Gone with the Wind (novel)

For other uses, see Gone with the Wind (novel) (disambiguation).

Gone with the Wind

Original 1936 cover of Gone with the Wind
Author	Margaret Mitchell
Language	English
Genre	Historical novel
Publisher	Macmillan Publishers
Publication date	June 30, 1936
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardcover and paperback)
Pages	1037 (first edition) 1024 (Warner Books paperback)
ISBN	ISBN 0-446-36538-6 (Warner)

Gone with the Wind, an American novel by Margaret Mitchell, was published in 1936 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1937. It was the only book that Mitchell published in her lifetime, but it became the best-selling American novel of the 20th century, surpassed only by Valley of the Dolls in the late 1960s.

Title

The title is taken from the first line of the third stanza of the poem Non sum qualís eram bonae sub regno Cynarae by Ernest Dowson: "I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind." The title phrase also appears in the novel: When Scarlett escapes Atlanta's bombing by the forces of the North, she flees back to her family's plantation, Tara. At one point, she wonders, "Was Tara still standing? Or was Tara also gone with the wind which had swept through Georgia?" [page 390].

Plot summary

Mitchell's work relates the story of a rebellious Georgia Southern belle named Scarlett O'Hara and her experiences with friends, family, lovers, and enemies in the South during the antebellum period, the American Civil War, and the Reconstruction era.

Part One

Chapters I to VII

The novel opens at Tara, the O'Hara plantation in Georgia, with Scarlett O'Hara flirting wildly with Brent and Stuart Tarleton, twin brothers who live on a nearby plantation. In the chatter, the pair tell Scarlett that Ashley Wilkes, the man Scarlett loves, and his cousin Melanie Hamilton, a plain and gentle lady from Atlanta, are to be married. Shocked, Scarlett sits in silence until the two leave without inviting them to dinner. Ignoring her mammy's cautions against the cold, Scarlett goes to meet her father to confirm the news.

After discovering the truth of the engagement, Scarlett plans to make Ashley jealous by surrounding herself with boys in love with her at the barbecue at Twelve Oaks, the Wilkes plantation, the next day. Included in the list of fawning gentlemen is shy Charles Hamilton. However, things do not go to plan, and when she finds Ashley later, he tells her that, though he loves Scarlett, he will still marry Melanie. The unreceived blockade runner Rhett Butler, hidden behind a couch, sees Scarlett throw a vase across the room because of her frustration with Ashley. Charles Hamilton, believing himself in love with Scarlett, proposes before war begins, and in her upset state at Ashley's rejection, she accepts.

Both engaged pairs get married. After going to war, Charles Hamilton dies of measles, and Scarlett gives birth to his son Wade Hampton, leaving her a widow with a child. Once a girl who loved balls and dances and boys, Scarlett was relegated to black dress and veils. In her distress at this, and not at Charles' death, her mother sends her to Atlanta, to Melanie Hamilton and her Aunt Pittypat, to raise Scarlett's spirits.

Part Two

Chapters VIII to XVI

In Atlanta, Scarlett fits right into the hustle and bustle of the city. Melanie, whom Scarlett despises for having married Ashley, treats Scarlett like a sister. However, at a charity ball, she sulks; her widow status prevents her from dancing, which she loves to do. She is relegated to selling things for the Confederate cause, which she realizes she does not care about. When a donation basket goes around for jewelry to sell for the Confederacy, Scarlett gives her wedding ring, and Melanie courageously does the same. Rhett Butler sees both do so. He also senses Scarlett's agitation at not dancing. Later, a bid for the first dance, with the girl of the gentleman's choice, is announced. After several rounds of bidding, Rhett Butler bids 150 dollars in gold for Mrs. Charles Hamilton, and against popular support, Scarlett accepts. She gleefully dances all night with Rhett, Melanie receives her ring back from Rhett, who redeemed it for far more than its value, along with a note. Scarlett believes that he did so only to be allowed into Aunt Pittypat's house. Another letter for Scarlett, from her mother Ellen O'Hara, arrives. Shocked at her behavior at the reel, her father, Gerald O'Hara, has been sent to Atlanta to upbraid her and take her back to Atlanta. However, threatening to tell her mother of her father's loss of $500 at gambling, Scarlett manipulates her father into allowing her to stay.

The war continues with Scarlett in Atlanta, and she occasionally spends time with Rhett when he calls on the house, though he infuriates her. Ashley visits for Christmas, and Scarlett jealously watches Melanie give him a beautiful coat of precious grey wool, while all she has for him is a scarf.

Part Three

Chapters XVII to XXX

Slowly, the tide of war turns against the South. Atlanta is bombarded constantly. The women nurse the injured in overfull hospitals. Finally, the Yankees begin their march on Atlanta, and the city evacuates. However, Melanie is pregnant, and because Scarlett promised Ashley that she would protect Melanie, Scarlett is forced to stay with her through her labor as the Yankees begin their siege. Eventually, Rhett Butler digs up a broken-down horse and carriage and carts the weakened Melanie, her baby, their slave Prissy, and Scarlett out of Atlanta. He abandons them on the road back to Tara to fight for the South just before its collapse, but not before giving Scarlett a kiss.

Arriving home at Tara, Scarlett finds the house in ruins, the food gone, the crops burned, most of the slaves run off, her mother dead, her father addled, and her two sisters sick. She grasps the reins of authority and tries to turn the place around. A Yankee arrives looking to steal, and she kills him and takes his money. Several Yankee soldiers sweep through again to take what they can. She forces the people to tend fields, which her sister Suellen complains about and her sister Carreen does obligingly. A soldier named Will arrives sick and Careen nurses him back to health, and he slowly takes on more responsibility. Suellen's Frank Kennedy, who is expected to marry her, asks Scarlett for her opinion on engagement. Finally, Ashley is seen walking on the path up to Tara.

Part Four

Chapters XXXI to XLVII

Tara's former Yankee overseer Jonas Wilkerson, newly a Scallawag, raises the taxes on Tara to force the O'Haras out; his new "white trash" wife Emmie Slattery, whom he impregnated, wants to live there. Scarlett goes to Atlanta to coerce Rhett into marrying her to get the money to pay the taxes, but finds him in jail. Desperate, she sees Frank Kennedy, newly a store-owner, and lies that Suellen is to marry someone else. Frank, saddened by Suellen's supposed defection, marries Scarlett, and she pays. After Rhett gets out of jail, he goes to make sure Scarlett got the money she needed and lends her more so that she can buy a sawmill, with the promise that she will not use the money to help Ashley Wilkes. Though horrified at her unwomanly behavior, Frank cowers whenever she flares up at him when he comments on her actions. During this time, Scarlett gets pregnant, and she scrambles to get her monies in order before her confinement, earning the ire of the Old Guard by showing herself when pregnant and doing well in business.

While pregnant, Scarlett gets notice that Gerald has died. After returning to Tara for the funeral, Scarlett hears from Will that Suellen had tried to get Gerald to sign the Ironclad Oath for money, and realizing this, Gerald flew into a rage, tried to jump a fence with a horse, and broke his neck. The Old Guard despised Suellen for this, but Scarlett agreed with her. Will then spoke at the funeral to prevent the Old Guard from berating Suellen, then announced his intention to marry her, although he had always loved Carreen. Carreen enters a convent instead. After the funeral, Scarlett guilts Ashley into returning to Atlanta with her to run a sawmill to prevent him from leaving for the North, although this breaks his spirit and his independence. Ashley turns out to be a poor manager, so Scarlett decides to use convicts at the sawmill for labor.

While driving alone to and from the sawmill, which is frowned upon by her neighbors, Scarlett is attacked by two men. To avenge her, Frank, Ashley, and the rest of the local gentlemen in the Ku Klux Klan raid the shantytown where Scarlett was jumped. Unknowing, Scarlett complains of Frank's carelessness towards her for going to a "political meeting" after the ordeal she endured. The Yankee army arrives at the house and asks for Ashley, and stands outside the door to wait for his return. Rhett, having gone after the KKK men, brings Ashley and the rest back staggering drunk. After claiming that they were at Belle Watling's house, Rhett convinces the Yankees to leave, whereupon it is discovered that Ashley is injured and Frank dead. Ashley and Belle give testimony the next morning of their whereabouts the night before. Afterwards, Rhett proposes to Scarlett.

Part Five

Chapters XLVIII to LXIII

Scarlett marries Rhett Butler and goes to New Orleans for her honeymoon. He comforts her in her nightmares, feeds her rich things, dresses her in expensive gowns, and generally spoils her. The only thing he refuses is to help her help Ashley Wilkes. Scarlett begins spending time with the newly rich Yankees, who have little if any scruples. The Old Guard decide to cut Scarlett and Rhett out of society for the company they keep and the actions they have done. Only Melanie's loyalty keeps Scarlett in the fold at all. Scarlett builds a mansion and spends money lavishly. Scarlett soon learns that she is pregnant and gives birth to a baby, whom Rhett promptly claims and begins to spoil hugely. Scarlett hates the change in her figure from the birth and decides to have no more children.

One day at the mill, Ashley tells Scarlett that he is jealous of Rhett. Believing this to mean that he still loves her, Scarlett decides that she and Rhett will have separate bedrooms. After she tells Rhett, he claims not to care, and she cries herself to sleep while thinking of missing him in her bed. Rejected by Scarlett, Rhett turns to Bonnie and decides that, though Atlanta hates her parents, Bonnie should have everything. So he turns all of his charm on to win Atlanta over to give Bonnie a chance in the Old Guard.

Soon after, Melanie plans to throw a "surprise" birthday party for Ashley. Scarlett goes to his mill, and the two chat about old times. They hug as friends. However, India Wilkes and Archie see, and as both have suspected for a long time, both jump to conclusions. Later that night, Rhett, having heard from Archie, forces Scarlett out of bed and to the party. Scarlett goes with trepidation, fearing Melanie's reaction. Melanie stands by Scarlett's side, asking her to receive guests with her.

Later that night, Scarlett accidentally finds Rhett downstairs, drunk and showing it, as he has never done. Blind with jealousy, he tells Scarlett that he loves her and would kill her to make her forget Ashley. Picking her up, he carries her up the stairs, and the two have a wild night. However, Scarlett wakes up alone, and two days later, when Rhett returns, they have a very cold reunion. Rhett takes Bonnie on an extended trip abroad. All of Atlanta chooses sides between India or Scarlett, whom Melanie fiercely defends.

Scarlett discovers that she is pregnant, and for the first time, she is glad. However, when Rhett returns after three months with a cold greeting, she doesn't want the baby anymore. Teasing her, Rhett says, "Cheer up, maybe you'll have a miscarriage." Enraged, Scarlett tries to claw him, falls down the stairs, and actually has a miscarriage. Rhett, frantic with guilt, cries to Melanie about his jealousy but refrains from telling her about Scarlett's feelings for Ashley.

After recovering at Tara, Scarlett is tricked by Rhett into selling the sawmills to Ashley. Rhett spends his time edging Bonnie back into Southern society. However, one day, Bonnie dies trying to jump her horse. Scarlett and Rhett stop spending any amount of time together, though she wants to. She says she will even have another baby to get rid of that look in his eyes.

Scarlett soon receives word that Melanie is dying. On her deathbed, Melanie tells Scarlett to watch out for Ashley and to be good to Rhett. Scarlett realizes that she never loved Ashley. However, when she tells Rhett this, he replies, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn". He leaves for Charleston. Scarlett cannot think of anything to do. Finally, she decides to go back to Tara and fix it. She says, "Tomorrow is another day."

Characters

Butler Household

• Scarlett O'Hara – main character, willful and spoiled Southern belle
• Rhett Butler – Scarlett's love interest and third husband, generally publicly reviled
• Wade Hampton Hamilton – Scarlett and Charles's shy, timid son
• Ella Lorena Kennedy – Scarlett and Frank's silly, ugly daughter
• Eugenie Victoria "Bonnie" Butler – Scarlett and Rhett's beloved, spoiled daughter

Wilkes Household

• Ashley Wilkes – the man Scarlett claims to love, Melanie's husband, a dreamer
• Melanie Hamilton Wilkes – Ashley's wife, Scarlett's sister-in-law, a true lady
• Beau Wilkes – Melanie's and Ashley's lovable son, delivered by Scarlett
• India Wilkes – Ashley's sister, bitterly hates Scarlett
• Honey Wilkes – boy-crazy, originally had an "understanding" with Charles Hamilton
• John Wilkes; Owner of Twelve Oaks Plantation and patriarch of the Wilkes family

O'Hara Household

• Mammy – Scarlett's nurse from birth
• Gerald O'Hara – Scarlett's slightly coarse father
• Ellen O'Hara – Scarlett's beloved mother
• Suellen O'Hara – Scarlett's younger sister, whiny and lazy
• Carreen O'Hara – Scarlett's youngest sister, gentle and kind
• Pork – first and loyal slave of Gerald's
• Dilcey – Pork's wife, purchased from Twelve Oaks
• Prissy – slave daughter of Pork's wife, silly and foolish

Other Characters

• Charles Hamilton – Melanie's brother, Scarlett's first husband
• Frank Kennedy – Suellen's former beau, Scarlett's second husband
• Belle Watling – wealthy prostitute, friend of Rhett's
• Jonas Wilkerson – former overseer of Tara, illegitimate father of Emmie Slattery's baby
• Emmie Slattery – later wife of Jonas Wilkerson, "white trash"

Important places

• Tara – The O'Hara home and plantation
• Twelve Oaks – The Wilkes plantation
• Peachtree Street – street of Aunt Pittypat's home in Atlanta, where much of the book takes place

Politics

Critics and historians regard the book as having a strong ideological commitment to the cause of the Confederacy and a romanticized view of the culture of the antebellum South.

The book includes a vivid description of the fall of Atlanta in 1864 and the devastation of war (some of it absent from the 1939 film), and shows a considerable amount of historical research. However, Mitchell's sources were almost exclusively Southern writers and historians. Mitchell's sweeping narrative of war and loss helped the book win the Pulitzer Prize on May 3, 1937.

An episode in the book deals with the early Ku Klux Klan: in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, Scarlett is assaulted by recently-emancipated Blacks, whereupon her male friends make a retaliatory night-time raid on the Blacks' encampment. This raid is presented sympathetically as being necessary and justified, while the law-enforcement officers trying to catch the perpetrators are depicted as oppressive Northern occupiers.

Although the Klan is not mentioned in that scene, Scarlett later learns that Ashley Wilkes and others who were involved in the raid are members of the Klan. Many such local anti-Black vigilante groups did eventually join the Klan in the late 1860s, as Mitchell must have been aware from her historical research. However, it is mentioned that Scarlett finds the Klan abominable and believes the men should all just stay at home (though this is motivated mostly by a selfish desire to both be petted for her ordeal and to give the hated Yankees no more reason to tighten martial law, which is bad for her businesses). Rhett is also mentioned to be no great lover of the Klan, though he says at one point that if it is necessary he will join in an effort to integrate well into society. The novel never explicitly states whether or not this drastic step was necessary in his view. The local chapter later breaks up under the pressure from Rhett and Ashley.

Racism

Scarlett expresses views about black people that were common for arrogant slaveholders of that time. Some examples:

• "How stupid negroes were! They never thought of anything unless they were told." — Scarlett thinks to herself, after returning to Tara after the fall of Atlanta
• "How dared they laugh, the black apes!...She'd like to have them all whipped until the blood ran down...What devils the Yankees were to set them free!" — Scarlett again thinking to herself, seeing free blacks after the war.

Whether the author necessarily shared Scarlett's views is open to debate. Scarlett has many spiteful and selfish opinions in the novel, and is callous toward her children, her sisters, and of course Melanie, who has every virtue Scarlett lacks.

Inspirations

Several components of Gone with the Wind have parallels with Margaret Mitchell's own life, suggesting her experiences provided some inspiration for the story. Mitchell's understanding of life and hardship during the Civil War, for example, came from elderly relatives and neighbors passing war stories to her generation. While Margaret Mitchell used to say that her Gone with the Wind characters were not based on real people, modern researchers have found similarities to some of the people in Mitchell's own life as well as to individuals she knew or she heard of. Mitchell's maternal grandmother, Annie Fitzgerald Stephens, was born in 1845 the daughter of an Irish immigrant who owned a large plantation on Tara Road in Clayton County, south of Atlanta, and who married an American woman named Ellen, and had several children, all daughters. Rhett Butler is thought to be based on Mitchell's first husband, Red Upshaw, whom she married in 1922, but divorced after it was revealed that he was a bootlegger. (It should also be noted here that it is also thought he was modeled after Sir Godfrey Barnsley of Adairsville, Georgia. After a stay at the plantation called The Woodlands, and later Barnsley Gardens, Mitchell may have gotten the inspiration for the dashing miscreant.)

Another at least partial character source for Scarlett O'Hara might have been Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, the mother of US president Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt biographer, David McCullough, discovered that Mitchell conducted an interview with one of Martha's closest friends and bridesmaid, Evelyn King Williams, at age 87, while a reporter for The Atlanta Journal. In that interview, Martha's physical appearance, beauty, grace and intelligence were described in great detail. The similarities between Martha, who was also called Mittie, and Scarlett are striking.

Trivia

• Margaret Mitchell originally planned her main character to be named Pansy O'Hara. Melanie was originally named Permelia.

• Margaret Mitchell originally planned to title her book Tomorrow Is Another Day.

Sequels

Alexandra Ripley wrote the novel Scarlett, in 1991, as the authorized sequel to Mitchell's novel.

Author Pat Conroy was also approached to write a follow-up, but the project was ultimately abandoned.

In 2000, the copyright holders attempted to suppress publication of Alice Randall's The Wind Done Gone, a book that retold the story from the point of view of the slaves. A federal appeals court denied the plaintiffs an injunction against publication in Suntrust v. Houghton Mifflin (2001), on the basis that the book was parody protected by the First Amendment. The parties subsequently settled out of court to allow the book to be published.

External links

• The story behind Gone with the Wind