Gone With The Wind (Part II)

I just finished Gone with the Wind and I am emotionally drained. I had seen the movie, so I should have seen the end coming. I didn’t. From the moment after Melanie’s death when she realizes that she doesn’t love Ashley and actually loves Rhett, I was so excited. Until Rhett said, “My dear, I don’t give a damn.” did I realize that they weren’t getting together. I think the reason Scarlett is so detestable is that she reminds me of all that is detestable in (me) human nature. Gone with the Wind seems to be modeled after the Old Testament in many ways, with Scarlett (Israel) continually spurning the love of Rhett (God) and craving what is not good for her. Thank God the Bible has a better ending. I loved the characters in the book; Rhett, Melanie, Ashley, Mammie, Gerald, Wade, Will Bentine, and many of the other minor characters. I loved to hate some of the characters; Scarlett, India Wilkes, Suellen, Prissy, the old Atlanta society ladies.
What a book! It is around 52 hours of listening, but the second half flew by. It is definitely not a feel-good novel; Scarlett is atrocious, Melanie, Bonnie, Gerald, Ellen, the soldiers die, Reconstruction that is worse than the war. The situation gets continually worse from start to end, but the book becomes more and more intriguing. The book paints an interesting picture about racial relations. The scene when the Yankee ladies call Uncle Peter a “nigger” is heartbreaking. It is such a long and involved book that it is hard to capture thoughts about it. But I would recommend it. Do not judge the book by the movie. (a pretty much universal truth)