TOTW 22/08: Do you think they kept each others postcards?

[Penthesilea]

Atz, may I stress BOTH living OUTSIDE the gender norms of their time... and that is one way that I think that Lureen is lesbian, or at least bisexual at least, maybe? ? But everyone disagreed with me previously on my thread about that and some even got angry, unfortunately, without discussing it!

For discussions about the question whether Lureen is a lesbian, please use the according thread. It's here:
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,16321.0.html

This thread is not about Lureen's sexuality.
Thank you.

[Shasta542]

Ennis no, Jack yes

Chrissi--that's a great picture in the first post. I love it.

Ennis bought a new postcard to remind him of their communications when apart; Lureen found Ennis's postcards in Jack's belongings after his death.

That's my vote thinking/basis.

[Artiste]

Penthesilea, there is nothing wrong about talking if Lureen is a lesbian or not; to me it was hinted on this thread by someone other than I... so keep care to be polite !

I do agree that you added that thread subject!

Is or are there subject(s) now also discusssed or hinted which you could add too mentioned by other members here on this thread ?

Au revoir,
hugs!

[optom3]

Ennis no, Jack yes

Chrissi--that's a great picture in the first post. I love it.

Ennis bought a new postcard to remind him of their communications when apart; Lureen found Ennis's postcards in Jack's belongings after his death.

That's my vote thinking/basis.

 I have had a rethink and decided,Ennis and Jack both no. In the filmand the S.S, Lureen talking to Ennis says "would have let you know,but wasn't sure about your name or address.Jack kept his friends' addresses in his head"
I can never decide whether that is really true, or if she does know Ennis's address and is just being spiteful.After all she admits she knows of the fishing trips.
But if she is being honest, then Jack could not have kept any of the postcards,as she would at least have got the town from the post mark, and knowing his name it would not be a big job to track Ennis down.
Ennis at the end of the S.S has to go and buy a postcard of BBM to tack up with the shirts, so it would seem he kept nothing either.
I suspect they both thought it would go on for ever, much as it had done for 20 years, and saw no real reason to keep the postcards.
I find it makes it all the more poignant, that Jack has kept the shirts, and Ennis then keeps them, reversed, and next to a card of BBM.
The saddest thing of all, in the S.S, is when the postcard Ennis has asked to be ordered, arrives in the shop, it is just 30 cents.
There is something so completely desolate about that, 2 old shirts and a 30 cent postcard. Not a lot to show for 20 years of love.

As it says in the S.S the huge sadness of the northern plains rolled down on him, when processing Jacks' death.Which is in direct contrast to their time on BBM when in life they were flying in the euphoric bitter air,looking down on the plain below.

Every time I watch the film or read the story again, something else strikes me.How can so much be packed into so few pages.I know the answer, Proulx is a genius, but it seems every single word was chosen.Not one is excess to requirements.

Sorry for straying off topic a bit there.BBM always gets me sidetracked.

[loneleeb3]

There is something so completely desolate about that, 2 old shirts and a 30 cent postcard. Not a lot to show for 20 years of love.

Thats truth like a dagger!

[Brown Eyes]

Thats truth like a dagger!

Yes, I completely agree about the sadness of Ennis not having a lot to hold onto after such a long relationship.  I particularly think it's sad that he doesn't have a picture of Jack.  That would be really hard.

[optom3]

Yes, I completely agree about the sadness of Ennis not having a lot to hold onto after such a long relationship.  I particularly think it's sad that he doesn't have a picture of Jack.  That would be really hard

Another thing that always gets me in relation to the final postcard scene, is that we know in the S.S there is no smell of Jack or BBM leftin the shirts,yet after the reunion kiss, when they go upstairs to Alma, Ennis is aware that he can smell Jack on him.
So many opposites in this wonderful thing called Brokeback.Every single thing is bittersweet. I wish that Ennis hd just kept the 1st card, that he almost lovingly caresses.

[Gabreya]

I think they each did. I mean, it's not uncommon for loved ones to keep eachothers postcards or letters. It's to show how they're holding on to what they have and how much they care.

[BelAir]

(I am voting and typing my reply before reading the other responses...)

I think it would be lovely if they had, but I voted no b/c I think Lureen would have found them... and then not been able to give the excuse about "Jack keeping all his friends address in his head" (yes, I realize she could have been lying with that whole story).  I also think if Ennis had kept the postcards, he wouldn't have gone to the store to buy the one.

I think mostly we wish they would have kept them, but no, I don't think they did...

(all speculation anyway, obviously...   )

[Brokeback_Dev]

I voted yes.  Of course they kept each others post cards.  duh!