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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first time reading this classic. From what I knew, the book and film were mired in controversy. I’ll still need time to reflect on it as a whole, but I have a few thoughts to express for the time being.
Admittedly, I abhored Scarlett’s character for most of the novel. She was undeniably selfish, narrow-minded, spoiled, and narcissistic. Society accepted her petulance, and most of the situations she found herself in where her own fault. It was frustrating how much she despised Melanie and fixated on Ashley. She also disregarded her first two children, since they were born from men she did not love. It was disturbing how little she cared about her oldest. Yet, she was fascinating. A shallow pool, she still reflected so much of the time and the devastation of the Civil War. She grew a lot as a character, due to the hardships of recomstruction; however, the harder she worked and the more she deserved a break, the worse she was treated. To me, she reflects the South during this time beautifully, as a transition from the civil war to reconstruction. She grew on me, and to see her develop so much and lose everything for it was saddening.
Regarding her love interests— Ashley was dull. That’s why Scarlett obssessed over him. He could be anything she wanted him to be, except hers. He should have known better about leading her on, and there he failed. Melanie deserved so much better than him. He was weak-willed. Rhett, on the other hand, was toxic. He only seemed to love Scarlett when he knew she had her attention diverted elsewhere. He loved her drama and naivety, and when she outgrew it, he lost interest. When they first met, they were perfect for each other. Both dramatic, shallow, unabashedly willingly to flirt with societal expectations. His choice to leave Scarlett after abusing and ignoring her shows how little he grew after their first meeting. I think when he almost lost her was the breaking point; he couldn’t dare to let himself feel anymore. Also, though she was no angel, neither was he. He constantly led her on and toyed with her; he knew this was the only way to keep her attention during her youth. But when they married, he didn’t switch tactics to show her what emotions were real. Then he blamed her for misreading them. Not to mention he assaulted her.
As for the controversial aspects of the story. Let me be candid: there is both overt racisim that’s part of the story, and less visible but influential aspects. Several slaves, like Prissy (during the childbirth plotline) were portrayed as unintelligent. There was also this stranger perspective that the slaves loved and respected the white persons in the book. The “good” black persons looked down on the “bad” ones who took vengence after being abused for centuries. Black people are not disregarded, but there are clear bald-faced lies about their treatment. Scarlett is an unreliable narrator, so some of this can be chalked up to her ignorance or unwillingess to see the world around her clearly. However, it remains unclear how much the author agreed with the revisionist history she presents about the South, and how much of it is meant to be the characters’ understanding of their changing world.
I do like, however, that the novel is careful to point out that white Southerners were not the only racists. The carpetbaggers and union soldiers were blatantly racist as well, just in a different way. Scarlett does interpret southerners’ racism as “better,” but nobody wins a prize here.
The novel gives good insight as to why Southerners have a history of clinging to the confederacy. The resentment, destruction, and bittnerness the war created is omnipresent in the book. Reading this book on a surface level idolizes the South and its history. But reading deeper shows an important perspective that continues to perpetuate racism’s hold on the US to this day.
Ultimately, I really enjoyed this work. The writing is beautiful, and the story so engaging for the lengthiness it presents. Still, I find it inappropriate to rate it, given the controversial aspects. I refrain from rating books where it feels inappropriate to do so.
Admittedly, I abhored Scarlett’s character for most of the novel. She was undeniably selfish, narrow-minded, spoiled, and narcissistic. Society accepted her petulance, and most of the situations she found herself in where her own fault. It was frustrating how much she despised Melanie and fixated on Ashley. She also disregarded her first two children, since they were born from men she did not love. It was disturbing how little she cared about her oldest. Yet, she was fascinating. A shallow pool, she still reflected so much of the time and the devastation of the Civil War. She grew a lot as a character, due to the hardships of recomstruction; however, the harder she worked and the more she deserved a break, the worse she was treated. To me, she reflects the South during this time beautifully, as a transition from the civil war to reconstruction. She grew on me, and to see her develop so much and lose everything for it was saddening.
Regarding her love interests— Ashley was dull. That’s why Scarlett obssessed over him. He could be anything she wanted him to be, except hers. He should have known better about leading her on, and there he failed. Melanie deserved so much better than him. He was weak-willed. Rhett, on the other hand, was toxic. He only seemed to love Scarlett when he knew she had her attention diverted elsewhere. He loved her drama and naivety, and when she outgrew it, he lost interest. When they first met, they were perfect for each other. Both dramatic, shallow, unabashedly willingly to flirt with societal expectations. His choice to leave Scarlett after abusing and ignoring her shows how little he grew after their first meeting. I think when he almost lost her was the breaking point; he couldn’t dare to let himself feel anymore. Also, though she was no angel, neither was he. He constantly led her on and toyed with her; he knew this was the only way to keep her attention during her youth. But when they married, he didn’t switch tactics to show her what emotions were real. Then he blamed her for misreading them. Not to mention he assaulted her.
As for the controversial aspects of the story. Let me be candid: there is both overt racisim that’s part of the story, and less visible but influential aspects. Several slaves, like Prissy (during the childbirth plotline) were portrayed as unintelligent. There was also this stranger perspective that the slaves loved and respected the white persons in the book. The “good” black persons looked down on the “bad” ones who took vengence after being abused for centuries. Black people are not disregarded, but there are clear bald-faced lies about their treatment. Scarlett is an unreliable narrator, so some of this can be chalked up to her ignorance or unwillingess to see the world around her clearly. However, it remains unclear how much the author agreed with the revisionist history she presents about the South, and how much of it is meant to be the characters’ understanding of their changing world.
I do like, however, that the novel is careful to point out that white Southerners were not the only racists. The carpetbaggers and union soldiers were blatantly racist as well, just in a different way. Scarlett does interpret southerners’ racism as “better,” but nobody wins a prize here.
The novel gives good insight as to why Southerners have a history of clinging to the confederacy. The resentment, destruction, and bittnerness the war created is omnipresent in the book. Reading this book on a surface level idolizes the South and its history. But reading deeper shows an important perspective that continues to perpetuate racism’s hold on the US to this day.
Ultimately, I really enjoyed this work. The writing is beautiful, and the story so engaging for the lengthiness it presents. Still, I find it inappropriate to rate it, given the controversial aspects. I refrain from rating books where it feels inappropriate to do so.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Murder, Pregnancy, War
Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, Sexism, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
I was a teenager when I read this book and I would read it again in a heartbeat. It is an American classic with a brilliance that just doesn't get old. It is a timeless classic that will go on for the future generations even if they can't ever be able to relate anymore to the horse and the buggy or the slavery of the South .....
It is a story of love, romance, war, loss and lunacy and it is the unforgettable characters of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler that live on in your minds .... although there is that pesky little Ashley Wilkes that messes everything up but then where would be our tragedy if Scarlett were bright and saw that the true future, brains and genius lies with none other than Rhett?
It's been too long. I'm thinking I should read it again. May be back with an updated revision now that I am an adult and all ;)! But you will not regret reading the original (and only the original not any of the ridiculous sequels) of Marget Mitchell's Gone with the Win.
It is a story of love, romance, war, loss and lunacy and it is the unforgettable characters of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler that live on in your minds .... although there is that pesky little Ashley Wilkes that messes everything up but then where would be our tragedy if Scarlett were bright and saw that the true future, brains and genius lies with none other than Rhett?
It's been too long. I'm thinking I should read it again. May be back with an updated revision now that I am an adult and all ;)! But you will not regret reading the original (and only the original not any of the ridiculous sequels) of Marget Mitchell's Gone with the Win.
slow-paced
This one is tough to rate on a star scale. It’s very pro-confederate, revisionist history and is full of so much racism I’m genuinely surprised that we collectively decided it was a “classic”. I have not seen the movie so I went into this blind, and boy was I surprised. My fault for not reading any reviews and just wanting to participate in a conversation about Scarlett 🤣
At the same time though the writing is really quite good, and the characters make you feel all sorts of things. And the ending?! What?!
Mixed mixed feelings.
At the same time though the writing is really quite good, and the characters make you feel all sorts of things. And the ending?! What?!
Mixed mixed feelings.
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Living in Charleston, SC since the early 70s, I have often heard folks wax sentimental about the film adaptation of “Gone With the Wind”, and, almost as often, received recommendations to read the book.
“SUCH a romantic story!” “Rhett Butler is SO sexy!” “Scarlett is a wonderful role model for young girls – a very strong woman.” Of course, there were a few who declared that Ashley and Melanie were the better role models, but most people who are enthusiastic about GWTW are fans of Rhett and Scarlett.
I have tried many times over the years to watch the movie version of “Gone With the Wind”. For some reason, I never last more than an hour. I even talked a date into leaving before intermission when he treated me to a much anticipated (by the community and local press) showing of the classic at movie theater in 1973. The cinematography was undeniably exceptional, but the script seemed to careen from one scene to the next and the characterization was thin.
I finally decided to give the book a chance. I have to admit, the book gave a lot more depth to Scarlett and Rhett – unfortunately, that caused me to go from disliking their characters to absolutely HATING them! I found that I didn’t like ANY of the characters populating the world of “Gone With the Wind”. Melanie and Ashley were weak and definitely contenders for the Darwin Awards. Thank goodness for them both that the sociopath, Scarlett, decided to keep them alive. All the other white characters were arrogant and racist, and the black characters were …. well …. caricatures.
Historic Romance? When a sociopath and a misogynist vie for control over one another – is that romance? I don’t think so.
Historic Fiction? Really? An Antebellum South that is a utopia of mutual love and respect between the rich, white plantation owners and their savage, child-like black slaves? More like Historic FANTASY!
I could find nothing redeeming about this novel. There is no way I could have finished it if I had been reading it instead of listening to an audio book version. If you MUST read this novel for an assignment or book club, I highly recommend the Audible Audio version narrated by Linda Stephens. Her narration was exceptional.
“SUCH a romantic story!” “Rhett Butler is SO sexy!” “Scarlett is a wonderful role model for young girls – a very strong woman.” Of course, there were a few who declared that Ashley and Melanie were the better role models, but most people who are enthusiastic about GWTW are fans of Rhett and Scarlett.
I have tried many times over the years to watch the movie version of “Gone With the Wind”. For some reason, I never last more than an hour. I even talked a date into leaving before intermission when he treated me to a much anticipated (by the community and local press) showing of the classic at movie theater in 1973. The cinematography was undeniably exceptional, but the script seemed to careen from one scene to the next and the characterization was thin.
I finally decided to give the book a chance. I have to admit, the book gave a lot more depth to Scarlett and Rhett – unfortunately, that caused me to go from disliking their characters to absolutely HATING them! I found that I didn’t like ANY of the characters populating the world of “Gone With the Wind”. Melanie and Ashley were weak and definitely contenders for the Darwin Awards. Thank goodness for them both that the sociopath, Scarlett, decided to keep them alive. All the other white characters were arrogant and racist, and the black characters were …. well …. caricatures.
Historic Romance? When a sociopath and a misogynist vie for control over one another – is that romance? I don’t think so.
Historic Fiction? Really? An Antebellum South that is a utopia of mutual love and respect between the rich, white plantation owners and their savage, child-like black slaves? More like Historic FANTASY!
I could find nothing redeeming about this novel. There is no way I could have finished it if I had been reading it instead of listening to an audio book version. If you MUST read this novel for an assignment or book club, I highly recommend the Audible Audio version narrated by Linda Stephens. Her narration was exceptional.