Gone With the Wind: Chapter 23

Summary:
Prissy is able to locate Rhett Butler and convinces him to steal a horse and carriage to help Scarlett and Melanie.  He shows up with a decrepit old nag and barely a wagon, but Scarlett is grateful nonetheless.  As they are carrying Melanie out of the house and to the wagon, she demands they stop for a picture of her brother and his sword.  Safely in their escape vehicle they wind their way through the war-torn streets of Atlanta.  Scarlett is truly frightened as they make their way through what seems like Hell, itself, but Rhett is encouraged by the dangerous surroundings and continues to chide her.  When Rhett asks her where she wants to go, her only answer is Tara, even though they know the Yankees have cut off that route of escape.  Once they are safely out of Atlanta, and the horse can rest for a bit, Rhett makes his gallant exit to join the rest of the Confederate soldiers.  Despite Scarlett's protestations he leaves her to care for Melanie and the rest, but not, of course, before he tells her that he does love her and makes one last pass.


Response:
I have to say that for all Scarlett has accomplished in the last few chapters, she is perfectly ready to throw it all to the wayside as she delights in the comfort of having a man next to her.  Perhaps "delights" is the wrong word for this.  It just seems that when things are truly frightening, she doesn't draw strength from within herself as she did for the birth of Melanie's son.  She is perfectly happy to let Rhett take care of her.  Which, I think, is exactly the reason why he leaves her to join the Army. 

He knows that she is as independant as he is and her sudden dependance on him, coupled with his own guilt about the "cause," persuades him it's time to leave.  It's with the realization that she won't have a man to protect her as she makes her way back to Tara, that Scarlett bullies up her own strength and tells Rhett off.  Even though she cries at the seemingly hopeless situation, she has recovered the fighting spirit she so willingly set aside when Rhett shows up with the horse.  And I think Rhett knew that was the only way they would all survive.  He could certainly help defend Melanie, Prissy, Wade and the baby on the road to Tara but only if Scarlett was at full capacity and the events of the previous chapters had left her drained of her fight.  He gave her a reason to be angry, again, and brought her back to herself.  And maybe he even realized that a man on the journey would be more of a hindrance, should they encounter Yankees, than a help.  A group of women with small children might not draw as much attention as a potential Confederate spy.

Gone With the Wind: Chapter 22

Summary:
After failing to find help, Scarlett is left to deliver Melanie's baby alone.  Melanie endures hours of labor in the heat of an Atlanta summer, she attempts to stifle her cries of pain until Scarlett assures her she doesn't have to be brave.  The actual birth of Melanie and Ashley's child is not documented in the chapter but we're told that it was a trying ordeal for Scarlett.  She is just starting to recover in the shadows of the porch when an explosion near Five Points brings her to her feet.  Convinced the Yankees have progressed that far and will certainly kill anyone that comes across their path, Scarlett struggles to find a means of escape for her charges.  It's then that she remembers Rhett Butler and sends Prissy to find him by any means necessary.

Katiebug's Response:
This chapter moves slowly and definitely gives the reader that feeling of waiting for a baby to be born.  For all of the panic and urgency that goes with childbirth there is a lot of waiting for something to happen.  It amazes me that Scarlett continues to stay and honor her promises; that she is able to stifle her fear and be strong for Melanie.  She hates being stuck there and is very afraid that the Yankees will kill them all, but she stays with Melanie and refuses to let anything upset her rival during her labor pains.  She has fully taken over the role of caregiver.

Then, in her moment of dire need, she turns to Rhett for help.  She knows her limitations and knows the capabilites of others will help her achieve her goals.  In this instance, she knows that she needs to get out of Atlanta and after their last meeting Rhett wouldn't be likely to help her alone.  But with the message that the beloved Mrs. Wilkes has had her baby and needs to be evacuated, Scarlett is sure that Rhett will come to their aid.  We're seeing how her powers of manipulation are useful for more than flirting and new clothes.

The Kindle Touch



photo from Amazon.com



For Christmas, my amazing sister purchased the Kindle Touch for me.  She knew that I'd been looking over e-readers and hadn't committed to one yet.  I'd put the Kindle on my Amazon wish list, for obvious reasons, and with the addition of using the Kindle with my public library I was perfectly happy with my selection.  I honestly didn't expect to receive it as a gift, since everyone said they were scaling back this year, and have continued to be delightfully surprised with its features.

1) It is incredibly easy to get books.  Perhaps a little too easy.  I've already purchased 5 e-books in the last two weeks, two of which I already own in regular book form.

2) Portability is a key factor.  I downloaded a copy of Gone with the Wind so I could resume my chapter by chapter posts on here.  There really isn't a "I forgot to bring x, y, or z book" excuse anymore as long as you remember to bring the Kindle itself.

3) Highlighting passages and posting to social media.  I'm re-reading my favorite book, A Passage to India by E.M Forster, and can post my favorite quotes for my friends to see and discuss as I am reading the book.  I don't have to remember to write it down and post it later, which inevitably never happens.  I wonder if there is a way to post to Blogger from the device...

4) Amazon allows Prime members to borrow one book a month for free.  As I am already an Amazon Prime member for the TV show and shipping benefit, this works out well for me.

5) Library Books - I have not yet attempted to use this feature, but I am looking forward to utilizing my local library once again.  I had stopped because I honestly never found the time to go pick out books and then make sure I returned them on time.  Working two jobs kind of puts a kink in one's free time.  So as much as I enjoyed supporting my local library with my late fees, it really wasn't beneficial for me.  But now....

And there are other features I haven't tried, like the text-to-speech or the MP3 capability.  But I am sure they are equally as amazing.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Summary:
After being rescued from District 13, Katniss struggles to deal with the responsibility that comes with being the figurehead for an entire revolution.  While the rebels are waging war, district by district, Katniss is filming propaganda videos to air in the capitol, encouraging people to join their cause.  The Capitol is airing its own films featuring interviews with Peeta, who wasn't able to escape in the District 13 hovercraft with the others.  Katniss is unable to sustain her role as the Mockingjay knowing how Peeta is suffering at the hands of President Snow, so another rescue mission is launched and returns successful.  But President Snow has one more surprise for Katniss: he's brainwashed Peeta into thinking she's evil.

Response (Spoilers):
I can honestly say that the end of this novel made me cry like a five year old with a skinned knee.  Suzanne Collins does not shy away from the harsh realities of war and I commend her for that.  There is also a certain amount of hope for the characters.  That part that made me cry, the death of her sister.  It could be because I have such a close relationship with my own sister and could completely understand what Katniss must be feeling, but I also think Collins does an excellent job of portraying her character's grief.

I was glad to have a little more interaction between Gale and Katniss in this novel.  It helped to develop that friendship/relationship for me and I honestly believed she was torn between her feelings for Gale and Peeta.  Though, I have to maintain that Gale's affection for Katniss seems to always be motivated by jealousy whereas Peeta's comes from a genuine place.  Even in the end, when Katniss has completely shut down and can't function, Gale abandons her for a shiny new job in a different district while Peeta is the one who comes back to be with her.

I wish there had been a little more conversation about Katniss' decision to kill President Coin, or even President Coin's true motives.  I will agree that the decision to continue the Hunger Games, but with only Capitol Children this time, was a huge motivator for Katniss' actions.  It really made the point that President Coin wasn't looking for a total revolution, just a change in power.  But we don't see the trial where Katniss' fate is decided, just her continued breakdown after the death of her sister and abandonment by her mother.

Overall, I think this was an excellent end to the trilogy.  I think a few additional chapters would have tied it up even better, but I wasn't disappointed in the ending.  The series, as a whole, deals with difficult subject matter and I wouldn't recommend it for young children without some sort of conversation or guided reading.  But it is an excellent way to teach younger generations about the reality of war and freedoms.  Always an entertaining read for those of us who are older.  I was captivated by the story and cared very much for the individual characters.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Summary:

A regular life, after surviving the Hunger Games, is no longer possible to Katniss Everdeen and her faux beau, Peeta Mellark.  There are certain lines that have been crossed and things will never be the same.  First of all, her friendship with Gale has been strained since her romance with Peeta must be maintained in front of the Capitol's cameras.  Then a visit from President Snow indicates Katniss' actions in the Hunger Games has set off a chain reaction even she can't begin to understand or control.  Increased security and the rumor of rebellion in other districts are only the warning signs.  President Snow declares that in honor of the 75th Hunger Games, the contestants will be chosen from the remaining victors.  This means that Katniss will definitely be returning to the arena with either Peeta or her mentor, Haymitch.  Not willing to sacrifice either of them, Katniss strikes a deal with Haymitch to make sure Peeta survives at all costs.

Response (Spoilers):

I kind of feel like Katniss hasn't been allowed to make any of her own decisions in these two books.  Obviously there are a few things she chooses, like volunteering to take her sister's place or mourning Rue.  But Peeta's revelation of Love has sort of trapped her in a relationship for which she never really asked.  President Snow's do or die bargain has her forced into an engagement she never wanted.  She has been plucked and polished to fit an image created for her by the Capitol.  Then Peeta manipulates the audience to believe she's pregnant with a child she would never have had in an effort to save her life even though she's determined to save his instead.  Even in entering the second Hunger Games, Haymitch has made all the decisions without informing her.  He has decided they will have allies whether she wants them or not, the rebels have decided there will be a jailbreak, and District 13 has decided she's the figure head they need to rouse the rest of the Panem nation into revolt.  Really, where is her say in any of this?

I would even argue that her decision to take her sister's place was one she didn't have complete control over.  The government being what it is and the Hunger Games bring what it is, the entire society is engineered to manipulate and control its citizens.  So really what choice did she have when they pulled her sister's name out of the bowl?  Now she has been whisked away to lead a rebellion she doesn't really support.  Everyone else is thinking about the greater good of society while she's worried about the individuals around her.  I think all of this is driven home for Katniss when she discovers that District 12, her home, has been destroyed.  Her family has managed to survive, but it's not clear who else made it.

Again, I would recommend this to anyone looking for an entertaining read.  I still feel that the author is really reaching with her love triangle, though.  I thought we would get a little more face time with Gale, but he's still MIA even though they're back in the District for half of the book.  It makes me root for Peeta because I don't really have the emotional attachment to Gale that Katniss supposedly does.  This could be the author's intention, however.  Still, I had to go right into the third book just to see how it ends.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Summary:
In a post-apocalyptic future, there is a Country called Panem.  Panem is located in North America and consists of a Capitol and 12 surrounding districts.  District 12, where we meet our heroine, is located in the Appalachia region of North America.  Panem is gearing up for the annual Hunger Games where one boy and one girl, between the ages of 12 and 18, are selected from each district, though not from the Capitol, to participate.  It is an annual competition designed to remind the surrounding districts of the power the Capitol holds over them.  Devised after a rebellion 74 years ago, which resulted in the complete destruction of District 13, the Hunger Games require the participants to fight to the death.  If you are able to survive, you will be given a monthly salary, a new house in your district, and you will be safe from being chosen again.

This is when we meet Katniss Everdeen.  At age 16, she has been providing for her family since her father's untimely death in a coal mine explosion five years ago.  Hunting with her best friend, Gale, who lost his father in the same explosion, she is able to keep her 12 year old sister and mother alive.  Katniss volunteers to go to the Hunger Games after her sister, Prim, is selected as the female competitor for District 12.  She is then whisked away to the Capitol with her fellow contestant, Peeta Mellark.  Strategies for survival are devised and Peeta makes a very exciting, very public, revelation.

Thankfully, Katniss has many hidden talents and one very well developed skill to give her a fighting chance in the competition.  Though when it's over, is it really over?

Response (Beware of Spoilers):

I have to say that I am currently upset with Miss Katniss Everdeen.  I've come to the end of the book and she seems entirely confused by her emotions towards one Peeta Mellark.  There is this Gale character from back home with whom she seems to have some sort of potential romantic tension, but as a reader I only know what she tells me about him.  As a reader I have been shown the lengths that Peeta is willing to go to in order to protect her and to show her how he feels.  I have been shown how his feelings for her are obvious to everyone but her and I sort of want to shake her and tell her to get over whatever it is that's causing her emotional constipation. 

That being said, having finished the first book and knowing all the trials she had to face in the arena, I can sort of understand her reluctance to begin a romantic relationship with anyone.  There are so many things that get tied up with that and her biggest concern is never having to see her child go to the Hunger Games.  I wonder how the outer districts have been able to not revolt against their government, seeing their children offered up year after year for this terrible ritual.  How badly did the Capitol destroy District 13, some 74 years ago, that has put all of these people into a comatose state when it comes to their own health and well-being?  They don't like the Hunger Games, or the way things are run, but they accept it and do nothing to change it.  What happened to them, as a culture, to just make them roll over like that?

A great commentary on society as a whole.  We have the starving, struggling districts around the gleaming capitol where people alter their bodies for cosmetic reasons and have no concept of how the world outside is suffering.  A place where the sacrifice of children is seen as the latest in entertainment and it is watched willingly.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in an entertaining story.  Though, I will say, up front, that this is YA fiction and one should remember that while reading.  I've read that one of the influences for the novel was the Greek Myth about Theseus and the Minotaur and I have to say I am very glad it was handled as well as it was.

Gone WIth the Wind: Chapter 21

Summary:
Melanie's baby is due and Scarlett is desperate to find medical assistance.  Scarlett sends Prissy to find anyone that will help but ,ost of the neighbors have evacuated and Mrs. Meade has gone to aid her wounded son.  When Prissy refuses to go to the depot to find Dr. Meade, because people are dying down there, Scarlett seizes the opportunity to escape the house for a short period of time.

She finds Dr. Meade in the midst of wounded and dying soldiers, unaware that his own son has been wounded and is most likely dying.  Scarlett begs the doctor to come back with her, he tells her that he can't possibly leave all of these desperate men and she's better off finding a woman to help with the birth.  Scarlett is concerned but is confident that Prissy will live up to her word and be able to take charge of the birth in his absence.

Upon her arrival home, Scarlett informs Prissy of the Doctor's reluctance to leave his patients.  Prissy becomes agitated and confesses that she's never been present at a birth.  Scarlett feels completely alone and helpless, yet shoulders the burden and goes upstairs to tell Melanie that they must struggle through without medical assistance.

Katiebug's Response:
This is the first true test of Scarlett's character and survival instincts.  Up to this point, she's had people make decisions for her or protect her from the harsh realities of life.  But now she is truly alone and, not one, but two lives are counting on her.  Her promises to Ashley, Aunt Pitty-Pat, and Melanie herself must be honored despite Scarlett's gut feeling.

We're also seeing how strong Scarlett really is.  Melanie would have crumpled under the pressure of this situation, though out of the goodness of her heart she would have tried, and Aunt Pitty-Pat would have been of no use at all.  But Scarlett sees the reality of the situation and knows the only way past the problem is to go through it.

Gone With the Wind: Chapter 20

The city of Atlanta is completely cut off from the outside world and the only news they've received is of fighting in Jonesboro. Scarlett worries that Tara has fallen victim to the war until a courier finally delivers a letter from her father. She learns that her mother has fallen ill with Typhoid and Scarlett frets that she will never see her again.

In the midst of this dread, Melanie illicits yet another promise from the already put-upon Scarlett. Melanie isn't afraid of dying in childbirth, she's more afraid that her child will be born an orphan with no one to look after it. Melanie makes Scarlett promise to take care of her child should something happen. As Scarlett reluctantly agrees, Melanie reveals that her labor pains have already started.

Katiebugs Response:

I am starting to wonder if maybe Scarlett doesn't hate Melanie as much as she claims.  Obviously, doing anything for Melanie will win Scarlett favor with Ashley, but it seems that she is taking on an awful lot of responsibility for just the possibility that Ashley will show her a little affection.  Maybe her love for this absent man really is that strong, but I can't help but feel there's a little more to it.

Gone With the Wind: Chapter 19

The beginning of the siege finds Scarlet jumping at the slightest sound and cursing both Ashley and Melanie for keeping her in Atlanta when she should be at Tara. Prissy assures Scarlett that she learned how to be midwife from her mother so even if the Doctor can't make it they'll be okay. The ladies do their best to help any soldiers who come knocking at their door.

One night it's Uncle Henry Hamilton they find on their porch, visiting on a four hour furlough. But they soon find that his two hour walk to town and back was not just to let them know his company was moving out, he came to tell them that John Wilkes had died in the siege. Uncle Henry leaves Mr. Wilkes' gold watch, his cuff buttons and a small portrait of his dead wife with Scarlett while charging her with the duty of telling Melanie the news.

Rhett Butler arrives later and is surprised to find that Scarlett has stayed behind with Melanie. They have a conversation about Melanie's condition and how odd it is that Scarlett isn't being selfish for once. Scarlett believes she has finally beaten Rhett and he will confess his undying love to her, but he asks her to be his mistress instead. Caught off guard and completely insulted Scarlett demands he leave the property and storms back into the house.

Katiebug's Response:

It seems that everyone is overly concerned about Melanie but can't really take on the duties of caring for her themselves.  Ashley asked Scarlett to look after Melanie, Aunt Pitty-Pat asked Scarlett to look after her, the Doctor asked Scarlett to look after her, and now, Uncle Henry Hamilton has thrust one more Melanie responsibility upon Scarlett's shoulders.  Seems he couldn't bring himself to tell Melanie the terrible news about her father-in-law in her delicate condition.  I find it just a little bit cruel that everyone is asking Scarlett to do the things they can't or won't do themselves.  But, for all of her supposed selfishness, she is willing to take on these burdens and truly sees them through.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 18

Chapter 18 Summary:  The Battle has come to Atlanta and the Home Guard is being sent to the front.  Scarlett watches as they march out to battle and she notices several familiar faces.  Mr. Wilkes, Ashley's Father, is among them and he bids her farewell as if he will never return.  Scarlett's own father was prohibited from fighting due to his injured knee and instead has been given charge of Twelve Oaks in Mr. Wilkes' absence.  Old men and young boys are all Atlanta has left to send to the front and the battle is brought even closer to Atlanta.  The men prepare to defend the city from a siege and those that can leave for safer places. Scarlett, Melanie and Aunt PittyPat discuss leaving the city.  Scarlett wants to go home to Tara and Aunt Pitty wants to go to Macon.  Melanie doesn't want Scarlett to go without her and Aunt Pitty won't go without Melanie.  It's Dr. Meade that settles the matter when he declares Melanie is to be on bed-rest until her pregnancy is over.  Traveling is out of the question and she won't even be able to run up and down stairs to hide in the cellar if Atlanta should come under attack.  Dr. Meade charges Scarlett with looking after Melanie and even Melanie reminds Scarlett of the promise made to Ashley to look after her.  So Scarlett and her son, Wade, remain with their only servant, Prissy, while Aunt PittyPat goes to Macon with the rest of her household.

KatieBug's Response: Again, we have mention of the son Scarlett had with Charles.  It's kind of sad to see this child forgotten as he is; hiding out on the porch while the dying and wounded soldiers come trailing in, begging for water and aide.  He is clearly frightened by what is happening around him and yet no one seems to care, not even his own mother.  Only Melanie and Rhett have shown true affection for this child, when he's mentioned at all.  I can't even begin to comprehend living in any city while it's under siege, but Mitchell does an excellent job of conveying the panic and destruction.