Ennis' non-vomiting

[Front-Ranger]

I would also like to add a little about Ennis' emotions earlier in the day when he first got word that their time on the mountain was ending. His first reaction was anger, sulking etc. which is true to his character. He sat in the meadow trying to get control over himself. Then, when Jack came over and lassoed him, Ennis was frustrated because when he tried to walk away, tucking in the shirt, (trying to get control again) Jack lassoed him, and they rolled over and over down the hill, throwing mock punches. So by the time they came to a halt Ennis was close to losing it again, and actually was starting to sob a little when he realized his nose was totally out of control and bleeding. He panicked when Jack came close to him, whispering "Ennis, Ennis" and that's when he punched Jack, just like he punched the wall later. That's my take.

[ednbarby]

I would also like to add a little about Ennis' emotions earlier in the day when he first got word that their time on the mountain was ending. His first reaction was anger, sulking etc. which is true to his character. He sat in the meadow trying to get control over himself. Then, when Jack came over and lassoed him, Ennis was frustrated because when he tried to walk away, tucking in the shirt, (trying to get control again) Jack lassoed him, and they rolled over and over down the hill, throwing mock punches. So by the time they came to a halt Ennis was close to losing it again, and actually was starting to sob a little when he realized his nose was totally out of control and bleeding. He panicked when Jack came close to him, whispering "Ennis, Ennis" and that's when he punched Jack, just like he punched the wall later. That's my take.

I agree.  When Jack is trying to minister to his wounds (all of them) after his nose starts bleeding, he can't take the immediacy and intimacy of his concern because his emotions are swirling out of control and this is the person that's making them do that.  It's all about control with Ennis, and so he punches Jack in a last-ditch effort to get that control back.  This is true to the story, too.

[serious crayons]

Yep! Ditto, ditto, ditto to all the points made above by everybody (except a couple of areas of disagreement with Jeff noted earlier). I'd never thought about Ennis' reaction in terms of control before, but that makes sense to me.

And THIS I especially agree with, Amanda (no surprise, hunh?):

About different interpreations of the film vs. book though...  I remember early on when I'd only seen the movie a handful of times and had only read the story once or twice, I REALLY liked the movie better than the story.  This is an unusual situation for me (as I love books).  But, one of my reasons for liking the film better was I thought it was flat out more romantic (also not a quality I tend to really worry about too much... but in this case the romance of the film was/ is a huge part of its charm for me).  I feel like Movie Ennis's restraint verbally has something to do with the romance.  The romance and his love comes through in much more subtle ways in the film (usually physically).

At this point I tend to like the film and the book pretty much equally, but for different reasons (In the story I primarily have come to love the way Proulx expresses herself, quirky turns-of-phrase, the poetry of her descriptions).  And, the two Ennis characters truly feel like different people in many ways.  My I love Ennis's endearments in the book (adorable!) but they would seem out of place a bit coming from Movie Ennis. 

I, too, usually love books more than the movies made from them, but this case is different. I am blown away by the writing in the story, but it's primarily an intellectual admiration. With the movie I am much more emotionally attached (though I know there are plenty of people on this board who were very emotionally affected by the story).  I can think of several explanations for this, but the main one is the greater complexity of the characters, especially Ennis'. If I had to narrow it down, I'd say what I find most emotionally appealing about the movie is what I mentioned earlier about Ennis' internal struggle: his feelings for Jack vs. his homophobia.

OK, here's how weird I am: I am out of town for the weekend, far from my computer, but I had a couple of hours to kill so I was compelled to go to a library and get onto the internet to see what was happenin here at CT!!!

[Brown Eyes]

Heya latjoreme! 

It's not so wierd to want to check the boards.  I've taken to checking now and then while I'm at work lately.  I guess this is all a *normal* part of brokeback fever.

Anyway, I'm happy to hear people trying to figure out what I like to call the "Confusing Tussle" (as opposed to the charming "Happy Tussle"- the one that Aguirre spies). 

In reference to film vs. book... in this case the book explains the fight/ roll down the hill pretty well.  In the book I understood the bloody nose to be a real accident (Ennis bumping into Jack's knee) and that the "sucker" punch he threw was sort of a reflex that he had learned when he was a kid trying to defend himself against his mean brother.  I'm curious about why the filmmakers omit the story about Ennis's brother in general.  Anyway, the Confusing Tussle scene is interesting in the movie because I feel like it becomes a bit more violent (by both Jack and Ennis... I mean look at their intense faces!) than Proulx intended and it also becomes much more about the emotional struggle between the two of them (and primarily Ennis's internal struggles).

I like the idea that Ennis is reacting to losing control.  That makes a lot of sense to me.  I also think that he has absolutely no idea how to say good bye to Jack.  So, in order to detach himself (to prepare himself for what he feels is his duty... marry Alma, etc.) he begins to act like a jerk and to push Jack away.  Instead of savoring these last moments with Jack on the mountain he lashes out.  It's like he's missing Jack already but Jack is still there.  He continues to be a jerk in his parting comments with Jack.  Again, I think he's trying to force himself to detach emotionally. 

Oh, Ennis...   

[serious crayons]

Hi Amanda! What a good way to describe it, as Ennis' way of emotionally detaching.

However, as a longtime Ennis apologist (I swear, some days it's a full-time job!) I must also note that Jack doesn't do the greatest job of saying goodbye, either. Ennis comes back to find Jack cheerfully taking down the tent (symbol of their most intimate moments!) and explaining Aguirre's instructions with no apparent regret. Ennis, on the other hand, is devastated, and Jack's breezy demeanor makes it worse. He snaps at Jack's offer of a loan not because he's insulted that Jack thinks he needs it, but because he's upset that Jack doesn't seem to share his frustration. And Jack's lassooing thing also seems too lighthearted and flippant to him. Even if Ennis were able to say a heartfelt, serious goodbye, it would be pretty hard to do with Jack appearing so nonchallant. Hard for anyone, let alone Ennis.

Also, and maybe I'm just a romantic (at least when it comes to this movie), but I have always thought part of the reason for their tussle is that, at some subconscious level, it is a way to have one last bit of physical contact when the sexual kind seems out of the question. Some guys in a long-ago thread mentioned thinking the fight looked fakey. I think it looks fakey not because the filmmakers didn't know how to stage a realistic fight, but because it IS kind of fakey. When they roll down the hill together, it seems to me like a substitue for a roll in the hay.

But then Ennis winds up injured, and he reacts in his typical way, by lashing out.

[Brown Eyes]

Oh my god...    So, now I think I'm nuts.  This is seriously a sign that I've been on the boards way too long today.  Sorry.  I'm so embarassed.
 

[Front-Ranger]

Dont be embarassed. What u say makes a lot of sense!

[serious crayons]

What do you mean, Amanda? Your post was excellent. I hope it was not something in MY response to YOUR earlier post that you're referring to. I agreed completely with what you said (of course).

I'm all confused because I came back and found my post came out entirely in purple quote-form. I don't know why, because the *quote* closing symbol thing was not at the end of the post. I don't think. Anyway, I fixed it.

I've probably been on here too long today, myself!

[Brown Eyes]

LOL!!! 
Hey there Friend,


OK.  I feel better.  When I read your post it was all in the purple quote box which caused me to completely misunderstand what you meant...  Essentially, I thought we had just repeated a conversation from someplace else.  Seriously, nevermind.

I'm laughing so hard my side hurts.  I really have been on WAY too long today.  BBM addiction is a strange thing.

 

[Brown Eyes]

Anyway... about Jack and his lasso.  Yes, I do think it upset Ennis that Jack was behaving in such a cheerful way.  I'm guessing that Jack wasn't seeing the end of the job as the end of their relationship.  Ennis was viewing all of this with much more finality.  Jack may already have been hoping that Ennis would go off with him and give up on the Alma idea.  He probably hoped that Ennis would hop into his truck outside Aguirre's trailer and they would figure things out from there.  I do understand why the cheerfulness would be annoying to Ennis.  But, this is perfect Jack behavior.  He's always trying to cheer Ennis up or provide comfort when Ennis is feeling low/ crying, etc.