Topic: Did Jack and Ennis Really Talk to Each Other - Spoiler

[romeshvr]

Did anyone find it strange that after 20 years of friendship, relationship, fishing/hunting trips, Ennis did not know what was Jack's last wishes?  Ennis had to find out from Lureen about ashes going up to Jack's parents.  Any ideas anyone...

[CherryCake]

Not really.  It was the times... and the place.. and the personalities... I know I was thinking, 'hey, if I was Jack I would have done this or that.."  but for the characters I was believable.  That's what kinda sad to me.. them guys missed out on a good life... 

[*Froggy*]

Did anyone find it strange that after 20 years of friendship, relationship, fishing/hunting trips, Ennis did not know what was Jack's last wishes?  Ennis had to find out from Lureen about ashes going up to Jack's parents.  Any ideas anyone...

We do not get to see much of their time together. We cannot tell whether or not they talked a lot to eachother. My guess is that they actually did, but then again, how many times did they get to see each other in 20 years?

Ennis did not know what was Jack's last wishes?  Ennis had to find out from Lureen about ashes going up to Jack's parents.

How do you know this?

x froggy

[scruffy]

Jack and Ennis talked but it was man talk.  You know what that is.  It's conversation with little substance.  We men talk about our abilities and our conquests.  We talk about the weather and how to catch the big one.  Then we complain.

Talking about feelings is left for women.  Yep, it's true.  Any woman will know how long it takes to get an "I love you" out of a man.  Any woman will notice the blank stare they get when they ask a man how they feel about something because, well, we don't know.  Jack is the only one that really breaks into the taboo topic of feelings and it is long into their relationship before he does.  You'll notice that Ennis doesn't know how to respond.  If Ennis and Jack really communicated their feelings Jack wouldn't have left town and Ennis wouldn't have crumpled in an alley.

In recent years, men have been able to talk more about their feelings but in 1963 it wasn't common.

[Uptown_Gal]

I don't necessarily see why Jack would've shared his last wishes with Ennis.  Come on, they were in their '30s @ their last meeting.  They probably assumed that they would live to a ripe, old age.  Death was not imminent, so there was probably no good reason to address last wishes.  Now if Jack and Ennis had been in their '60s, ...

Even though I'm younger than Ennis and Jack upon their last encounter, I've never discussed my last wishes with family and friends.  It just doesn't come up.  I suppose I should take that as a sign that I should "put something in writing," because I may not live to a ripe, old age, eh? 

Because he was a husband and father, it makes perfect sense why Jack discussed his last wishes with his wife.  They also had a family business.  Their financial adviser or CPA likely recommended that Jack and Lureen make provisions for son Bobby in case of the unexpected death of one parent or both.

[rod1960]

I disagree with scruffy, in the book Ennis spills his guts to Jack in the motel. Most of it left out of the movie.

[rikcub]

Did anyone find it strange that after 20 years of friendship, relationship, fishing/hunting trips, Ennis did not know what was Jack's last wishes?  Ennis had to find out from Lureen about ashes going up to Jack's parents.  Any ideas anyone...

I don't really find that strange at all....these guys had a love...but also a somewhat superficial relationship...no talk of thoughts, plans, dreams, wishes.  Jack would have talked of all these things but Ennis couldn't do it...so they shared a deep love and physical passion...but not their deepest feelings.

[frenchcda]

I disagree with scruffy, in the book Ennis spills his guts to Jack in the motel. Most of it left out of the movie.

You are absolutly right on this, the book surely does show how intense and mesmerized Ennis is regarding Jack. Like I mention in another thread, it would aleviate alot of concerns if people would read the short story, Ennis is my babe, he had so much more depth and a love that will never gorw old!
thank's for the reminder