Money spending...

[Monika]

I came to think of something I´ve meant to ask about for the longest time, but haven´t gotten around to.

It´s the sentence: "Ennis ran full throttle whether fence mending or money spending"


Is she saying he liked to spend money? Cause that doesn´t sound like Ennis, and secondly what money? He didn´t have any.


Or am I reading it wrong?

[Lynne]

No, I don't think you're reading it wrong, Monika.  I think Annie Proulx is saying that Ennis did spend what money he had, instead of saving it.

Where it went is a good question, especially before he got married and the kids came along.

I would extrapolate that he spent it on his horses, which I think would be a luxury for a ranch hand, and keeping the beat-up old truck running.  I believe that in general the rancher would supply the horses for working the ranch.  Certainly, he didn't need horses to be on a road crew.  He would have needed the truck to get to work and back, though.

Otherwise, I don't know where it went, besides his family.  Not on himself - not clothes.  Later on, he doesn't even have a decent winter coat.

Was the creel case a gift from Alma?

Movie Ennis says he quit jobs to be with Jack early on - that would have made money less in supply.  And I think that's what led Alma, at least in part, to take the job at Monroe's.

[Monika]

No, I don't think you're reading it wrong, Monika.  I think Annie Proulx is saying that Ennis did spend what money he had, instead of saving it.

Where it went is a good question, especially before he got married and the kids came along.

I would extrapolate that he spent it on his horses, which I think would be a luxury for a ranch hand, and keeping the beat-up old truck running.  I believe that in general the rancher would supply the horses for working the ranch.  Certainly, he didn't need horses to be on a road crew.  He would have needed the truck to get to work and back, though.

Otherwise, I don't know where it went, besides his family.  Not on himself - not clothes.  Later on, he doesn't even have a decent winter coat.

Was the creel case a gift from Alma?

Movie Ennis says he quit jobs to be with Jack early on - that would have made money less in supply.  And I think that's what led Alma, at least in part, to take the job at Monroe's.

Hi Lynne! I think you´re right about the horses later on. Those most have taken a big chunk of his salury.
What has confused me is the early placement of the lineas it appears already up on Brokeback. Because all Ennis seems to own by then are his clothes and the content of his paper bag. Hard to see how he has ever had any money to "run full throttle on".

[Penthesilea]

I think this running full throttle on the money is another difference between story Ennis and movie Ennis.
And let's not forget how young they both were at that point. Nineteen. Ennis's income must have been not only low, but very, very few.  I think the spending money at this point of time meant mostly bars.
"They found a bar and drank beer through the afternoon".
Story Ennis also had a truck.
I believe Ennis had next to no money to begin with, and the little he had, he spent when he had it, not caring if he had to eat potatoes and nothing to accompany them towards the end of the month. I think it didn't bother him to live very frugal at the end of the month, so he could as well spend it on beer, whiskey and maybe dine-out meals in bars after pay day.

[southendmd]

I agree with Chrissi here. 

"fence mending and money spending" has a nice ring to it.

I always interpreted that as blowing his meager paycheck on beer or whiskey on a Saturday night, with nothing left to show for it but a hangover. 

[Penthesilea]

I always interpreted that as blowing his meager paycheck on beer or whiskey on a Saturday night, with nothing left to show for it but a hangover. 

Speaking of putting things nicely .

[Monika]

You´re probably right about the money being spent on booze. When you earn that little, I think it feels rather pointless to start saving.
What do you think about the house he lived in with Alma. I suppose he must have rented it?

[SuperDistortion]

You´re probably right about the money being spent on booze. When you earn that little, I think it feels rather pointless to start saving.
What do you think about the house he lived in with Alma. I suppose he must have rented it?

Judging from the aerial window shots of Jake pulling up in the truck, I'd bet they only rented the upstairs.

[southendmd]

Speaking of putting things nicely .

Thanks, C!

You´re probably right about the money being spent on booze. When you earn that little, I think it feels rather pointless to start saving.
What do you think about the house he lived in with Alma. I suppose he must have rented it?

He even says to Alma, "...rent in town's too high" when she asks him to move from the Lonesome Dump. (LOL to Monika)

[Monika]

Lonesome Dump. (LOL to Monika)

(Are you talking about the rustic house with a beautiful view of the Canadian prairie?
 )


What about the horses then. Couldn´t he have rented those too? Or do we know that he owns them?

[southendmd]

(Are you talking about the rustic house with a beautiful view of the Canadian prairie?
 )

I know not what of you speak.   

What about the horses then. Couldn´t he have rented those too? Or do we know that he owns them?

Hmm, not sure.  I think somewhere in the story, it's mentioned that Ennis has to work overtime to pay for the boarding of his horses at whatever ranch he's working.  I dunno, maybe horses were cheap then and there.

[Sason]

Thanks, C!

He even says to Alma, "...rent in town's too high" when she asks him to move from the Lonesome Dump.

the lovely house where all the mosquitos lived so happily?   

[Sason]

I know not what of you speak.   

and I thought my English was strange....   

[southendmd]

and I thought my English was strange....   

Oops, my bad.  Correction:  I know not of what you speak.  Is that better?

[Sason]

Oops, my bad.  Correction:  I know not of what you speak.  Is that better?

Probably. I'm not the expert here.   



(at least it doesn't sound strange! )

[chowhound]

Ennis may spend his money freely once he has any but he also seems quite touchy about being regarded as  "poor". For instance, when Jack offers him a loan when they're up on Brokeback, his reply is quite heated as though Jack had somehow offended him: "I don't need your money, I ain't in the poorhouse". The money he's earned on Brokeback that summer willl help but I'm not sure he's that far from the "poorhouse" when he marries Alma.

I think maybe we're supposed to see him as more fiscally responsible once he is married and has children. At least, as Southend points out, the reason he gives for not moving into town is an economic one:"...rents in town's too high". Alma,of course, wins that argument, however economically correct Ennis might have been.

Money has its role to play as well in FC. As Ennis tells Jack: "You forget how it is bein' broke all the time".

Overall, the question of money and maybe social position form an interesting backdrop in Brokeback Mountain. If the "expensive gun" scene had made it into the final cut, then I think this would be more prominent in any discussion of the movie. Nevertheless, the subject of money is still there.
 

[David In Indy]

Oops, my bad.  Correction:  I know not of what you speak.  Is that better?

That's what I call a "keyboard fart". I do it all the time!

I it all th time.

[RouxB]

I don't the phrase is meant to be interpreted quite that literally. I always took it to mean, and this is a huge departure from movie Ennis, that Ennis threw his entire self into everything he did-no holds barred. He did it with his fears, he did it with his heart for Jack. For someone carrying the baggage that he was carrying to be able to have any kind of relationship with man was about as full throttle as a self-hating person could be.