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Gone With the Wind

An Epic Novel by Margaret Mitchell

Gone With the Wind is the story of a young southern belle, Scarlett O’Hara, who once was the light of the party but ends up struggling to survive in an unfamiliar world. From the beginning of the story, war is in the brewing, but the idea never occurred to Scarlett, nor phased her that war could effect her life dramatically. When war eventually did come around, the conflict of the story takes off and Scarlett’s life is turned upside down. Scarlett no longer was focused on finding a new beau or capturing the heart of her secret love, now all she could focus on was where her next meal would be coming from.

When the war first started, Scarlett was more upset that parties were put to a stop and that she couldn’t wear the dresses that made her look most becoming, but as the war progressed, so did Scarlett’s troubles. Scarlett was worried for the well being of the land she loved so greatly, her home plantation Tara. She feared that if the Yankees didn’t take Tara through the fighting, they would take Tara by taxes. In able to prevent this, Scarlett decided that she must never be poor and was willing to do anything to keep this from happening. Scarlett willinging gave up her reputation for the cause and used her charms to get the money she so desperately needed.

As time continued, Scarlett became more and more unladylike and with this came a disliking from the town, Atlanta, that she lived in. But in Atlanta, there were three people who still cared for Scarlett, and were not bothered by her “improper” behavior: Scarlett’s secret love, his wife, and the most disliked man in all of Atlanta. This disliked man was a rich man, and because of that Scarlett kept him close for the security of money. What she did not know was that this man, Rhett, loved her and would do anything to get her. Eventually he did get her, physically at least, in the bond of marriage, but he still did not have her heart for Scarlett would not give up on her secret love, Ashley.

From this marriage, another conflict begins. Scarlett does not realize the desperate attempt Rhett was making to get her to love him, and slowly he starts to lose interest. Only when the death of a loved one occurs does Scarlett realize her true feelings for Rhett, but by then it was already to late. Rhett no longer cared for Scarlett nor anything else in the world, and had no pleasure in finding out Scarlett’s love for him. Scarlett was shocked and hurt by the coldness Rhett bestowed upon her but she knew from experience that she could get anything she wanted and if she wanted Rhett she would eventually have him. So Scarlett decided to put the thought from her mind and would think of it another day, because after all, “tomorrow is another day.”

Characters (Protagonist/Antagonist)

Scarlett O’Hara, the main character and protagonist of Gone with the Wind, is presented with many challenges that she must overcome. While some of her challenges are introduced as antagonists such as Melanie Wilkins, who Scarlett despises yet sometimes cares for her like a sister, and Rhett Butler, who Scarlett has un-deciphered feelings for; some challenges come in more indirect forms such as the war and the southern society. To Scarlett, the war is nothing but a social damper that keeps her from parties and dancing and while town's society threatens her reputation and attempts to conform her into a stereotypical “proper” daughter and young lady.

All the characters in this novel were all very well rounded, but none as much as Scarlett O’Hara. Scarlett starts off the story by being the overpowering damsel who is beau crazy and thinks of nothing more than looking pretty. She did have one inner ambition that developed in the beginning that continues throughout the story, and this ambition is to capture the man of her dreams, Ashley Wilkes. As the story develops, so does Scarlett, and though she still doesn’t get over the girlish crush she has on Ashley and ends up in a unwanted hasty marriage, she learns she needs to take responsibility and try and be the shoulders people can lean on. Others may not be able to carry heavy burdens on their shoulders but Scarlett learned early on in the war that she would have too. Scarlett’s more obvious ambition was to become a success and, no matter what, to not live in poverty or want, like so many other during and after the war. In doing this, she lost all of her girlish innocense and lady-like status and became a somewhat cold hearted, and very blunt business woman. The only warm spot in her heart was the burning desire for Ashley. She was even willing to betray not only her three husbands, but the one true friend she ever had. Scarlett eventually learned though, that in doing this she has become a person she never thought she could be and realized she never actually loved Ashley, but it was her third husband Rhett whom she really loved all along.

Rhett Butler was a man known in Atlanta for many things, in which very few were something to be proud of. He was a scoundrel and a repulsive liar who cared little of what others thought. When looking at a woman, they could not help but feel as if being unclothed by his eyes. He only showed respect to one woman and that was Melanie Wilkes. Rhett was a man that took advantage of many things, one of which was the war. Instead of being a proud southerner who went to fight for “The Cause,” he used the war to his advantage by blockading and by basically stealing the Confederate money. At the end of the war, he was one of few who had money left and used this to capture the eye of Scarlett. Ever since he saw Scarlett he had wanted her in a way he never thought he could. He waited by her side being the outspoken, rude man he was hoping that she would want and love him the way he loved her. He couldn’t help but care for the one woman who was like himself and was willing to wait for her throughout her marriages. When he finally had her, he knew she didn’t love him but Rhett was determined to make her forget about Ashley. Slowly Rhett gave up and when he was given a daughter from Scarlett, he paid all the attention that was not received by Scarlett to his Bonnie. Bonnie is what changed Rhett the most throughout the story. Because of Bonnie he wanted people to like his family so that the little girl wouldn’t suffer. He wasn’t ashamed to show his love for his daughter and in fact flaunted it. When Bonnie died, every feeling he had for Scarlett was gone; everything he cared about went away with her death.

Melanie Wilkes was a woman who took great joy and pride in whatever was part of her life. She was the one true friend Scarlett ever had and refused to ever hear a bad word about Scarlett or her husband. In everyone’s eyes, Melanie was an angel to Atlanta and all of Georgia. She was the leader in all the committees of the war, and was always willing to help or to donate to anyone in need. She would work for hours in hospitals or on a farm if it made someone happy even if it killed her frail little body. Though Scarlett saw her as a fool, Melanie was always her trustworthy friend even if she had a right not to be. At first Melanie was only in the way, keeping Scarlett from her beloved Ashley, but as the story continues, Melanie becomes more important in Scarlett’s life then she ever realized or thought possible. From the beginning to the end, up until Melanie’s dying day, she was a kind, sweet hearted person, and never changed.

Conflict

There are many conflicts Scarlett in Gone With the Wind that her made life difficult, the most obvious of which was the United States Civil War. The Civil War was a conflict that started in the beginning of the book but affected the outcome of the remainder of the story. Scarlett never liked the war and never had any pride in being part of it. In fact, Scarlett found the war utterly stupid and quite bothersome. Because of the war, parties were less frequent and social gatherings scarce, and never was there a conversation that didn’t end up with the news of the latest battle. Scarlett hated hearing a single word about the war but had to pretend on being interested or Atlanta would hate her. Eventually though, Scarlett didn’t care if the town liked her or not. When the fighting reached Atlanta, and everyone was forced to leave, Scarlett was faced with more trouble then she ever imagined. She had mouths to feed and no food to feed them, and land to work with no workers. Scarlett struggled to survive and lived out her nightmare of being poor and starving. Later when she was given the chance, she made money in unwomanly ways carefree of what others thought. She felt that others were ignorant to care about their pride when there were ways of making money and feeding their families even if it wasn’t respectable. Because of the war, Scarlett lived a life she didn’t plan on living and became a person she wasn’t raised to be.

Another conflict that affected Scarlett’s life was Rhett Butler. Rhett is a character that was introduced in the beginning of the story and continues to bother Scarlett throughout. At first, Rhett was nothing more then a rude, repulsive man, but as the time goes by Scarlett becomes fond of the man. The two were a lot alike and seemed to understand one another’s motives. But one motive Scarlett never caught was that Rhett loved her and wanted her as his own. She never saw the longing look in his eye but eventually did marry him for the security of his money. It would take years of their marriage and many fights before she would realize her true feelings for Rhett, but by then it would be too late.

Setting

The story of Gone With The Wind is set in the time of the United States Civil War beginning in 1861. The story takes place in Georgia, mainly Atlanta and Savannah which were the towns that were majorly impacted by the War. Margaret Mitchell wrote this book in 1936 but was able to capture a view of the Civil War through the eyes of a southern belle, Scarlett O’Hara.

Tara, Scarlett's home in Savannah, was a sanctuary for her whenever she needed somewhere to escape too. Tara was the plantation that she grew up on and where her Irish roots always brought her back to. Not only did she love “the red land” but she loved the feeling that surrounded it. The people who were so kind and friendly to her and the way she would always feel so comfortable within the boundaries kept her returning whenever she got the chance. Until she got that chance, she lived in Atlanta, where constant commotion about the war took place.

Atlanta was a fast growing town in which Scarlett found a nice change. Though it was not home, Atlanta was a busy place where parties, social events, and were all interesting action could be found. During the war, Atlanta was hope for the troops and was home for resources and transportation. The war gave meaning to the lives of the Georgians; for the men it was the fighting, and for the women it was nursing the men that fought. The town overflowed with the excitement of the war, but the war was nothing but a bother to Scarlett.

Between worries that one of her husbands would join the Ku Klux Klan and the threats of Yankees, Carpetbaggers, or Scallawags taking her precious Tara by taxes, Scarlett found a way to keep herself financially secure and busy by opening business. By doing this, the society which surrounded her in the growing town of Atlanta, frowned down upon her and became disappointed in the child of the great lady Ellen. Scarlett however, could care less about these people now, she was too afraid to starve and of being poor like she did in the war, therefor driving her to do unwomanly things.

When in Tara, Scarlett is more content and more calm with her life. She feels more at home and feels safer and troublefree, as if everything wrong in her life doesn't exsist. When in Atalana, Scarlett is more proud. She is proud of the business that she has produced and the knowlegde that this business is supporting the survival of Tara. But in Atalanta, Scarlett is also more selfish and overconfident, not worrying about how she is percieved by others.

Vocabulary

Margaret Mitchell wrote this novel with the tongue of a Southerner. From the gentlemen and the ladies high-class babble, to the black slaves choppy English.

Consternation: fear resulting from the awareness of danger

Furtively: expressive of hidden motives or purposes; shifty

Volatile: fleeting, tending to violence, explosive behavior

Upbraided: to reprove sharply

Impregnable: impossible to capture or enter by force

Commissariat: a department of the army in charge of provided food or other supplies to troops

Ingratiating: pleasing, agreeable; calculated to please or win favor

Style

While writing this story, Margaret Mitchell used southern dialog, themes, and morals as a bases for her text. Throughout the story, the dialog and word choice has a complete southern feel and sound that rounded the southern concept she was trying to portray.

Point of View

Gone With the Wind is a story written in a third person omniscient point of view. Margaret Mitchell writes the story mainly through Scarlett’s point of view but uses the other character’s side stories to give a different insight or to give more needed information to the reader. The point of view is also objective at times in which the perspective is outside of the character's mind and focuses more on the town or the action around it.

Figurative Language

The imagery that Margaret presented essentially was based around comparison of what was right and wrong in the southern society. Margaret uses metaphors and similes to contribute to the personification of the events and concepts of the story. Mitchell also uses in-depth description to add to the character’s attitudes and personalities, giving the characters and events in the story a well rounded identity.

Tone/Mood

The mood of this story has a southern feel and can be very sarcastic. Scarelett O’Hara, being the main character in Gone With the Wind, gives a different view of a southern belle with her constant cutting attitude and her witty remarks. Scarlett brings the feel of a rebellious southerner to the story when all others try to respect what is “proper.”

Themes

There are many themes in this novel that have meaning outside of the story itself. One theme is to overcome hardships and adversity. Scarlett was faced with many difficult hardships in her life during and after the Civil War and had to find ways of moving past them for the survival of not only herself but her friends and family. She gave all the strength she had in able to rebuild Tara and support the many helpless loved ones around her. Scarlett was even willing to give up her reputation and all her morals in able to survive and overcome. By portraying the strong willpower of a young woman, and the ability to move forward with life when times are tough, Margaret Mitchell sends a strong message to all those with hard living conditions that they can survive if they are willing to try.

Another theme that is presented in Gone With the Wind is portrayed by Scarlett’s blind eye towards Rhett. Scarlett wished and waited for love throughout the entire story, but always managed to look in the wrong place. She fell in love with a man who looked the part of “prince charming” and therefore was willing to wait forever for him, but she never took the time to look around to what was right there available to her. She always had Rhett around but never saw him for man he really was, the man that was destined to be with her. She only remembered the man who she thought looked the part until it was too late. Margaret used Scarlett in this story to show how easily true love can be lost when one is blind to what is right in front of them. She was able to show that you should never overlook something to quickly because it might be what you were looking for all along.

Author

Margaret Mitchell was known for writing “America’s Most Beloved Epic Novel” that sold more hard-back copies aside from the Bible in its time. Margaret grew up in Atlanta, Georgia surrounded by Civil War veterans that told story after story about the Civil War, except in their versions the Confederates lost. She was 10 before she made that discovery. It was believed that the writing of Gone With the Wind was done when Margaret was in bed rest for a broken ankle. Her husband would bring her books from the library and when she tired of them her husband told her that if she wanted another book she would have to write her own. Margaret took this idea to heart and used her “encyclopedic” knowledge of the Civil War as well as her own dramatic experiences in her life to begin her great masterpiece. Once Margaret was out of bed rest, she lost all interest in pursuing her literary abilities. Only by luck did she end up taking the plunge of getting her book published, and in 1936 the plunge was justified. Margaret was known for only writing one book but it is now believed that she did end up writing one other piece of work, a novella entitled “Lost Laysen.” This work was written in two journals that were found with a series of love letters between Margaret and a suitor and, when it was discovered in the 1990’s, the work was finished and then published in 1996.