Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum

TOTW 08/07: Was Alma afraid to confront Ennis after seeing him with Jack?

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serious crayons:
Plus, to Alma, Ennis' behavior wasn't just strange or shocking, and Ennis wasn't just being an unfaithful husband. She wasn't upset only because her husband appears interested in someone else, or because he has a side to him she didn't suspect. In Alma's view (as in Ennis' view and lots of others people's, back in 1967), what Ennis was doing was, in and of itself, shameful and wrong.

When she confronts him on Thanksgiving, she doesn't just say, "Don't try to fool me no more, Ennis, I know what it means ... you were cheating on me!" or even, "... you are secretly gay!" -- either of which an enlightened modern wife might, in her place, justifiably say. No, she uses the word "nasty!" Homosexuals, to Alma, are nasty.

Brown Eyes:

--- Quote from: Fran on September 18, 2007, 08:55:11 pm ---Alma was afraid to rock the boat. Period.

--- End quote ---


This essentially sums up my perception of the situation.  I don't really think fear of Ennis motivated Alma into not confronting him about the Jack-situation for so many years.  I'm not sure I really buy the idea that we're supposed to see Alma as afraid of Ennis (as is sometimes discussed in interpretations of her character... even in interviews with the actors, etc.).  Ennis was intimidating, but I don't really think she was scared of him herself.

I think she was mostly consumed by confusion and a true fear of "rocking the boat."  She was probably raised to think divorce was somewhat shameful.  Prior to the divorce, she was probably really worried about what would happen to her if rumors about Ennis started spreading or if indeed a divorce were to happen.  I think after the divorce she continued to remain discrete about what she knew about Ennis for fear of how rumors might impact the kids and even her own reputation (still).  So, I think big motivating factors for her had to do (always) with reputation and also with her and the kids' ability to maintain a somewhat secure/ stable lifestyle.

I agree that we see her become more and more assertive... maybe especially starting with the argument that happens while the kids are on the swing-set.  I applaud her for standing up for herself in bed with Ennis in the scene right before the divorce. 

But, by the time she confronts Ennis in the kitchen at Thanksgiving, I agree that her bitterness manifests itself as a form of homophobia (especially with the Jack "Nasty" comment... which is the thing that really seems to set Ennis off... and rightly so).

I find Alma to actually be one of the most difficult characters in the film.  Difficult in terms of interpreting her, but also a little difficult in terms of evoking sympathy (at least for me). 

jstephens9:
I agree with several of you on here in that I do not think Alma was afraid to confront Ennis. Instead, she was totally confused by what she saw. I don't even really think she wants to admit to herself what she saw much less confront Ennis about it. I think she wants to forget that it happened, but every time Jack appears she become more haunted and realizes what is going on. Still, I don't think she wants to admit it to herself. I think her whole world was suddenly turned upside down in a way that she could not bring herself to any kind of understanding of it. She still does not really think it is Ennis' fault even in the Thanksgiving scene. She thinks it was all Jack's fault and doing. I believe she totally thought that if Jack would have not existed all would have been fine. And in fact many of us here on the forum might think the same as her since there has always been a debate about that. Obviously, it was not Jack's fault, but what would have happened to Ennis if he had never met Jack? Remember the last time they saw each other, Ennis even suggests that it is Jack's fault that he is the way he is.

moremojo:

--- Quote from: jstephens9 on September 22, 2007, 11:59:12 pm ---Remember the last time they saw each other, Ennis even suggests that it is Jack's fault that he is the way he is.
--- End quote ---
And Ennis is quite right there...without Jack, he would never have met his soul-mate and found the kind of love that many of us will only dream of securing.

jstephens9:
So true moremojo  ;)

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