Gone With The Wind

GONE WITH THE WIND
by Margaret Mitchell

Awards: National Book Winner 1936, Pulitzer Winner 1937

Dates Read: December 4, 2006 & July 5, 2018

I am truly torn by this novel. On the one hand, I absolutely love the writing, the imagery and the historical perspective. On the other hand, the racism and misogyny are pretty hard to take. And as for Scarlett herself? Wow, what a bitch!

This sweeping saga of colonial Georgia moves from "happy" plantation life to enduring and surviving the Civil War and all it's aftermath.  Of course, driving plot device is centered on Scarlett's secret love for Ashley, a man she never quite attains and who is pledged to Melanie, and Rhett's open lust for Scarlett. Scarlett would do almost anything to obtain Ashley's favor, including having an affair with him behind Melanie's back.

One of the key plot points that scholars have balked at is the depiction of the happy and devoted slave as painted here by Mitchell. Many of the house slaves in Gone With The Wind choose to stay by Scarlett's side even after the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment. While all the field hands depart during the war never to return, many of the house servants stay on at Tara. Although clearly served up in fiction, many writers have used this novel as a reference point for further southern literature.

Scarlett's character is tenacious, spoiled and driven. In the beginning, as she pines for Ashley and frets about her wardrobe, the reader is introduced to her spoiled and selfish nature. As the war progresses, Scarlett has to dig deep within herself to escape Atlanta, keep Melanie alive and feed everyone all those at Tara, driving herself to exhaustion. She is made of much tougher stuff than even she had thought.

Which leads to Rhett, a memorable character if there ever was one. He is led purely by his own pleasure and whim, yet can be persuaded to do the right thing and ultimately does have a heart of gold, particularly where Scarlett is concerned. Scarlett's treatment of him is dreadful but he can't seem to steer clear. 

Given it's time and content, I can understand why this novel won when it did. And as difficult as the subject matter might be, Gone With The Wind is still an American treasure that I personally will value for the rest of my life.