float (up and down) (with disc)

Author: Margaret Mitchell
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: Margaret Mitchell uses the word "survival" as the theme of Gone with the Wind, which, of course, refers to how humans survive in the midst of major societal upheaval. The American Civil War destroyed the economy of Georgia and the entire South, and enslaved people regained their freedom. The days of leisure and luxury enjoyed by former slave owners were gone, drifting far away. To survive, they had to shed their arrogance and strive hard; otherwise, there was only one way—death. No wonder even the pillars of Atlanta's upper class had to humble themselves, with bakers baking and carriage drivers driving. To convey this theme, Mitchell also described many charming aspects of the American South to her readers, vividly recreating the life during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods in Georgia. Readers can learn about the customs, social fashion, religious beliefs, and all other characteristics of the Southern United States from this. All of these reflect the collapse and disintegration of a traditional society and the arduous process of how people cope with such a massive social upheaval. Gone with the Wind portrays the social realities of the Southern turmoil during the American Civil War, with the "Southern belle" Scarlett O'Hara as the main character, depicting the love entanglements of several young couples. Scarlett is young and beautiful, but her actions reveal certain inherent traits of the declining slave-owning class: cruelty, greed, and confidence. To revitalize her family's business, she treats love and marriage as transactions, with none of her three marriages being sincere. Later, she finally realizes that the Ashley Wilkes she has always longed for is weak and incompetent, while the self-proclaimed peer to her, Rhett Butler, is worth loving.