Gone With The Wind: Part 4

[Sara W]

Please discuss Part Four: Chapters 31 - 47 here.

[Sara W]

I'm finding it so ironic in this section how people who had no problem owning slaves are freaking out about using convicts as a labor force. I was so glad when Scarlett finally mentioned that to people! Hello! What's the difference? At least the convicts (allegedly) did something wrong to deserve some form of punishment! How crazy that the slaves were considered "neither miserable nor unfortunate" in response to Scarlett's comment. Ha, and Archie's line of "Buyin' men like they was mules" for why it's wrong. WTF!?!? I'm assuming these convicts had to be white considering how everyone was acting. I just couldn't believe the hypocrisy!

[Sara W]

I didn't realize (or maybe just didn't remember) Ashley actually loved Scarlett and desired her as much as he does. For some reason in my mind, Scarlett was always chasing him and he brushed her off because he wasn't interested, not simply because of his "honor". But wow! Ashley telling her that she knows she always looks beautiful to him and wishing he would have helped more so she didn't have to marry Frank and have his baby - I didn't remember anything so passionate from Ashley (well, as passionate as he can get). And telling her that he doesn't want to go to Atlanta because he's not sure he can stay away from her! I may not really care for Ashley, but I can see now why Scarlett kept pining for him for so many years with statements like that. In a weird way it's like he's leading her on; she'd be much better off if he quit telling her things like that so her hopes wouldn't go up.

I did feel sorry for Ashley when Scarlett manipulated Melanie to get them to stay in Atlanta. His line "This is my last chance. I'll go North. If I go to Atlanta and work for you, I'm lost forever." was sad to read. I wish he would have had the chance to stand on his own like he wanted. I love Scarlett, but it was terribly selfish of her to put her own needs over Ashley's "masculine pride", "self-respect" and "immortal soul". I know she probably just didn't understand what he meant (considering she doesn't get a lot of what he talks about), but it's still sad.

[Mandy]

I felt the same way, Sara. I'd sort of forgotten that Ashley almost encourages Scarlett's feelings for him.
He's so incredibly WEAK about everything - even his love for Scarlett is this kind of sad, pale, listless thing. Can you imagine being with that type of man? Awful! Even Scarlett - who loved to boss people around - would have to have gotten sick of that quickly. She had no respect for Charles or Frank because she had to "wear the pants" but Ashley would have been just the same - he proved it again and again.

I agree about the convict labor being a bizarre element, also. The book really represents slavery as the sweetest possible exchange. The darkies do the work, and in return their mistresses nurse them when they have pneumonia, their masters give them a glass of whiskey at Christmas, and if they really prove themselves good and loyal they may even get a gold watch!
Why, they're practically family!
It's easy to buy into when you're reading the book, because the characters believe it so thoroughly.
But the fact is, it's slavery! NOT a good thing - though I'd guess the truth is somewhere between GWTW and Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Anyway, it's interesting to see slavery portrayed in such a positive light, and then convict labor shown to be something so awful.
I wonder if it's Mitchell's way of deriding the treatment itself - not the institution?
The focus is on the way the convicts are treated - not enough food, not enough rest, being made to work when they are too sick or weak, being beaten or whipped...
All are accusations made of slavery. She couldn't attribute those behaviors to the characters she wanted us to love, so she had to make slavery "nice." Maybe this was her way of saying those behaviors were a bad thing?
Obviously it's also her way of saying that Scarlett doesn't think of the consequesnces of her actions, doesn't realize the impact she has on other lives, and doesn't care about much other than her own well being.

[Sara W]

I agree with you completely Mandy, especially about the part of the book really "selling" slavery as a good thing for all involved. She uses Big Sam perfectly to show this - he goes out and tastes freedom but comes hurrying home to his "family". I was like you and had to step back into reality - slavery is bad no matter how you try to sugar-coat it!

I also did not realize that Ashley and Frank were Klan members. I knew they were members of some group that was all for protecting themselves, but I didn't realize it was the KKK until this time round. Mitchell (intentionally or not) does the same thing with the Klan as she does with slavery - you read enough from the southerners' point of view, and it starts to seem almost noble. Then I remind myself that it's the beginning of THE KLAN and the robes hidden in the chimney are white KKK outfits - nothing noble about that!

I hate to say it, but Rhett was kind of right - I think Ashley would probably be better off dead. He's SO miserable and can barely stand up for anything he believes in! Everything he does is what is expected of him - he's expected to marry Melanie, so he does; he's expected to fight in the war, so he does. What a dull, sad existence!

[Barbara]

Good point about reading from an oldfashioned Southern POV until you hardly realise what the "club/group/robes thing is and then have to remind yourself that that yes, this is the beginning of the hideous KKK .........

To lighter things, I still hold to it that Ashley and Scarlett, msiguided and stubborn and downright foolish though they both were, did honestly believe it was love ( certainly Scarlett did). With hindsight and the author's privelged position , yes we can say they were deluded, and how could they have possibly mistaken it for the real thing . But they were characters in an enormously stylised and circumscribed age. Scarlett's girlhood dream of a shining knight was hardly touched by poor Charles and gingery Frank. (BTW don't you love Rhett's comment on Charles when Wade Hampton is seeking assurance about his father's bravery and he says something like "Oh yes, he was brave your father . Well, he married your mother didn't he, that's proof enough")
And I doubt Ashley would have recognised the lustful nature of his own feelings would he , preferring or unable to see it any other way than love for her fire and courage and all. Melanie I don't really know about , she knew there was soemething between them but she would have placed the most honourable connotation on it of course . Must have been a new low for Ashley, when Melanie defied Atlanta and had Scarlett 'receive' at the party with her. I have a copy of a still from the movie of Scarlett forced by Rhett to go in throught the door to face them all . Amazing.