Categorizing Identity In Annie Proulx's Brokeback Mountain

Queer theory argues that traditional or social standards should not define or categorize gender and sexuality. Furthermore, social boundaries set upon the individual result in forcing it to perform or act as the norms dictate. Thus, desire, feelings and actions areoppressed.Moreover, queer theorists claim that categorizing identity is unacceptable in view of the fact that identity is not solid, but it changes over time and this is a continuous process. Queer studies also examine “the ways that, across history, cultures have understood or repressed queer acts, enacted queer identities, or abused or denied the existence of queer people” (de Lauretis162). In this context, I will be trying to analyze Annie Proulx’s Brokeback Mountain and Carson

Amelia is the dynamic one who spoils and treats him like a little boy. Carlton comments on Amelia that “the only power she knows is male power; the only language she possesses is the language of the dominant culture” (60).We could argue that Cousin Lymon, by having a heterosexual relationship with a dynamic masculine woman who acts like a man, attempts to replace his attraction for a man of the same gender and repress his homosexual nature due to the societal standards of that era. But when Marvin Macy appears he feels strongly attracted to him: “For since first setting eyes on Marvin Macy the hunchback was possessed by an unnatural spirit” (22). He forgets about Miss Amelia who has already started becoming more feminine and losing her dynamism due to her love for Lymon. Lymon admires Macy’s masculine power, though he is treated cruelly by him: “Every minute he wanted to be following along behind this jailbird, and he was full of silly schemes to attract attention to himself. Still Marvin Macy either treated him hatefully or failed to notice him at all” (22).Thus, he agrees to help Macy avenge Amelia and follows his orders. Actually, he began to deride Amelia in order to please Marvin Macy. Cousin Lymon does not express his feelings for Macy. Rather, it is his actions that reveal his admiration and attraction towards