Two versions are portrayed on how Jack Twist dies in the book “Brokeback Mountain”. It is hard to tell which way is the truth.
According to his wife Lureen, when Ennis calls, he dies while changing a flat tire on his truck. The tire blew up, and the rim hit his head, knocking him out. He bled to death.
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On the other hand, we are shown Ennis imaging jacks death, being beaten to death with a tire iron by three men. He dies as a result of gay-bashing, victim to a hate crime.
What Is Brokeback Mountain?
Brokeback Mountain is a short story written in 1997 by the award-winning author Annie Prolix. In 2005, a movie based on it came out. The film received universal acclaim and became a winner in the Academy Awards.
It is about the complicated sexual and emotional entanglement between two cowboys from 1963 t0 1983. These two American cowboys are Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar. In 2018 the film was chosen for preservation because of its cultural impact on the movie industry.
Who Is Jack Twist?
Jack twist is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in “Brokeback Mountain.” According to the book, he is born somewhere between 1943 and 1944.
He is raised on a ranch in northeastern Wyoming in lighting flat and this made him develop a licking for cattle. His father was somewhat a rodeo hero in his younger days, and because of his father’s encouragement to ride, he gained a true passion for it.
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He never finished high school as he dropped out. In 1963 he got a shepherding job in the fictitious Brokeback Mountain within Wyoming. This is where he meets and falls in love with Ennis.
Jack was a free-spirited, fun-loving young man. His idea of having fun was drinking and playing the harmonica, which was quite annoying for Ennis.
His Love for Ennis
Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist were both employed in Brokeback Mountain at 19. Jack herds sheep high up in the mountains while Ennis is stationed at the base camp.
Their friendship starts slowly as they meet over meals at the base camp. It is nothing serious at first, but Jack finds himself attracted to Ennis with time. After a while, their roles are interchanged. Ennis finds himself high up the mountains and Jack at the base camp.
When Did Jack and Ennis Have Their First Sexual Encounter?
One night, Ennis gets drunk after sharing a bottle of whiskey with jack and chooses to spend the night at the base camp. They end up sharing Jacks tent, and though Ennis is reluctant, he eventually agrees because of how cold it is.
Jack, being as bold as he is, makes a pass at Ennis. Ennis is reserved, and such a pass is not easy to welcome, but eventually, he reciprocates. He tells jack that it can only be a one-time thing. However, Jack has fallen in love and wants to be a part of Ennis life.
Over the remaining part of that summer, even though Ennis is still not okay with the idea of being in a relationship with a man, their sexual and emotional relationship grows stronger.
How Did Jack End up Marrying Lureen?
Their employer at Brokeback Mountain had noticed the relations between Jack and Ennis. When their work is done, he refuses to rehire Jack, forcing Ennis and jack to part ways. Gay rights were a far reality in Wyoming then.
Still determined to have Ennis in his life, Jack tried to convince him to have a secret relationship. Sadly this does not happen.
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Jack twist later moves to Texas, where he meets a rodeo princess, Lureen Newsome, and they get married. Even though he cares for her, he cheats on her with other men and still has deep feelings for Ennis. Lureen gets a son by the name of Bobby.
Ennis Regrets Not Ending up With Jack
Ennis also gets married, but it eventually ends in divorce. Jack sees this as the best time to start a life together, but Ennis is reluctant. He wants to stay close to his children.
Jack makes a few efforts to meet Ennis, and their feelings are the same every time. They are still in love. When Ennis finally decides to face his fears, he sends a postcard to Jack wanting to meet. It is returned with ‘deceased’ stamped on it. It was too late!
This is when he decides to call Lureen, Jacks wife. Ennis mentions that they met with Jack in Brokeback Mountain, a place Jack was fond of talking about in his life. At this moment, she realizes Jack and Ennis are lovers.
Ennis gets in touch with Jacks parents, and Jacks mother shows him his childhood bedroom. In the closet, he finds two shirts hung side by side. They were the shirts they wore on their last day together in Brokeback Mountain. He takes the shirts home with him.
As he hangs up the shirts in his closet, fastening the first button on Jack’s shirt, he softly mutters with tears in his eyes, “Jack, I swear ….”