Topic: Why did Ennis marry Alma? Was It Love or the next Logical Step.

[welshwitch]

Yes. I agree. Jack became just a part of Lureen's life-plan - a husband, a father, a parner in the business - but I don't think she was involved with him emotionally to any great degree after the first few years - her ties to the family, particularly her father, were too strong.

Alma, had Jack never come along, would have stuck doggedly with Ennis, I reckon, looked after the girls, got herself a job, maybe pushed ennis into something better-paid and more steady - Alma'a pretty conventional and wouldn;t have gone through a divorce unless there was some positive reason.

[tpe]

Yes. I agree. Jack became just a part of Lureen's life-plan - a husband, a father, a parner in the business - but I don't think she was involved with him emotionally to any great degree after the first few years - her ties to the family, particularly her father, were too strong.

Alma, had Jack never come along, would have stuck doggedly with Ennis, I reckon, looked after the girls, got herself a job, maybe pushed ennis into something better-paid and more steady - Alma'a pretty conventional and wouldn;t have gone through a divorce unless there was some positive reason.

Lureen is certainly a peculiar case (though not that uncommon).  Alma represents another group, whereby they enter marriage a bit naively and suffer the more because of it.

Jack was part of Lureen's life plan.  IN a sense, Alma was part of Ennis's "logical" plan for a life.

[aintfoolin]

Ennis did'nt plan  on the lasting effects of the experiences with Jack on Brokeback. I think may he tried to push tho whole summer to the back of his mind... In his logical way of thinking, I feel he thought it was the end of a enlighting, but temporary experience. He had promised Alma that he would marry her and was up on Brokeback to prepare financially for their future. While up there he had this life changing experience concerning his sexual inclinations. . Though after the summer ended Ennis explained to Jck that he was still planning to marry Alma after all. Yet Jack let Ennis know that he was coming back to find him again, even after finding Ennis's plans. Jack could'nt have said it any better when he said "Brokeback got us good"  The experience solidified something in Ennis . Was'nt sure what or why or how to him. He just knew this "thing" that got him was a feeling he could'nt shake, and was'nt sure he wanted to shake it off. Alma provided an * out* for all his fears and conflicts . Marrying her would get him back to where he * belonged* in his mind, logically. The other part of him must have dying inside standing there with Jack with that *look* on his face. I'm sure some part of him anted to grab Jack and never let go again. Did he love Alma? I think on a certain level. But the feelings he harbored for Jack Twist raised the standard to a higher level than he had for her. IMO opinion he should have went with real gut feeling and stayed with Jack.

[tpe]

Ennis did'nt plan  on the lasting effects of the experiences with Jack on Brokeback. I think may he tried to push tho whole summer to the back of his mind... In his logical way of thinking, I feel he thought it was the end of a enlighting, but temporary experience. He had promised Alma that he would marry her and was up on Brokeback to prepare financially for their future. While up there he had this life changing experience concerning his sexual inclinations. . Though after the summer ended Ennis explained to Jck that he was still planning to marry Alma after all. Yet Jack let Ennis know that he was coming back to find him again, even after finding Ennis's plans. Jack could'nt have said it any better when he said "Brokeback got us good"  The experience solidified something in Ennis . Was'nt sure what or why or how to him. He just knew this "thing" that got him was a feeling he could'nt shake, and was'nt sure he wanted to shake it off. Alma provided an * out* for all his fears and conflicts . Marrying her would get him back to where he * belonged* in his mind, logically. The other part of him must have dying inside standing there with Jack with that *look* on his face. I'm sure some part of him anted to grab Jack and never let go again. Did he love Alma? I think on a certain level. But the feelings he harbored for Jack Twist raised the standard to a higher level than he had for her. IMO opinion he should have went with real gut feeling and stayed with Jack.

In many ways, Ennis was a man of his word.  I think this sense of honor and duty proved his inevitable undoing...

He thought then that he belonged to Alma, even though his heart belonged to Jack.   When does duty give way to affection?  When does affection give way to true love?

[aintfoolin]

I kept waiting for Jack to say" what about us?" what about what we really feel? He continued to feel this after a year had gone by and asked Aguirre of Ennis's wherabouts. He was also true to his words about" I'll be back". Back to find the man who had touched him so deeply a summer ago. Perhaps had he continued to search for Ennis that summer and found him in Riverton, Ennis would have been more receptive as he used Jack's wife and baby  back in Texas for an excuse or reason not to leave his. This is of course speculation on my part. In any case this "thing" got a hold of Ennis four years later., outside, in the street with him only taking a little nervous peek around and then almost devouring Jack to Jack's suprise. Alma saw it and saw her husband as never before.  Some say that Ennis veiwed the relationship * outside*  himself  but in this case Ennis knew exactly what he was doing.  Out of control in love. Jack being another man here never factored in. He only saw  Jack and felt love and a sense of gratefulness that he was finally holding the one he loved so dearly in his arms again. This is the *real*  Ennis.in that reunion scene. Alma was totally forgtten the minute he saw Jack again. Judging from the kiss, this was something he craved for a long long time. His lil darlin,... his true love.

[tpe]

I kept waiting for Jack to say" what about us?" what about what we really feel? He continued to feel this after a year had gone by and asked Aguirre of Ennis's wherabouts. He was also true to his words about" I'll be back". Back to find the man who had touched him so deeply a summer ago. Perhaps had he continued to search for Ennis that summer and found him in Riverton, Ennis would have been more receptive as he used Jack's wife and baby  back in Texas for an excuse or reason not to leave his. This is of course speculation on my part. In any case this "thing" got a hold of Ennis four years later., outside, in the street with him only taking a little nervous peek around and then almost devouring Jack to Jack's suprise. Alma saw it and saw her husband as never before.  Some say that Ennis veiwed the relationship * outside*  himself  but in this case Ennis knew exactly what he was doing.  Out of control in love. Jack being another man here never factored in. He only saw  Jack and felt love and a sense of gratefulness that he was finally holding the one he loved so dearly in his arms again. This is the *real*  Ennis.in that reunion scene. Alma was totally forgtten the minute he saw Jack again. Judging from the kiss, this was something he craved for a long long time. His lil darlin,... his true love.

I had wondered why Jack hardly said anything to Ennis in the movie.  Even the short story showed Jack a bit more vocal in his disappointment.  I had assumed that this was done in the interest of greater understatement and subtlety.

But I guess this goes back to Jack having this understanding that the best way to deal with Ennis was not to be confrontational and abrupt.  Jack probably thought that in due time, he would be able to convince Ennis to join him.  Again, he underestimated Ennis's inability to cope with his fears.