and I posted a response.  atz75 responded to my post by telling me about this thread and suggested that I re-post my comment over here... so here I am...



I think the harmonica continues the Jack as Wind metaphor.  It's a wind instrument that only plays when someone blows wind into it.  Jack plays "He Was a Friend of Mine" a couple of times -- foreshadowing his own death.

I think Ennis' comment about the harmonica breaking in two is symbolic of Jack's death and the fact that he was broken in two... half of his ashes in Texas and half of them in Lightning Flat.

I'm new here so if this has been mentioned before...

great observations Ruthless, and welcome to the board. I really love reading the connection with the wind to the harmonica.
"To do is to be." Socrates. - "To be is to do." Plato. - "Do be do be do" Sinatra.

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind
« Reply #86 on: June 28, 2006, 12:17:23 am »
Heya ruthlesslyunsentimental !
Thanks for joining in here!  I think your observations are excellent.  And, it truly isn't an aspect of the wind metaphor that I'd thought about before. 

The broken part of the harmonica situation is interesting too.  It seems complicated because Jack says it got flattened (it doesn't actually break in two) and yet even though it's crushed, it still works and Jack is able to continue playing on it (even if it's not perfectly in tune anymore).  Ennis's ominous idea of the harmonica breaking in two definitely seems like foreshadowing about Jack's tragedy.  I like your idea about the divided ashes too.  But, I wonder if the idea of the flattened-yet-resilient harmonica is another kind of metaphor about Jack's ability to rebound and keep going through the course of the relationship even after disappointments and obstacles?  Even when the harmonica doesn't work correctly anymore Jack is so "loyal" to it, loves it and wants to play it, that he's not willing to give up on it.  I wonder if this is a metaphor for his feelings towards Ennis too.

All sorts of interesting avenues here.  And I do love that it all links back to the wind idea.
 :D

I wonder if Ennis's humming relates to Jack's harmonica-playing/ singing?
the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

ruthlesslyunsentimental

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Re: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind
« Reply #87 on: June 28, 2006, 02:15:00 am »
Heya ruthlesslyunsentimental !
Thanks for joining in here!  I think your observations are excellent.  And, it truly isn't an aspect of the wind metaphor that I'd thought about before. 

The broken part of the harmonica situation is interesting too.  It seems complicated because Jack says it got flattened (it doesn't actually break in two) and yet even though it's crushed, it still works and Jack is able to continue playing on it (even if it's not perfectly in tune anymore).  Ennis's ominous idea of the harmonica breaking in two definitely seems like foreshadowing about Jack's tragedy.  I like your idea about the divided ashes too.  But, I wonder if the idea of the flattened-yet-resilient harmonica is another kind of metaphor about Jack's ability to rebound and keep going through the course of the relationship even after disappointments and obstacles?  Even when the harmonica doesn't work correctly anymore Jack is so "loyal" to it, loves it and wants to play it, that he's not willing to give up on it.  I wonder if this is a metaphor for his feelings towards Ennis too.

All sorts of interesting avenues here.  And I do love that it all links back to the wind idea.
 :D

I wonder if Ennis's humming relates to Jack's harmonica-playing/ singing?


I love what you had to say here.  Let's say that the harmonica is a part of the wind metaphor.  What's the wind?  Jack.  Let's say it shows Jack's ability to rebound and keep going.  That seems to fit in with the notion that Jack's spirit continues on (rebounds, if you will), comforting Ennis, even after he has died -- the wind blowing through the field in the final shot, out Ennis' window.  This works for me.

Ennis' humming may be related... it's wind, after all.  But it also foreshadows Jack's death since he's humming "The Cowboy's Lament" ("Streets of Laredo") --

As I walked out in the streets of Laredo,
As I walked out in Laredo one day,
I spied a poor cowboy wrapped up in white linen,
Wrapped up in white linen as cold as the clay.

 :'(      :'(      :'(      :'(      :'(


And -- Jack's singing of "Water-Walking Jesus" foreshadows his death.  When does he meet the Lord?  On that final day.  What does he ask Him to do?  "Take me away."


 :'(      :'(      :'(      :'(      :'(


Gosh darn it!  If you make me cry one more time... I'll make you reach through your computer and give me one of the tender ear rubs that Jack and Ennis are famous for.


(Final thought: Everytime those boys sang or hummed or played the harmonica they foreshadowed Jack's death.  They really should have kept their mouths shut, huh?)

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind
« Reply #88 on: July 07, 2006, 03:15:09 pm »
Another wind thing...In the corner of Ennis's apartment is an interesting assortment of items: a vacuum cleaner (wind), a hot water heater (water), and an    :'(  iron on an ironing board. Doom for Jack!! 
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Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: "I was supposed to control the weather"... Jack and the Wind
« Reply #89 on: July 08, 2006, 01:33:52 am »
Another wind thing...In the corner of Ennis's apartment is an interesting assortment of items: a vacuum cleaner (wind), a hot water heater (water), and an    :'(  iron on an ironing board. Doom for Jack!! 

Heya,

Wow!  Good observations!  I think background props like that have a lot of weight in this film.  I'd never thought about all those things as "societal" versions of the natural elements that keep recurring in the film.  Sad about the iron!  Maybe the iron is also a version of fire.  So, where's the earth?
the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie