Alma Beers In Anne Proulx's Film Brokeback Mountain

LL Cool J, a talented rapper of American descent, once said, “When adversity strikes, that's when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on.” (Brainy Quotes) Though Cool J came up with this quote from his own personal experiences, his powerful statement can be applied to an empowered character, Alma Beers, in the short story “Brokeback Mountain.” Alma, who is Ennis’s beloved spouse, plays a different role in both Anne Proulx’s short story “Brokeback Mountain,” and Ang Lee’s Oscar nominated film Brokeback Mountain. Lee gives an interpretation of Alma in which he characterizes this female character with a more forceful nature and a character who is stricken by adversity, yet “stay[s] grounded” and

However, Lee offers a contrasting portrayal of Alma that shows her dislike of Jack, her unhappiness with her husband, but perhaps and most importantly to keep her temper, to keep her ideas to herself, and ultimately show her strength as a woman. When Jack and Ennis have a surprise meeting below Ennis’s house, Alma is a witness to their sexual contact and is overwhelmed by anguish. Soon after Alma and Ennis engage in a short conversation when Alma says, “‘Sure enough,’ said Alma in a low voice. She had seen what she had seen. Behind her in the room lightning lit the window like a white sheet waving and a baby cried” (77). Alma speaks in a “low voice,” indicating how distraught she as she witnesses the kiss-taking place between Ennis and Jack. When one speaks in a low voice, one could be scared of something, similar to Alma’s reaction. Proulx then mentions a phrase that has repetition, which indicates that “she [Alma] had seen” Ennis and Jack kiss and is emotionally struck by this catastrophe. In addition, the next lines describe the room as “lightning lit.” “Lightening” is often used to show two things falling apart. Similarly, the “lightning” here is a pathetic fallacy that possibly stresses the coming divorce of Ennis and Alma. It may suggest the coming breakup of Alma and Ennis. Lightening is often also volatile, which suggests that the

On the other hand, Lee presents an Alma who is able to confront Ennis, pointing towards a more liberated woman from her victimization as a character. When Alma and Ennis have divorced each other, they meet up on a Thanksgiving Day a few years later where Alma has started a new life while Ennis is drifting with his old lifestyle filled with struggle and his inability to accept himself. On this day, Alma decides to reveal that she knew of Ennis’s homosexuality when she says, “‘Remember? I looked in the case when I got a chance and there was my note still tied there and that line hadn’t touched water in its life.’ As though the word “water” had called out its domestic cousin, she twisted the faucet, sluiced the plates.” (80) Alma starts out her diatribe by saying “remember” which serves to question Ennis if he ever actually looked at the note she wrote and attached to the fishing line. By asking a question, she hopes that he will ponder over his mistakes. The next lines use personification when she says, “never touched water in its life.” Though the fishing line did not touch water, a fishing line does not really have a “life.” Instead of just ending the phrase at water, Alma goes on to say “in its life” which shows the extreme anger that she has at Ennis. This greater emphasis on “life” suggests that Alma has no pity for Ennis and feels betrayed by Ennis’s actions. In addition, Alma mentions another