Death of Jack
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RP_Mac_27 — 9 years ago(May 25, 2016 12:26 PM)
Being that Jack died in 1983, was very promiscuous and engaged in filthy unprotected penetrations from all over parts of North America, his wife and family could have lied about everything to save face he died of aids. After all by 1983 the media had already dubbed the term the gay plague. Ennis on the other hand stopped long ago from taking high risks with his dip stick. Just another possibility to consider
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fanaticita — 9 years ago(August 08, 2016 02:12 PM)
According to the short story near the end when Ennis visit's Jack's family, he learned that Jack had chose another guy to build a cabin with him and move into it. Maybe Jack's new friend had other motives. That's when Ennis realized it must have been the tire iron and that Jack's death was not an accident. Just my opinion.
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Lester_Burnham_Risen — 9 years ago(August 08, 2016 04:42 PM)
another guy to build a cabin with him and move into it
As dad says he was all talk and that was just a fleeting ref to Randel, who had no desire to give up his wife to become Jack's slave like poor Ennis.
http://www.kindleflippages.com/ablog/ -
rdjenkins-4 — 9 years ago(November 18, 2016 11:35 PM)
Jack only suffered a broken jaw and nose. He suffocated on his own blood that came from his wounds. He didn't die from the injuries themselves.
If someone had intended to murder Jack, he did a piss-poor job of it. Now, I could imagine an angry ex taking one good swipe with a tire iron and feeling vindicated, but not someone with intentional murder on their mind. With Jack,it would have been manslaughter at best, in a fair court of law. The man from Ennis' childhood was beaten to a pulp and was emasculated as well. Big difference. Clearly murder one, there, and obviously more than one assailant.
There's nothing in what Lureen says to even hint that Jack's death happened in any way other than what she says happened. The overlaid violent imagery is from Ennis' own mind ["No, he thought, they got him with the tire iron."] and it gives us a chance to project our own thoughts onto what we're seeing. I think the director intended it that way. Ennis envisions
three
men attacking Jack. Jack didn't endure the level of damage one would expect from multiple attackers. In the story, Lureen only mentions that by the time someone came along, Jack was dead. Some ONE. Other than Jack, that's the only person Lureen mentions. Ennis has provided the "they".
In the short story, it's clear Ennis comes up with the tire iron beating scenario on his own, and later at Jack's family home, he does it again on his own only that time, it's a result of his remembering a violent episode between Jack and his father.
I think Annie Proulx's purpose was to say something about violence between men and between men and boys and the damage it does and how that damage can really mess with your mind, for a lifetime.