Gone With the Wind: Chapter 17

Chapter 17 Summary:  May of 1864, the Yankees are in Georgia again though the people of Atlanta are confident General Johnston will repulse them yet again.  Aunt Pittypat decides to have a dinner party to share the last of her chickens with those less fortunate and Rhett Butler arrives just in time to wrangle a last minute invitation.  He is quiet all through the dinner but can't help but speak against Dr. Meade once they alight to the front porch.  In the meantime, the Yankees are leading "Old Joe" in a type of retreat, attempting to outflank him and causing him to pull his army back to protect the railroads.  The fighting is now as close as the Kennesaw Mountain, only 22 miles from Atlanta.  The people are concerned and complain bitterly about General Joe Johnston.  Scarlett tries to get out of nursing but is forced to stay in Atlanta.  One day she has had enough and manuevers her way out of the hospital to find Rhett Butler in a carriage.  She persuades him to drive her away from the hospital and they proceed to talk of the war.  On their journey they come across a bunch of slaves marching to the outskirts of the town.  Among these slaves, Scarlett recognizes Big Sam, Elijah, Apostle, and Prophet from Tara.  They were recruited to help dig trenches outside of the city in case of a siege.  Scarlett's concern over a possible siege is renewed and proceeds to occupy her thoughts until Rhett bets her a kiss that the Yankees will be in Atlanta within the month.  Rhett reveals that he has been waiting for Scarlett to grow up and forget Ashley before pursuing her properly.



from VintageWorks, LTD

 KatieBug's Response:  We finally see that famous line about how Scarlett needs to be kissed, though the movie has this reveal when he gifts the Green Hat.  It's worded a little bit differently than the movie but you get the idea:

But, Scarlett, you need kissing badly.  That's what's wrong with you.  All your beaux have respected you too much, though God knows why, or they have been too afraid of you to really do right by you.  The result is that you are unedurably uppity.  You should be kissed and by someone who knows how.

We are starting to see the desolation of the South during this war.  The people are still fighting but it's nearly a lost cause.  They don't have the resources to properly man and supply their army.