Author Topic: Beans and Crazies by montana crows  (Read 58262 times)

Offline mariez

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Re: Beans and Crazies by montana crows
« Reply #20 on: October 11, 2007, 12:59:33 pm »
SPOILERS




Those are excellent thoughts, nic!  Yep, Ennis and guilt go hand-in-hand, so it's never surprised me that Ennis would feel he "deserved" whatever kind of hardships that would come his way, accepting those as his "punishment."  It's the self-inflicted part that I struggle with, along with bringing Jack into the picture.  I think, also, Ennis struggles with the idea (evidenced by the awful dream he had) that because he is living openly with Jack he has put both of them in the very danger he has always feared - adding another layer of guilt. 

Both your explanations make a lot of sense - I would probably lean toward the second.  In this story, Ennis isn't "nothing and nowhere," so I don't think he's feeling that level of resentment toward Jack - although he is still obviously not as comfortable with being gay as Jack is.  (But as we saw when Jack's dad died, Jack his own issues.)  I also think that he hasn't been aware (until recently when Jack told him expliciitly) of just how hard it was for Jack to do as he asked - so I agree that he is not consciously trying to hurt Jack at all. 

Perhaps the author is trying to make us aware that, just because Ennis didn't leave Jack when they came down from the mountain, he still has the same fears, guilts, insecurities, and paranoias as the Ennis that did leave Jack does, and these have to be addressed in some way.   Just a guess.  And, yes, I've always been amused by the use of the word "utopian."  :)

Thanks,
Marie
The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis         ~~~~~~~~~Thurgood Marshall

The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.    ~~~~~~~~~ Mark Twain

Offline mariez

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Re: Beans and Crazies by montana crows
« Reply #21 on: November 05, 2007, 01:04:29 pm »
Montana_Crows is back home in the U.S.!  Yay!   :D  And we have and update!

http://community.livejournal.com/brokebackslash/1621155.html?#cutid1



SPOILERS





The last lines of the chapter:


"Who in the hell taught you everything's your fault?"

He couldn't answer, couldn't say if it was K.E.'s heavy hand or the way Cheryl had always looked at him when things went wrong, couldn't put into words the feeling of endless blame that didn't seem to have any particular origin. He just stood there, wet his lip with his tongue and looked at the floor.

"Jesus Christ," Jack said quietly, then those long arms were around him, Jack's nose in his hair. "Swear to God, if you could cause half the trouble you think you do, you'd be the devil himself, Ennis."


God, that's beautiful.  And it really gets to the heart of Ennis and our sweet Jack.

Marie
The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis         ~~~~~~~~~Thurgood Marshall

The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.    ~~~~~~~~~ Mark Twain

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: Beans and Crazies by montana crows
« Reply #22 on: November 06, 2007, 12:31:57 am »
Hey Marie!!

I had just copied those last several lines to post here too!  (I read the update before reading your post).  The end of this chapter was great and really speaks to some deep issues for Ennis I think. 

So, this was definitely one of those good chapters that makes this story really worthwhile.
:)

the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline SFEnnisSF

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Re: Beans and Crazies by montana crows
« Reply #23 on: November 08, 2007, 12:43:25 am »
Jes' want to check in and let ya'all know I'm still readin' this.  I'm up to where Jack just got his cast off.  (Yes, I'm a slow reader.)

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: Beans and Crazies by montana crows
« Reply #24 on: November 08, 2007, 01:17:21 am »
Jes' want to check in and let ya'all know I'm still readin' this.  I'm up to where Jack just got his cast off.  (Yes, I'm a slow reader.)

 :)

How are you liking it?

the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Beans and Crazies by montana crows
« Reply #25 on: November 08, 2007, 06:18:48 am »
Chapter 04 SPOILERS

(I didn't read the post above after where you said spoilers)


Ok, Chapter 04 is where it turned into an S&M novel.  Didn't see that comin'.  :laugh:


I loved the fight scenes.  Excellently written:  "Jack caught him again, on the side of his jaw, laying him out on the sun-warmed dust outside the bunkhouse."   I felt that warm dust!


I found it a little hard to believe Prazacz listened and jack told him what Ennis wanted done.  And then he gave him advice on it.  :o  (Ok, I just thought that was a little far fetched is all.)


I can see many folks mighta stopped reading here. 


Thanks Eric. This put the light bulb on. I knew B&C sounded familiar to me and that once I had started reading it. Now I know what everybody means with "the dark stuff" and punishments.

Oh yes, I didn't read on this story because of these elements. I read on after chapter four, but I don't remember how much chapters I've actually read.

From what I have in memory from back then when I read B&C, I had the feeling the story focuses on that dark stuff. That's why I stopped reading it. Now I see most of you think the focus is more on the domestic and 'sweet' side, with only occasionally turning dark. I think I may give this one another try...

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: Beans and Crazies by montana crows
« Reply #26 on: November 08, 2007, 10:02:44 am »

From what I have in memory from back then when I read B&C, I had the feeling the story focuses on that dark stuff. That's why I stopped reading it. Now I see most of you think the focus is more on the domestic and 'sweet' side, with only occasionally turning dark. I think I may give this one another try...

Hi Chrissi,

Well, it definitely goes back and forth between these two very different moods.  I can understand completely why you stopped reading after chapter 4.  When this story was initally recommended to me long ago, I was warned about the "darker" aspect of this story and was told that it's not the main focus of the story, so I was at least a bit prepared.  But, I remember that I also stopped reading this story for a while because of some of its more upsetting themes.  In general, though, I still think the interesting qualities of this story outweigh the disturbing issues.  It's nice to have a discussion going here to help work through some of the more difficult themes that come up in the story.

the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline SFEnnisSF

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Re: Beans and Crazies by montana crows
« Reply #27 on: November 08, 2007, 04:46:56 pm »
I did some power readin' last night and they jes' finished the calvin'. 


Spoiler


Oh and Ennis felt he needed ta be whipped again.  :laugh:

Offline ifyoucantfixit

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Re: Beans and Crazies by montana crows
« Reply #28 on: November 09, 2007, 02:59:25 am »





              This is the only story I have ever quit reading after getting into it several chapters.  It was
like chapter 15 or 16...  I didnt like the violence and hateful side of it.



     Beautiful mind

Offline belbbmfan

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Re: Beans and Crazies by montana crows
« Reply #29 on: November 09, 2007, 08:07:37 am »
Another chapter has been posted.

http://community.livejournal.com/brokebackslash/1635478.html#cutid1


***SPOILERS***


OMG, this was just beautiful. A heart warming chapter. I love the description of Ennis, getting the fire going in the bunkhouse. Ennis needs to feel the warmth of the fire and Jack's love to be able to talk to Jack about his parents' death. Great writing!

The bunkhouse was dark and chill; he prodded at the ashes with a thin split of pine until he found some embers, and tossed in a crumpled sheet of newsprint. A couple of careful breaths had it glowing, then in flames, and he poked kindling in after it, made a mental note to shovel the ash out tomorrow.
A flaming sliver served to light the wick of the kerosene lamp by their bed, and he shook it out as the flame spread across the canvas, illuminating the long room. He put the remnant into the stove through the slotted door, touched his cigarette to the lamp before putting the chimney back on, sat on the edge of the bed. The curls of smoke held their shape in the cold, rising in strange coils.
'We're supposed to guard the sheep, not eat 'em'