1138 pages later
let's discuss brilliant characters, a library tip, and have a brief poll about...um...
It’s been 22 weeks.
For those of us who have followed the schedule (as opposed to those who blew right through and finished months or weeks ago because they couldn’t help themselves) we’re finally finishing Gone With the Wind.
We’ve loved and hated characters — some of them, simultaneously.
But then there’s Melanie, who is not perfect, and yet somehow, still is.
What struck me so much in this reading (it was my third time through) is how the Holy Spirit is present in the creation of incredible works, whether the author is a believer or not.
I don’t know if Margaret Mitchell was a Christian. But in reading about the complexities and dynamics of the relationships between Scarlett, Ashley, Melanie, and Rhett, you could not possibly convince me that a mere human — even the most brilliant one — could have planned the end from the beginning and woven all the intricacies together in such a true, heartbreaking, ironic, authentic way.
Who are these characters, and why do we care about them? Because they reveal so much of our best and worst selves.
Melanie. Believes the best of everyone and will not entertain any malice against those she loves, even when they deserve it…because she can’t possibly believe they do.
Ashley. Educated, wise, philosophical, and cares very much about things like reputation, tradition, and what is proper.
Rhett. Just like Ashley, but the opposite — selfish and too honest for good manners, unless it serves him.
Scarlett. A female version of Rhett in her narcissistic scheming, but the opposite in that she is clueless about human nature and history (refusing to learn from the past is sort of her trademark) and she cares very much about what other people think…sometimes. But really, does she even know what she believes? I don’t think so.
We hold them up to the light, turn them a little, and suddenly a facet glints, and we see our own reflection in it. We look from another angle, and see parallels to relationships and events and people we know. And we start to understand our own world with a little more fullness…and isn’t that why we read, anyway?
Both Scarlett and Rhett will do whatever it takes to get what they want. Ashley won’t, and sort of lets life happen to him. And Melanie just wants everyone to be happy and loved.
So she is happy, and loved.
Melanie, the most of humble of all, is the only person Rhett respects, trusts, and reveals himself fully to. “To the pure, all things are pure” and she was — and remarkably, so was Rhett when he was with her, because she drew it out of him.
Scarlett fancies herself discreet, but Rhett sees right through her every time. Her cluelessness is rooted in her constant unwillingness to deal with the present, to continually push off painful thoughts and situations that need confronted.
But then the story shifts, and suddenly Rhett doesn't understand Scarlett anymore because she is finally changing and maturing, and he's too angry and wounded to realize it. She’s too angry and wounded to admit it. They’ve both dug deep holes of distrust and suspicion.
And here we see where the tiniest bit of grace given to the other could have saved everything. Just a little humility, just a small bit of surrendered pride — but neither of them were willing.
So grace is necessary...and yet, so many times I've been burned by believing the best in people who didn't deserve it, either.
But do any of us deserve it? No. So there are lessons to be learned on both sides — grace that believes the best, and boundaries from being burned — and the Lord isn't wasting any of it, as long was we're walking with Him.
What really impresses me about Mitchell’s portrayal of Scarlett is that she’s still so interesting to read. Plenty of writers have created unlikeable main characters that make for miserable stories (Thomas Hardy, Steinbeck, Tolstoy) but Scarlett is so dang fascinating, and the level of what she endures and overcomes demands respect, no matter how begrudgingly we give it.
Also, about the Civil War
My husband just finished this (other) doorstopper on Stonewall Jackson and he highly, highly recommends it. Here’s his review if you love All Things Civil War:
hot tip for book care
When you get these little desiccant packets, toss them behind your books (or in the backs of bookshelves) to keep moisture away and protect your books from mold.
Don’t put them on the lower shelves where toddlers will find and chew them, of course. 😁
Looking ahead: Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe is a fabulous story by Sir Walter Scott as long as you don’t actually expect it to be about Ivanhoe (surprise!) because it’s totally not.
It is, however, about some other fun characters…one in particular…and that’s a wonderful surprise to stumble upon in, oh, the middle-ish of the story.
If you don't have it yet, you can find Ivanhoe here...
free audio on Librivox (It says there are 4 versions but unless you speak Dutch, there’s only one — two are in progress, though, and it’s possible they might be completed soon.)
or new and used at Thriftbooks here
And if you’re not with us on Telegram where we will be talking about it, you might want to join us. (It’s free and we’re not scary!) Over the last month we’ve been all over the place discussing not only the depths of GWTW, but also debating the merits of audiobooks, sharing GWTW memes and trivia (book, movie, sequels, and otherwise), contemplating crafty book projects and decor…and somehow we also had time to deliberate entirely other bookish topics like Watership Down, Mark Twain, and Shakespeare. It’s been a busy few weeks.
Happy reading,
Shannon
I wish I would have joined in on this. Not too late to read it though!
Shannon, superior insightful review. Thank you.