Gone With the Wind

Here comes another pointless post...

I always loved to read as a kid. I would stay up late at night and read by the light of a flash light under the covers. My favorite Christmas and Birthday gifts were books. I loved that I shared the love of reading with my Mom (who I thought was super cool), and I loved that she shared some of her favorite childhood books with me. Trixie Beldon will forever hold a place in my heart.

When I was in 9th grade Mom gave me Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind and told me I would probably like it. I remember that it was ninth grade because I can actually remember the seat at school that I was sitting in as I read it. I remember because my guy friends teased me ruthlessly as they looked at the cover of the book. It was a cover that depicted the characters of the movie. Scarlett's dress was falling off her shoulder, and Rhett's hairy chest was exposed.

They accused me of reading smut, and by that cover I would agree. I remember emphatically telling the boys that the book wasn't like that. They would say "yeah, whatever", and I would turn back to the book and be absorbed in it, not caring what the guys thought


For some reason, the book made quite an impression on me. In fact, it made me want to be a writer. I sat in my creative writing classes writing about the "flashing green eyes" of my character. (Scarlett has flashing green eyes). I guarantee if I went back and read some of the stuff I wrote back then I would be so embarrassed of myself. But I guess we were all a little ridiculous in 9th grade.


As an adult, I still remembered liking the book. There aren't very many books out there that stick with me very long, but this one has. I have seen the movie, and once again I have had to vehemently argue to friends the the movie is not like the book. The movie paints Scarlett to be such a fool, and I guess she is. But how can a movie, even a 4 hour movie, do justice to a book like Gone With the Wind.


Anyway, this month is my turn to host for book club. We didn't meet in November or December so I decided to pick Gone With the Wind thinking that almost 3 months would give people time to read it. Since I no longer have (or make) time to read, I checked out the book on cassette at the library. It is quite a long book, but I have enjoyed it immensely. It has been a long time since a book has occupied so much of my mind that I can't quit thinking about it when I am not listening to it. That's why I am writing about it now. How can you have something occupy so much of your mind and not impose it on others?


In fact, there are lessons to be learned from GWTW. In the beginning of the book, Scarlett is wondering what dress to wear to a barbecue. She wants to impress her precious Ashley (gag). The one she chooses is green and shows some bosom and (gasp!) her bare arms. Her inner battle says that a lady would never show so much skin so early in the day. You ask, how does that apply to our day and age? Well, I was at Walmart the other day at 9:00 in the morning. I saw a woman who obviously had never learned about this aspect of being a lady. She was wearing a screaming blue sequined top, and as you can imagine from your own trips to Walmart, it was a few sizes smaller than would have been comfortable on her. It showed some bosom and (GASP!!!) her bare arms. In her case, we all would have been better off if she had not shown so much skin in general, but before afternoon it was nauseating. Maybe if she had read the book she would have thought twice before putting on a shirt like that.

So, the point of this post: give Gone With the Wind a try (again if you already have). See if you love the character of Rhett Butler as much as I do. Today, so I could have an excuse to listen to the last few tapes, I cleaned up the kitchen and sobbed so loudly that the kids came in to see what was wrong.

For me, a good book is one that makes you think about it long after you close the pages. It makes you want to go to the author and pick her brain for more knowledge about the characters. (Which is why I am going to read Rhett Butler's People next. Even though it wasn't written by Margaret Mitchell, it was written from notes taken from her estate). Anyway, in a good book, bad things can happen and characters can make bad choices. Things don't always happen the way we as readers want them to, but I think that makes it stonger. It makes you think about it more. So, get that stupid Edward out of your mind...see what you think of Scarlett and Rhett.