Topic: Shadowy Characters

[tpe]

Although the characterization in both story, screenplay, and movie are superb, there remains a few shadowy characters whose disposition and temperament remain largely unknown.

Feel free to cite them here and to discuss then: speculation as to their natures is allowed.

Let me start with Ennis's sister and brother.  As adults, they only show up only once in the film (the wedding) and as a child, the brother only shows up once (the Earl and Rich episode).

Thery strike me as completely different from Ennis.  THe sister is probably more worldly, electing to abandon the siblings early on (so as not to be a brudern to them?), marry, and move to Casper.

The brother is an enigma.  He must have wanted to free himself from being Ennis's caretaker.  I had always found it strange that he let go of Ennis after his marriage.  I would suppose that in rural USA, family bonds are stronger.  But I speculate here...

[welshwitch]

I can't imagine that with no home and no money either Ennis's brother or sister saw him as much more than a responsibility. I've always assumed his taciturnity came partly from their being too busy making a kiving 9 ironically, in the light of what he says to Jack in the motel) to spend much time taking an interswt in him. Mutatis mutandis the same if true of Jack; the lack of a family or at least of one whose members care about them seems to me a gap both Ennis and Jack are trying to fill.

This isn;t to criticise the brother and sister - they did the best they could, according to Ennis, with his limited expectations. To my mind this is one of the many gritty aspects of Proulx's writing; she doesn't do the idealized home-and-family thing.

[tpe]

I can't imagine that with no home and no money either Ennis's brother or sister saw him as much more than a responsibility. I've always assumed his taciturnity came partly from their being too busy making a kiving 9 ironically, in the light of what he says to Jack in the motel) to spend much time taking an interswt in him. Mutatis mutandis the same if true of Jack; the lack of a family or at least of one whose members care about them seems to me a gap both Ennis and Jack are trying to fill.

This isn;t to criticise the brother and sister - they did the best they could, according to Ennis, with his limited expectations. To my mind this is one of the many gritty aspects of Proulx's writing; she doesn't do the idealized home-and-family thing.

Very well said, welshwitch.  Thank you.  Proulx is certainly not idealizing anything in her stories.  And yet, for all the strangeness in a lot of her characters, they are most believeable.  Sometimes, you even seem to know them, no matter how obscure or shadowy the reference point is.

Another one.  Perhaps the most shadowy of all is Ennis's mother.  God only knows what she was like...

[Sunflower79]

From what I remember ( I could be wrong) but I think Ennis mentioned his brother and sister raised him and once they married they moved on with thier lives..and Ennis was left to fend for himself..I think one of his siblings married and one stayed and when they married he was left ( or something like that)  And that his parents weren't around much either. Jack didn't seem to have much of a family life either..His mother seemed to care but his father was a drunk. I do agree that they were trying to fill in the gaps and at the same bonded with each other because they had similaar experiences and they could relate to each other. I also agree with the broken family image that the author uses..and it works well with the story and the sadness the movie brings. 

[shieldmaid]

True, tpe, we can only speculate about Ennis's mother.  But it seems like he must have had at least a few happy memories of her--witness his singing to Jack like his mother used to do--whereas he associates his father mainly with the Earl and Rich scene ("for all I know, he done the job").

[tpe]

True, tpe, we can only speculate about Ennis's mother.  But it seems like he must have had at least a few happy memories of her--witness his singing to Jack like his mother used to do--whereas he associates his father mainly with the Earl and Rich scene ("for all I know, he done the job").

Yes, the only true reference to her is the singing of the lullaby.  You somehow get the impression that she is Ennis's refuge.  From this one reference, so important to the entire movie, you seem to catch a solid glimpse of her as a loving, self-effacing person.  Not even the lullaby is heard!  Only the substance, the spirit of it.

It is as if Ennis's mother becomes the embodiment of Ennis's love for Jack -- via that half-forgotten song.

[donnaread]

the lack of a family or at least of one whose members care about them seems to me a gap both Ennis and Jack are trying to fill.

  welshwitch,

I have always thought the same thing.  Ennis and Jack are two very lonely young men.  "No more room for me"  Ennis tells Jack, so esentially Ennis is homeless.  And Jack's "... can't please my old man no way".  The families are indeed very shadowy, until right at the end when Ennis visits Jack's parents after his death.  Is it any wonder Ennis and Jack were so drawn to each other?  They both needed the human contact.  I could see this happening even if they hadn't been gay...just to be able to "connect" with another human being.     sorry got a little OT here. 

Donna

[Rønnaug]

True, tpe, we can only speculate about Ennis's mother.  But it seems like he must have had at least a few happy memories of her--witness his singing to Jack like his mother used to do--whereas he associates his father mainly with the Earl and Rich scene ("for all I know, he done the job").

I have a feeling that Ennis' mother might be like Mrs Twist... love her son but beaten down by a bullying, crude and unkind husband.

No wonder these boys wanted better

[tpe]

True, tpe, we can only speculate about Ennis's mother.  But it seems like he must have had at least a few happy memories of her--witness his singing to Jack like his mother used to do--whereas he associates his father mainly with the Earl and Rich scene ("for all I know, he done the job").

I have a feeling that Ennis' mother might be like Mrs Twist... love her son but beaten down by a bullying, crude and unkind husband.

No wonder these boys wanted better

I had assumed some shared similarities with respect to their childhood experiences.  And I do sense that both their mothers were loving and quietly caring.  I sense that both of them owe a lot of their ability to love to their mothers...