--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What Jack remembered and craved in a way…" description: "\"“What Jack remembered and craved in a way he could neither help nor understand was the time that distant summer on Brokeback when Ennis had come up beh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/annie-proulx-6713_face-to-face_what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way_764649.jpg" --- # What Jack remembered and craved in a way he could neither… ![“What Jack remembered and craved in a way he could neither help nor understand was the time that distant summer on Brokeback when Ennis had come up behind him and pulled him close, the silent embrace satisfying some shared and sexless hunger. They had stood that way for a long time in front of the…” quote by Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/annie-proulx-6713_face-to-face_what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way_764649.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/annie-proulx-6713_face-to-face_what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way_764649.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/annie-proulx-6713_face-to-face_what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way_764649.jpg) > ““What Jack remembered and craved in a way he could neither help nor understand was the time that distant summer on Brokeback when Ennis had come up behind him and pulled him close, the silent embrace satisfying some shared and sexless hunger. They had stood that way for a long time in front of the fire, its burning tossing ruddy chunks of light, the shadow of their bodies a single column against the rock. The minutes ticked by from the round watch in Ennis's pocket, from the sticks in the fire settling into coals. Stars bit through the wavy heat layers above the fire. Ennis's breath came slow and quiet, he hummed, rocked a little in the sparklight and Jack leaned against the steady heartbeat, the vibrations of the humming like faint electricity and, standing, he fell into sleep that was not sleep but something else drowsy and tranced until Ennis, dredging up a rusty but still useable phrase from the childhood time before his mother died, said, "Time to hit the hay, cowboy. I got a go. Come on, you're sleepin on your feet like a horse," and gave Jack a shake, a push, and went off in the darkness. Jack heard his spurs tremble as he mounted, the words "see you tomorrow," and the horse's shuddering snort, grind of hoof on stone. Later, that dozy embrace solidified in his memory as the single moment of artless, charmed happiness in their separate and difficult lives. Nothing marred it, even the knowledge that Ennis would not then embrace him face to face because he did not want to see nor feel that it was Jack he held. And maybe, he thought, they'd never get much farther that that. Let be, let be.”” [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A fleeting, tender moment of connection offers brief escape from hardship, highlighting longing and unspoken intimacy. **In simple terms:** A brief, tender moment gives brief escape from hardship. Key Takeaway Cherish fleeting intimacy. Themes longing intimacy memory solitude Mood nostalgic melancholic Type literary emotional When to use this quote - campfire night - quiet reflection - shared silence - personal memory Key Concepts unspoken desire temporary peace emotional refuge Questions to Reflect On - How do brief connections shape our lasting memories? - What does this moment reveal about unspoken love? A Different Perspective The moment is fragile and cannot resolve deeper conflicts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ennis Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ennis-come-5923364/) [Ennis Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ennis-embrace-5923361/) [Face to face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-to-face/) [Feel Jack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-jack-5923363/) [Gave Jack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gave-jack-1274206/) [Jack Remembered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jack-remembered-5923362/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Mother died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-died/) [Single moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-moment/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Nevertheless, the book gave Jack a feeling he had never had before, that the past was like a story, in which one thing led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/nevertheless-the-book-gave-jack-a-feeling-he-had-never-had-before/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Jack, however, was persuaded by an aide to telephone King's wife, Coretta, to express his sympathy. 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They had stood that way for a long time in front of the fire, its burning tossing ruddy chunks of light, the shadow of their bodies a single column against the rock. The minutes ticked by from the round watch in Ennis's pocket, from the sticks in the fire settling into coals. Stars bit through the wavy heat layers above the fire. Ennis's breath came slow and quiet, he hummed, rocked a little in the sparklight and Jack leaned against the steady heartbeat, the vibrations of the humming like faint electricity and, standing, he fell into sleep that was not sleep but something else drowsy and tranced until Ennis, dredging up a rusty but still useable phrase from the childhood time before his mother died, said, \"Time to hit the hay, cowboy. I got a go. Come on, you're sleepin on your feet like a horse,\" and gave Jack a shake, a push, and went off in the darkness. Jack heard his spurs tremble as he mounted, the words \"see you tomorrow,\" and the horse's shuddering snort, grind of hoof on stone. Later, that dozy embrace solidified in his memory as the single moment of artless, charmed happiness in their separate and difficult lives. Nothing marred it, even the knowledge that Ennis would not then embrace him face to face because he did not want to see nor feel that it was Jack he held. And maybe, he thought, they'd never get much farther that that. Let be, let be.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Annie Proulx" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way-he-could-neither-help-nor/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Face to face" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way-he-could-neither-help-nor/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/annie-proulx-6713_face-to-face_what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way_764649.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/annie-proulx-6713_face-to-face_what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way_764649.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/annie-proulx-6713_face-to-face_what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way_764649.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What Jack remembered and craved in a way he could neither help nor understand was the time that distant…” — Annie Proulx", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Annie Proulx", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What Jack remembered and craved in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way-he-could-neither-help-nor/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/what-jack-remembered-and-craved-in-a-way-he-could-neither-help-nor/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```