gone with the wind

hi ladies,

Its time for Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell.

Summary: Widely considered The Great American Novel, Gone With the Wind explores the depth of human passions with an intensity as bold as its setting in the red hills of Georgia. A superb piece of storytelling, it vividly depicts the drama of the Civil War and Reconstruction.

This Pulitzer Prize-winning story is the tale of Scarlett O'Hara, the spoiled, manipulative daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, who arrives at young womanhood just in time to see the Civil War forever change her way of life. A sweeping story of tangled passion and courage, in the pages of Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell brings to life the unforgettable characters that have captured readers for more than seventy years.

Discussion Questions:

For those of you short on time, there are a lot of pages of description of Georgia and the Civil War- you can skim over these if you are rushed. But if you have time, I would encourage you to read the entire thing.

1. How does Gerald O'Hara fit in society on Northern Georgia as opposed to Savannah?

2. What is the difference in education between Ashley Wilkes and the Tarleton twins? How does this affect their position in the community?

3. Why doesn't Scarlett befriend other girls? As a young woman, whom does she show general affection and why?

4. Why is Ellen so special to Scarlett? Is there anyone else Scarlett admires to the same degree?

5. After overhearing her declaration of love to Ashley, Rhett Butler tells Scarlett "you, Miss, are no lady". Is this the very reason he's drawn to her? What is it about Scarlett that instantly attracts Rhett's eye? Conversely, Aunt Pitty believes Rhett could be a gentleman if only he respected women. Do you agree? Are there any women he does respect? Why them as opposed to others?

6. Why is there a jump in time from Charles's introduction to his death? Were you at all surprised at Scarlett's reaction to widowhood?

8. the many complicated issues of race in this novel. Mammy and Pork consider themselves a higher status than those who work in the field. Why do they believe this? Do they also consider themselves better than "po whites" like the Slatterys?

9. Why does Scarlett love Atlanta so much? How do her feelings differ toward Tara?

10. Most of her fellow Southerners will do anything for "The Cause," and yet Scarlett admits to herself it means "nothing at all to her". Is she being selfish or merely honest? Does her opinion change throughout the novel? And if she doesn't care about The Cause, why does she still hate "Yankees" so much?

11. Who is the better man- Rhett or Ashley?

12. Considering he knows of her love, why does Ashley ask Scarlett to look after his wife, Melanie, while he's at war? Is this fair to ask? Why does Scarlett agree to it?