Gone with the Wind
Margaret Mitchell
What a book. I was afraid that this beloved novel would fall far short of my expectations, as so many highly recommended books must. This book, however, deserves every bit of hype it gets and then some. It is obvious that Gone with the Wind has been a staple of women's reading lists for many good reasons. The thing that startled me (and impressed me) most about the book was its realism. The book doesn't strain to make things happen that are unrealistic or that make us feel better about Scarlett. Scarlett is selfish and, though she comes to her realization, has already blown her chances at happiness. The story is tragic but true to life and, therefore, far more interesting than most.
The plot of the book is engaging and, though epic, doesn't strike one as incredibly fanciful. Scarlett shows a few hints of early feminism probably more congruent with the 1930s than the 1860s, but the reader is eager to accept a healthy, strong-willed female challenging societal conceptions. Scarlett may be a hellion of sorts to her society, but she still belongs firmly in it; her devotion to old customs despite her recognition of her own abilities is entirely believable, as are her numerous taboos regarding certain social conventions. Scarlett may be uncommonly strong, but her strength is rooted in her story and derived from it, not from ulterior motives. Scarlett herself is refreshing- here is a character we love and hate, a leading lady whom we root for but still chastise when she furthers her own bad habits.
Another refreshing aspect of this book is its lack of political correctness. I believe that there are some elements of truth in Mitchell's presentation of black life during the period concerned, and I think that it is important to remember that slaves were ingrained in Southern life in ways that we cannot fathom today. The book is a little quick to condemn Emancipation and blacks in general, but the views within seem representative of the period and add to the sense of reality in the book. It doesn't feel like reading about the past; the book invites us to step into the past and experience it. To this end, an incredibly interesting detail I picked up on was the use of the n-word to describe blacks. I believe Mitchell is onto something. Scarlett is shocked when she first hears the word used by Northern whites to refer to blacks, but by the end of the novel the Southern whites are using it as well. I believe that Mitchell attempted to capture the changes in racial balance that were brought about so suddenly, and I think that the representation of the culture shock should be carefully studied, if with a keen eye towards skepticism.
This book is carefully constructed and beautifully written. If a bit nostalgic, Mitchell succeeds entirely at giving present-day readers a glimpse of a world locked into time, made even more stunningly real by the characters' recognition of their own nostalgia. Gone with the Wind is simply stunning, and epic story that defies conventions left and right and should remain a classic for years to come.
Grade: A
Margaret Mitchell
What a book. I was afraid that this beloved novel would fall far short of my expectations, as so many highly recommended books must. This book, however, deserves every bit of hype it gets and then some. It is obvious that Gone with the Wind has been a staple of women's reading lists for many good reasons. The thing that startled me (and impressed me) most about the book was its realism. The book doesn't strain to make things happen that are unrealistic or that make us feel better about Scarlett. Scarlett is selfish and, though she comes to her realization, has already blown her chances at happiness. The story is tragic but true to life and, therefore, far more interesting than most.
The plot of the book is engaging and, though epic, doesn't strike one as incredibly fanciful. Scarlett shows a few hints of early feminism probably more congruent with the 1930s than the 1860s, but the reader is eager to accept a healthy, strong-willed female challenging societal conceptions. Scarlett may be a hellion of sorts to her society, but she still belongs firmly in it; her devotion to old customs despite her recognition of her own abilities is entirely believable, as are her numerous taboos regarding certain social conventions. Scarlett may be uncommonly strong, but her strength is rooted in her story and derived from it, not from ulterior motives. Scarlett herself is refreshing- here is a character we love and hate, a leading lady whom we root for but still chastise when she furthers her own bad habits.
Another refreshing aspect of this book is its lack of political correctness. I believe that there are some elements of truth in Mitchell's presentation of black life during the period concerned, and I think that it is important to remember that slaves were ingrained in Southern life in ways that we cannot fathom today. The book is a little quick to condemn Emancipation and blacks in general, but the views within seem representative of the period and add to the sense of reality in the book. It doesn't feel like reading about the past; the book invites us to step into the past and experience it. To this end, an incredibly interesting detail I picked up on was the use of the n-word to describe blacks. I believe Mitchell is onto something. Scarlett is shocked when she first hears the word used by Northern whites to refer to blacks, but by the end of the novel the Southern whites are using it as well. I believe that Mitchell attempted to capture the changes in racial balance that were brought about so suddenly, and I think that the representation of the culture shock should be carefully studied, if with a keen eye towards skepticism.
This book is carefully constructed and beautifully written. If a bit nostalgic, Mitchell succeeds entirely at giving present-day readers a glimpse of a world locked into time, made even more stunningly real by the characters' recognition of their own nostalgia. Gone with the Wind is simply stunning, and epic story that defies conventions left and right and should remain a classic for years to come.
Grade: A
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