Topic: The first time we see Jack . . .

[Rønnaug]

I am not sure I think Jack was seeing competition for the job, he had done this last year and knew it was a two man job.

I'm not really sure it WAS a two-man job the year before.  Jack says to Ennis about the sheep being struck by lightning "Aguirre got all over my ass like I was supposed to control the weather."  It was my impression that this is why Aguirre decided to make it a two-man job this year.  PLUS,  the short story says they were "glad to have a companion where none was expected."  JMO

Donna

Yes, good point, but I think Jack was the one that stayed with the sheep no firebullshit last year, and that he just didn't have much in common with the person in the main camp. So he didn't expect a companion cause that was not the case last year. Ennis didn't expect it cause he hadn't done the job and I honestly dont' think Ennis has had any friends outside his Brother before.

[NoReins]

I am not sure I think Jack was seeing competition for the job, he had done this last year and knew it was a two man job.

I'm not really sure it WAS a two-man job the year before.  Jack says to Ennis about the sheep being struck by lightning "Aguirre got all over my ass like I was supposed to control the weather."  It was my impression that this is why Aguirre decided to make it a two-man job this year.  PLUS,  the short story says they were "glad to have a companion where none was expected."  JMO

Donna

That's a really good point, Donna - I never really paid too much attention to that comment from Jack, but since he didn't say "our asses", it would suggest that he was alone up there the previous year. I had noticed the "glad to have a companion..." bit in the book, but for some reason I'd always translated that as "glad to have a friend where only a fellow worker (i.e. a person to work with but not ever really talk to) had been expected". Your interpretation of this passage makes much more sense, though.

So maybe Jack and Ennis really were just sizing each other up as competition for what each thought was ONE job. Or, at least, maybe that's why Ennis was sizing Jack up - as I still believe that Jack was eying up Ennis for other reasons

[Patriot1]

PLUS,  the short story says they were "glad to have a companion where none was expected."  JMO

And I thought that meant that with one hurding the sheep and only coming back to camp for meals there wouldn't be much companionship.  Okay, time to start a new thread?  :D