Gone With the Wind: Chapter 29

Summary:

In April, the Confederacy surrenders and the war is over but it's not until two weeks later that the news reaches Tara.  Neighbors start to return to what's left of their homes and Scarlett is simply glad because she won't have to worry about thieves anymore.  The Fontaine boys return and stop in to visit Tara.  They discuss the problems of marriage now that the war is over and everyone is left with nothing.

Cathleen Calvert comes by a few days later to announce her marriage plans with the Yankee overseer at her parents farm.  She is unable to accept congratulations as she is only marrying him out of necessity.  Melanie seems to understand instinctively and scolds Scarlett when she asks if Cathleen could possibly be in love with the overseer.

Katiebug's Response:

Scarlett can't get her head around Cathleen marrying the overseer for security.  Even though her own marriage to Charles wasn't for love and she's convinced that Ashley really loves her and not his wife, it seems that Love is the only plausible reason for marriage in Scarlett's mind.  Melanie, of course, understands the emotional complexity of the situation.  Which really makes me think Scarlett has the emotional depth of a puddle.  She is a strong willed woman and her instinct to survive will get everyone through the lean times.  But she helps these people out of loyalty and duty rather than love and generosity as Melanie would.  The two together will make a strong and powerful pair.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 28

Summary:

Cold weather sets in and Scarlett realizes that her claims of the worst being over were premature.  The neighbors have less to share, though they all do their best to help one another.  Pork is able to trade, steal, or buy necessities from neighbors and towns with the money from the dead Yankee's pockets.    Scarlett starts to have a recurring nightmare and takes to sleeping in the bed with Melanie so she can be awoken when the dream is upon her.

Christmas brings Frank Kennedy and a troop of soldiers to Tara's door.  They were sent by the Confederate Army to secure provisions from the citizens.  The troop is able to share news of Atlanta and Frank reveals that citizens have started to rebuild the city.  Aunt PittyPat's home is still standing and it is suggested that she will return soon as well, but no one has news of Ashley. 

While the residents at Tara don't have much to share, they treat the soldiers to a Christmas celebration.  It's during dinner that Scarlett notices how happy Suellen is with Frank and when Frank asks Scarlett for permission to propose marriage to Suellen she wholeheartedly agrees.  She even arranges for the two to have privacy during the proposal.

Katiebug's Response:

Like Scarlett, it's been easy to forget there's a war going on elsewhere in the country.  The commissary troop serves as a reminder of the desperation facing the entire Confederacy in the last days of fighting.  But their visit also serves as a direct contrast to their lives before the war started.  Normal life events aren't going to be as easy as they were before.  Men will not be able to support wives without an income or livelihood.  The slaves will not come back to help work the fields and the farms are going to be reclaimed by the wilderness in less than a season.  The aristocracy will be reduced to the same socioeconomic level as their white trash neighbors.  Still, people are going to fall in love and life is going to move on.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 27

Summary:

A meager but filling breakfast is interrupted by Sally Fontaine spreading the news that "the Yankees are coming."  Everyone freezes for a moment and Wade's worst fears are realized.  Scarlett digs down deep into her anger and starts ordering the residents at Tara to scatter the livestock and hide what they can before disappearing into the swamps.  It's Melanie that reacts the fastest and jumps onto their lone horse to drive the cows into the swamp.  Scarlett races back inside to hide whatever valuables they can and gather up Melanie's baby.  She has a clear path to escape but Tara calls to her and she refuses to leave.

The Yankee soldiers overturn everything in the house and take everything of value.  It's only when Scarlett sees they've appropriated Charles' sword, that is her son's only birthright, that she protests.  The Sergeant she appeals to allows her to keep the sword much to the chagrin of the lowly soldier that had claimed it.  Before leaving, the Yankees burn all of the cotton they'd managed to save over the summer and a fire is started in Tara's Kitchen.

Refusing to give up, Scarlett rushes into the kitchen to fight the flames.  Just when she thinks she is beaten the door to the kitchen opens and Melanie is there to aid her.  Together they fight back the fire and save the house.  Scarlett awakens on the porch, she had passed out in the smoke, with her head in Melanie's lap and she realizes that she has a new found respect for her sister-in-law.

Katiebug's Reaction:
We're seeing the continued development of mutual respect and friendship between Melanie and Scarlett.  When Scarlett starts barking orders, to save whatever provisions they have, it's Melanie that jumps to action.  We see that Melanie is not as weak as Scarlett has always supposed her to be and has almost as strong of a will as Scarlett herself.  Scarlett is not the only one that can adapt to a new south.

Melanie further proves herself to be as stubborn as Scarlett when she returns to help fight the fire left by the Yankees.  I think this is what Scarlett is coming to admire in her relative, even though she still feels she's a rival for Ashley's affections.  Together, though, these women will be able to withstand anything this new and dangerous world has to throw at them.

With the cotton gone, the residents at Tara have no source of income.  I suspect this will be a problem later when it comes time to pay taxes on the property.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 26

Summary:

Scarlett is two weeks at home when a massive and infected foot blister renders her unable to work.  She has come to the realization that her father is never going to return to his normal self and the responsibility of taking care of the family has fallen to her shoulders.  Just when she is lost in her own thoughts she hears hooves on the road to Tara and looks up to see a lone Yankee soldier making his way into the house.  She arms herself with Charles' pistol and heads downstairs.  It's the sight of her mother's sewing box in foreign hands that drives her to action, but it's his threat to her safety that causes her to pull the trigger.

Roused from her sickbed by the shot, Melanie makes her way to the stairs with Charles' saber.  Scarlett and Melanie have a mutual moment of understanding and admiration before Melanie soothes the invalids with a quick lie.  They agree to clean up the body and not let anyone know of the murder.  Rifling through his pockets and knapsack, they find gold pieces and green union dollar bills.  But it's really the gain of his horse that is an answer to everyone's silent prayer.

Mobile once more, Scarlett sets out to investigate the neighborhood.  She finds the Fontaines at their home, Mimosa, and discovers they still have plenty of provisions to share.  Grandma Fontaine suggests that Scarlett pick what remains of the cotton in Tara's fields and, though Scarlett balks at the idea, Grandma Fontaine shames her into doing what must be done to survive.  Before she starts for home, Grandma Fontaine takes Scarlett aside and asks about Ellen.  Scarlett reveals the whole history and confesses that she's faced the worst that can happen.  Grandma shares with Scarlett that she, too, had faced the worst in her past and that it had caused her to fear nothing in her life.

Scarlett, Dilcey, and Prissy are the only ones to successfully work at picking the cotton.  Even Melanie attempts to work through her sickness while the others in the household make excuses to stay inside.  With the cotton picked, money in her pocket, and fresh provisions from the neighbors Scarlett feels that the worst is over and she can start climbing out of the despair surrounding Tara.

Katiebug's Response:

The mutual respect between Scarlett and Melanie continues to grow.  I'm really liking how Melanie is being displayed as a stronger character than in previous chapters.  First it really highlights how desperate things are for the women at home during the war.  Second, it makes her more well rounded and makes me believe this book is really about a strong friendship rather than a romance with Rhett.

The scene with the Fontaines reminded me that while this area is mostly settled it is nothing like it is today.  Only one generation back from Scarlett the farmland was wilderness and these people are holding on to what they've been able to carve out of it.  It puts the Civil War in a different perspective for me and I can understand why these people believed in "the cause."

Gone With the Wind: Chapter 25

Summary:

Waking up with the first hangover of her life, Scarlett goes to join her father for breakfast only to find that his mind is far more gone than she had suspected.  He is, in fact, waiting for the deceased Mrs. O'Hara to joing them at the table and won't allow anyone to start without her.  Mammy discourges Scarlett from correcting him and it's then that she realizes the full responsibility waiting for her at Tara.  Unable to express her distress, Scarlett is too abrupt with the remaning servants and orders them to scavenge from the neighboring farms.  When they protest, she declares that anyone at Tara, the O'Hara's included, not willing to work can leave.

Scarlett finds her way to Twelve Oaks only to find that it, too, has been burned to the ground.  She start to think of Ashley and how he will feel about this turn of events but pushes away her feelings to focus on foraging.   She finds a small vegatable patch in the slave quaters where she is suddenly overcome with hunger and attacks a radish.  The introduction of food into her hungover and mostly empty stomache is too much and causes her to wretch.  It's only then, alone in the field, that she allows herself to mourn everything that's been lost.  Then she makes the choice to move forward and utters the vow that she'll "never be hungry again."

In the subsequent months we learn just how isolated Tara has become and how the war seems like a horrible memory or someone else's problem.  Everyone complains and begs to Scarlett for more to eat.  Everyone that is except Melanie.  She is willing to give up her share so that others won't starve.  Melanie is kind and sympathetic while Scarlett is hard and uncaring.  People gravitate to Melanie for comfort and Scarlett finds Melly's kindness more annoying than all the begging and complaining from the others.

Scarlett begins to feel that everything is completely changed and that everything her mother tried to teach her was useless.  She is irritated with her family, her child, and most of all Melanie.  But her feelings for Tara are still strong and she finally realizes what he father meant all those years ago when he told her the O'Hara's have a tie to the land.  She recognizes that she is willing to fight or do anything to hold onto this piece of land.

Katiebug's Response:

I think it's interesting that Scarlett and Melanie have taken up the Caregiver and Caretaker roles in Tara.  Scarlett is focused on keeping everyone alive at any cost, even at the expense of kindness, while Melanie is focused on making sure everyone is able to remain in positive spirits despite the ruins around them.  It's almost as if Scarlett is immitating her Father's role and Melanie her Mother's.  Though Scarlett is far more effective than Gerald and Melanie isn't really running everything behind Scarlett's back.

I can't imagine the stress that Scarlett must be experiencing right now.  She has her mother's nature to care for everyone even at the detriment of herself, but she has her father's stubbornness interwoven with it. So she has the capacity to want to care for everyone but not the kindness to explain her actions.  Everything that she has known is gone and she has to figure out how to survive in this new world.  And it's not just her survival that's depending on this learning curve, it's her entire family and Ashley's.  Had Rhett come back with her, she would have made it his problem and probably fought him every step of the way. 

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 24

Summary:
Scarlett awakens in the wagon the next morning and recalls the trials and tribulations of the previous evening after Rhett abandoned them.  For a moment, she fears that Melanie has died in the night but then sees her breathing.  Looking around them, she recognizes the Mallory place though it has been burned to the ground by the Yankees.  As they travel along the road to Tara, they discover all of their neighbor's homes have met the same fate and Scarlett starts to worry that Tara has also been a victim of the war.  A cow is found along the way and it seems that at least they've had some small luck on this fool's errand.

Scarlett, Prissy, Wade, Melanie and her baby all arrive at Tara to discover that while the building still stands, the heart is gone out of Tara.  Ellen, who'd been sick with Typhoid, had died the previous day leaving Mr. O'Hara lost in his grief.  The news comes as a shock and Scarlett almost loses her composure, but pushes aside her own grief to take care of the remaining family.  After taking stock of the remaining assets at Tara, she learns what has taken place in her absence.  While the Yankees are responsible for the destruction of the fields and their livelihood, they are also responsible for the survival of her sisters and her childhood home as the Yankees used Tara for their headquarters when they learned the residents were too ill to be moved.

She immediately takes charge in the absence of Ellen's leadership and makes sure everyone has something to eat and her father has some whisky.  She has a little herself, to calm her nerves, and proceeds to get drunk as she goes through the house.  Scarlett checks in on her sisters and catches up with Dilcey and Mammy.  Mammy explains how Ellen and the girls became sick, but it's Dilcey who reveals Ellen's final words: "Philippe."  Faced with daunting circumstances, Scarlett begins to make plans to break up the family and send her sisters to live with her mother's family but realizes that it would be admitting defeat.  O'Hara's never surrender and Scarlett will not be the first.  Her doubts and fears start to creep in, but she forces them all away saying she will think of it "tomorrow" and then proceeds to pass out.

Katiebug's Response:
We're beginning to see Scarlett's pattern of not dealing with things that bother her.  It seems to be how she can cope in the face of all this devastation.  She knows that she should mourn her mother, but there are so many people relying on her to be strong that she pushes it down.  Falling apart is not going to help anyone survive.  I have a feeling that this is going to come back to bite her eventually.  Though with this much calamity the only way she might be able to get through it is to be completely numb.

I think it's interesting how she steps right in to fill the head of household role.  Her father isn't capable in his grief and her sisters are still unconscious upstairs.  A few loyal servants have stayed with the family to nurse them through and Scarlett is maybe too gruff with them in her misplaced anger.  She'd been thinking that Tara would be her safe haven and has discovered it will be just as difficult as things were in Atlanta.  While hard work is not in her nature, I think she will excel at the challenges this new world presents.

I also think it's sad that Ellen's last words were for her long lost lover and that Gerald has lost his mind with grief at her death.  They had a partnership that worked but her heart always belonged to another.  I begin to wonder if a similar fate will befall Scarlett.

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.

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.

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.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 16

Chapter 16 Summary: Rhett Butler made good on his word and sold all his boats when blockading becomes to hazardous.  His current profession as a food speculator has not gone over well with his former friends and neighbors.  Scarlett survives on the memory of her kiss with Ashley and dreams of how things will work out for them once the war is over until Melanie reveals that she is pregnant.  It is only the news that Ashley is missing, presumed dead, that brings the two women back together.  Melanie neglects her delicate condition, in search of news about Ashley, and Rhett Butler must escort her home after she faints in the telegraph office.  It is only with the promise to take care of herself and Ashley's unborn child that Rhett is willing to pull some strings to discover Ashley's fate which reveals that Ashley is alive but has been sent to Rock Island, Illinois, a Northern prison camp.  Abraham Lincoln refuses to allow prisoner exchanges, so there is no hope that Ashley will return before the end of the war.  Rhett tells Melanie that Ashley had an opportunity to escape the cruel treatment at the prison camp if only he'd agreed to denounce the Confederacy and join the Union in defending its Western border from Indians.  Of course, Ashley refused this offer and Melanie's heart is ready to burst with pride at her husband's choice even if it means he could die in prison before the war is over.

KatieBug's Response:  I would like to draw some attention to a specific paragraph in this chapter.  It's when Melanie and Scarlett learn that Ashley is missing and possibly dead.

Somehow, she was in Scarlett's arms, her small breasts heaving sobs, and somehow they were lying on the bed, holding each other close, and Scarlett was crying too, crying with her face pressed close to against Melanie's, the tears of one wetting the cheeks of the other.  It hurt so terribly to cry, but not so much as not being able to cry.  Ashley is dead - dead, she thought, and I have killed him by loving him!  Fresh sobs broke from her, and Melanie somehow feeling comfort in her tears tightened her arms about her neck.

In today's world, this scene could end up very differently.  After seeing the film, I do believe that it's really about the incredible friendship between Scarlett and Melanie more so than the romance between Scarlett and Rhett.  This paragraph really supports that theory and then some.   Maybe it's just me, but I find this scene far more entertaining than all the hats Rhett Butler could possibly buy.

We also start to see the differences between Rhett and Ashley as well as Scarlett and Melanie.  Rhett and Scarlett are opportunists and survivors and therefore, MFEO.  Melanie and Ashley are tied to their honor and duty before anything else.  One wonders how honor and duty will feed the children and keep a roof over their heads when the Yankees win.  Also, does Scarlett realize what Ashley's duty-bound personality means for her imagined future with him? No matter how many hearts, with their initials in it, she draws on her Trapper Keeper he is never going to leave Melanie.  Regardless of what he feels, if he feels what she thinks he feels, he made a commitment to Melanie and will stand by it til death they do part.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 15

Chapter 15 Summary: Ashley comes home to the open arms of his family for Christmas.  Scarlett completely changes her holiday plans so she can stay in Atlanta and get a moment alone with her heart's desire.  She begs a hat off of Rhett Butler and turns it into a gift for Ashley, as well as repurposing a scarf so Ashley can have a sash.  He accepts these gifts with grace and enthusiasm before asking Scarlett to take care of Melanie.  She isn't able to let him go so easily and after promising to look after his wife declares she still has feelings for him.  Scarlett can't let him leave without a kiss goodbye and he obliges.

KatieBug's Response: We see that Scarlett doesn't quite understand Melanie is Ashley's wife until they go into their room that first night and shut the door.  It's also sad to see that Scarlett hasn't moved on from this heartbreak just yet.   I am quite angry with Ashley for kissing Scarlett at all.  He is sending her terribly mixes signals and even if he thought he was going off to die that is no reason to string her along like this.  On the other hand, Scarlett is doing what a typical young girl in love would do and is filling in the blanks of everything Ashley doesn't say to her.  If he were to tell her that he is absolutely in love with his wife and has no feelings for her whatsoever, Scarlett might be able to eventually move on.  But kissing her like that is all the proof she needs that he's married to the wrong person.  God, and then to ask her to "take care of" Melanie.  That is an awful lot of advantage he's taking right there.  Scarlett, you can do better.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 14

Chapter 14 Summary: Summer of 1863, Atlanta is riding high on the victories at Fredericksburg and Chancellorville and they expect another one at Gettysburg on the Yankee's home turf in Pennsylvania.  Letters home from Darcy Meade reveal that General Lee forbade looting and destruction of Yankee lands, which is more than the Union Army did for the Confederacy and has left the Confederate army without basic essentials.  Darcy begs for a new pair of boots and gives a few more details of the march north.  Then on July 3rd, Atlanta is left without any news whatsoever.  The citizens are in a panic to hear about their loved ones and the Wilkes/Hamilton family is no different.  Scarlett, Melanie, and Aunt PittyPat wait outside the Daily Examiner office for the printed lists of the Gettysburg dead.  Rhett Butler is able to provide a little more information and a list hot off the presses.  Even though Ashley is safe, Scarlett finds the names of all three Tarleton boys as well aws Raif Calvert, Joe Fontaine, and Lafe Munroe - all boys that she grew up with in the county.  It's then that Mrs. Meade discover's her son, Darcy's name on the list and has to make a quick exit.  Melanie and Scarlett head over to the Meade's residence to sit with the family and Melanie reveals that she's jealous of Scarlett's son, Wade.  She imagines what it would be like to lose Ashley in the war without some sort of child left to comfort her and tells Scarlett that she sometimes pretends little Wade is her own child.  Scarlett chides her for her tears and then sends her out to tend to the remaining Meade son, Phil.

KatieBug's Response: Remember that child that Scarlett and Charles had? No? Me either.  I had quite forgotten him, just as Scarlett seems to, until Melanie brings him up in conversation.   I can understand why the script writer's decided to leave him out of the movie entirely.  That being said, this reads pretty closely to the movie and we see Scarlett realize the true consequences of war.  She's lost friends, boys she grew up with, and she doesn't agree with any of it.

Gone With the Wind: Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Summary:  Dr. Meade is inspired to write a letter to the editor, at the insistence of Mrs. Merriweather, regarding the food speculators and blockaders who are taking advantage of their fellow Southerners.  The letter describes Rhett's actions to the letter and, without mentioning his name, lets the rest of society know Rhett is no longer welcome in Atlanta.  Scarlett and Melanie both continue to receive Rhett despite this.  Melanie because she genuinely believes Rhett has done nothing to deserve this treatment and Scarlett because she likes the gifts Rhett brings her.  Rhett tempts Scarlett to further abandon her mourning with the gift of a beautiful hat.  Melanie comes home very agitated because Belle Watling, a local prostitute, cornered her in the street.  Normally proper ladies do not converse with those of Belle's ill repute, but Belle wanted to donate money to the hospital and no one else would accept it.  Melanie, of course, does but is caught talking by Uncle Peter.  She goes to Scarlett for help and it's discovered that Belle's donation is wrapped up in one of Rhett Butler's handkerchiefs.  Scarlett bristles at the idea that Rhett's been visiting Belle as often as he's visited her and burns the handkerchief in the stove.

KatieBug's Response: ***Different from the movie: Rhett does kiss Scarlett after giving her the hat, but only on the cheek.  Melanie meets up with Belle Watling on a walk home from the hospital but without anyone else around.***  First of all, I was upset that Rhett chides Scarlett for reading the newspaper.  She is trying to argue on his level and he tells her that reading newspapers "addles women's brains."  It was really difficult to read that as a modern woman.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 12

Chapter 12 Summary: Scarlett looks forward to a life without the bonds of widowhood.  We learn that Rhett calls on Scarlett quite regularly and even looks forward to his visits.  We get a quick description of the economic landscape in Atlanta at the time of the Civil War and a history of Rhett Butler's rise and subsequent decline in popularity amongst the gentry.  At first he is described as scandalous but able to get the things a person wants in these difficult times, thus giving him the romantic air of a pirate.  Then, as if growing bored, he stops courting their favor and proceeds to tell the most truthful things about the war.  It all comes to a head at Mrs. Elsing's party when he, once again, tells the truth behind the war.  The Southerners feel that Rhett is a traitor and the only home willing to accept him, after the party, is the Wilkes' residence.  Melanie refuses to exclude a man who expresses the same sentiments her husband expresses in his letters.  Scarlett finds it odd that a man like Ashley and a scoundrel like Rhett could have anything in common, then she realizes that Rhett isn't willing to die for something in which he doesn't believe.

Katiebug's Response: This entire section is omitted from the movie - We finally see the payoff for Scarlett reading Ashley's letters.  It was necessary for us to know what was in them in order for us to understand why Melanie would go against the rest of society.   Scarlett and Rhett's relationship develops, though Scarlett is not ready to admit that maybe she loves him.

Gone With The Wind: Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Summary: Remaining safely in Atlanta, we discover that Scarlett secretly reads Ashley's letters to his wife. The parts that Melanie keeps to herself were too much torment to Scarlett and she is intent upon learning if Ashley is in love with his wife. So far, her secret readings have not met Scarlett's definition of love and devotion. She is content that Ashley thinks of his wife as nothing more than a sister even though he unburdens his very soul to her. Ashley writes about his distaste for the war and how, even if they win, they'll still lose. Scarlett knows there is something she's missing in his letters and it's this quality that prevented her from landing him as a husband, but she has not yet figured out what that something is.

KatieBug's Response: This entire chapter is omitted from the movie.  I think this is an important part of Scarlett's character, we start to see her "put things off until tomorrow," as well as go to any length to buouy up her own theories.  It's also an excellent opportunity for the author to throw in some commentary about the Civil War.  She puts these words into Ashley's mouth, or rather letters, and has him lament the loss of their bucolic life.  He knows that winning the war will change civilization as they knew it just as much as losing will and life can never be the same.  Scarlett doesn't even finish reading the letter because she finds it boring and yet she is unable to understand why Ashley didn't choose her as a wife.  He wasn't lying when he told her that they were too different.  Here is the evidence for everyone, including Scarlett, to see and yet she is still blinded by her own fantasy.