Gone with the Wind

A Historical and Personal Reflection

Overview

Gone with the Wind takes place during the Civil War and tells the story of Scarlett O'Hara, a young, stubborn woman living in the South. She is pretty, proud, and used to getting her way. Many young men like her, but she only wants one person—Ashley Wilkes. Scarlett is sad when she finds out Ashley is going to marry his cousin, Melanie.

At a barbecue the next day, Scarlett is again surrounded by boys who like her. But she only thinks about Ashley. She pulls him aside and tells him she loves him, but he says he's marrying Melanie. Hurt and angry, Scarlett quickly agrees to marry Charles Hamilton, Melanie's brother. Later, Scarlett meets Rhett Butler, a bold and clever man. He hears her talk with Ashley and teases her about it. Scarlett is embarrassed but also curious about him.

Soon after, Charles dies in the war, and Scarlett becomes a widow. She goes to Atlanta to stay with Melanie. She still believes she's in love with Ashley and hopes she can be with him one day.

Historical Context and Class Connections

I really loved this movie, it was so interesting that I had to watch the second part right after finishing the first. What I found most interesting is how the movie shows the same period we've been studying in class. The film takes place during the Civil War and right after, which is when the 13th Amendment ended slavery, the 14th Amendment gave citizenship to freed slaves, and the 15th Amendment gave them the right to vote.

The Economic Transformation

The movie shows what happened when slavery ended and how it changed everything for people in the South. Scarlett's family loses their plantation workers and has to figure out how to survive without slaves. This is exactly what we learned about in class - how the 13th Amendment didn't just free slaves, it completely changed how the South worked.

Social Dynamics and Racial Attitudes

You can also see in the movie how white and Black people interacted during this time. The way the characters treat each other shows the racist attitudes that would later create Jim Crow laws and segregation. This compares our class lectures/discussions on what we studied, "separate but equal" became the law until Brown v. Board of Education changed it in 1954.

The Film's Cultural Impact

The movie itself is also important because it influenced how people thought about slavery and the Civil War. This relates to our discussion about the 1st Amendment and free speech. The film made slavery look less terrible than it really was, which is why civil rights activists later had to work so hard to change people's minds about this time in history.

"Watching this movie after our class discussions helped me understand how the Civil War and these amendments affected real people's lives. It also showed me how movies can shape what people believe about history, even if that view isn't completely true."

Personal Reflection

I didn't expect much from Gone with the Wind, but I ended up watching both parts right away because the characters felt so real. Scarlett's obsession with Ashley made me think about times in my own life when I was so focused on what I thought I wanted that I missed what was actually good for me.

Her determination to keep going no matter what, and her famous line "Tomorrow is another day," felt like a way to stay strong even after making big mistakes. This movie made me think about my own relationships and whether I've been chasing the wrong things while ignoring what was really valuable.