Topic: Was Ennis stuck in the moment, that summer of '63

[manhattangirl]

 

My question is:  Was Ennis still emotionally and mentally stuck with what happen in the Summer of '63?   

At the Final Confrontation Ennis blamed Jack for his lack of progress in life, "I got nothing, going nowhere,""  it's because of you Jack.", That's a heck of a charge to lay at someone feet, notwithstanding, someone you're in love with.

Then I thought back at the motel scene.  Jack was talking about what happened to him in the last fours, but  when ask about what was going with him, Ennis just said "I don't know".   OK,  four years, marriage, kids, different jobs, hmmmmm. 

Please stay with me guys:   I think these men after that summer, were emerging from two platforms.  Jack is emerged from the "dozy embrace", and all he took from that.   Ennis emerged from "I not queer", from there he was fighting a battle from three fronts.   His sexuality, his fear of being found out, and he overwhelming need for Jack.   

 
Ennis progress no further in his life because he was still in that summer of '63 and couldn't get out of it.

Does this make sense to any of you?


 

[tpe]

Hello manhattangirl.  In a way, they were stuck, as it was the memory of that summer that bound them together for the rest of their lives.


I would say that the status quo was not established in 63.  Rather, the status quo was established 4 years later during the reunion.  It was there that Jack realized that Ennis would not commit to a shared life, even as they made the commitment to see each other a few times during the year.  This establishes the pattern that was to change very little for the next 20 years or so.

Jack certainly wanted to move further on, establishing a life together that would fulfill the promise of 63.  Ennis could inded go no further than keeping their love safe up in the mountains.  It was because Ennis feared too much that he allowed himself to be frozen emotionally as well as spiritually to what had been achieved that distant summer.  Pity he didn't see the whole wide world of possibilities from that high vantage point.