AComparativeStudyofFemaleImagesofScarlettand

尚忠俊

【Abstract】Gone with the Wind is the masterpiece of American famous female writer Margaret Mitchell. Based on the background of American civil war， the novel shows a magnificent picture of southern United States before the civil war and post-war times in front of the readers. The novel depicts two distinctive characters， Scarlett and Melanie. Scarlett has glamorous outlook， she is smart， brave and strong， but also selfish， vanity， kitsch and greed. Melanie looks mediocre， but she is a woman of great integrity， inner strength and generosity. This author analyzes the two controversial heroine based on elaborate observations. Scarlett is a innovative women with the sense of independence， while Melanie is a kind and righteous traditional women， both of them are excellent female in turbulent times.

【Key words】Scarlett； Melanie； Comparison； Inspiration

Introduction

Gone with the wind is considered as an epic novel of romantic love stories with realistic descriptions of American Civil War. Readers is not only moved by Scarletts complicated and touching love experiences， but also are shaken by the historical panorama of the heart-break Civil War and postwar reconstruction， especially by the painstaking strive of tenacious and dauntless Scarlett who bear the responsibility of holding a family. And the soft but determined Melanie who makes unceasingly attempt to help all the people she meet in hard times. By comparison， we clearly know the merits and the demerits of Scarlett and Melanie. So its clearly to us， what we should learn from them， while what we should avoid or correct. The author expects to show some positive inspirations to modern women.

Chapter 1 Author

Margaret Mitchell （November 8， 1900 – August 16， 1949） was an American author and journalist. It was her education and life experience that made it possible for her to write a touching and inspiring love story. In July of the1935， the novel was published， temporarily named “Tomorrow is Another Day”. She win the Pulizer Prize for this novelIn 1944， Margaret became a famous journalist， writing her favorite novels. But on August 11， 1949， Mitchell and her husband died in an car accident.

Chapter II Comparison of Scarlett and Melanie

2.1 Comparison of Their Background and Appearance

Born in a wealthy plantation family， Scarlett longed to be a “great lady” like her noble and saintly mother， Ellen， while her blood in fact flew the wild rebellious factor which inhered from her father， Gerald， a ambitious， self-made and practical Irish peasant. Her appearance was not out of ordinary， but her sharp facial features made her very attractive. Gerald was a loud-voiced and impulsive Irish farmer with a bad temper. Ellen was Scarlett's mother. Well-bred， refined， polite and compassionate， Ellen represented an impracticably high standard of true lady for Scarlett to live up to. Although Scarlett longed to be “a great lady” like Ellen， she found herself going against her mother's indoctrination in every way she dealing with things. Melanie and her brother Charles were the last young generation left of the wealthy Hamilton family. The family had always valued education and sought to provide its younger generation with the finest education. Melanie and Charles' parents died when their children were still young. The two siblings were placed under the joint guardianship of their uncle and aunt. But the one that actually was responsible for taking care of Melanie and Charles was Uncle Peter， an African American slave who was extremely loyal to the Hamiltons. Melanie grew to be well-educated and well-read young lady. Compare with Scarletts buxom and slim appearance， Melanie is thin and pale， like a immature child. But her eyes is so brilliant that like the brightest star in sky. A mediocre appearance with a beautiful heart， she soon became the center of friends.

2.2 Comparison of Their Attitudes Toward Love

For Scarlett， love is the weapon to conquer and torment men. Love is demanding instead of devotion. When the novel opened， She had been reared in the tradition of being great ladies. Her mother and mammy did a lot of job to change her wild nature. However， on the surface she seemed charming， busy， kind， tender， and smart， but in her heart she was insecure and just wanted the affection of her neighbor， Ashley. Rhett Butler was her true love. Rhett was the disreputable son of a wealthy old Charleston family. One of the tragedies of their relationship is that he is unable to tell her of his feelings. Another reason why he kept his emotions under wraps was Scarlett's infatuation with Ashley. This finally exhausted his love for Scarlett and at the end of the novel， he left her. Melanie was raised up in a wealthy family. She was protected well， provided the best education and taught the merits of human beings. Contrast to Scarlett， her love is devotion. Ashley was her husband. She treated Ashley as God， and she served him with the highest sense of respect. Even after the war， Ashley lost all his property and status， he failed to adapt to the changing times， he even could not raise support their family， she never feel ashamed or angry about him. Whats more， she supported him. She risked her life to give birth to the son for the man she loved.

2.3 Comparison of Their Attitudes Towards Society

Scarletts attitudes towards the society was too rebellious and strong for the people of her time to accept. She had a strong personality and made her own decisions independently. In the postwar times， she married Frank and managed lumber business. It was crazy at that time that a woman go out and run business with man. Especially Scarlett earned more money than men， this aroused not only womens hatred， but also the mens hatred towards her. Seldom did the social conventions can manacle her mind and decisions. Melanie was a follower of social conventions. When her brother Charles died， female family members had to stay at home and mourn him for several years. Melanie followed the conventions and practiced it sincerely and cautiously. While Melanie is strict with herself， she could understand and accept other peoples unfitted behaviors and thoughts. She respected and admired the people like Scarlett who has the courage to challenge the traditions， but it was impossible for her to change her traditional minds and adjusted herself to the changing environment of the New South.

Chapter III Inspiration From Scarlett and Melanie

3.1 Inspiration About the Career

Scarlett's era is the era of male dominated the world， women were dependent on men， controlled by men. Male was the center of all social activities. Social morality and ethics required women to be qualified and men centered wife and mother and set a strong backup force in home for men. She firmly believed that women can do everything that men do. Under the support of the belief， she worked to earn money like a man fand got financial security. So the contemporary women can learn innovation， self-confidence and optimism from Scarlett.

3.2 Inspiration About the Family

Melanie was a perfect wife， she knew how to build up and sustain a harmonious family. Three virtues of Melanie are the secret for her successfully managing a happy family. The first one is love. Love is the center of a family. Its love that make Melanie attractive. The second one is trust. She knew that Scarlett falling in love with her husband， but she didnt took any measures to prevent their contact， because she totally believe her husband. The third one is respect， if you want to have a happy family， do not try to change you husband or your wifes habit and mind. Melanie knew this well， Ashley loved her and worshiped her， even Scarletts son loved her more than Scarlett.

3.3 Inspiration About the Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal Communication is a important part of daily life and work. Scarlett attracted men by her beautiful appearance. She was not born as a beauty， but she carefully observe people， so she knew how to make them happy. To some extent， beautiful appearance predicts the success in communication. Melanies ways of building up her interpersonal relationship is by her gracious manner and sentiment. As the novel depicts that she is not as beautiful as Scarlett， but she was as charming as Scarlett. It was her kindness， tolerant， adamancy as well as her smile leave the readers a deep impression.

Conclusion

To conclude， Scarlett symbolizes the New South. Under the turbulent situation， both Scarlett and the South had to overcome difficulties and adapted themselves to the changing times in order to survive. Melanie served mainly as an figure of everything contrary to Scarlett. She was a totally traditional women. Melanies determined kindness and abiding calm gave strength to the characters in the film. To trace back history， women have been disdained because of their inferior social positions and their relatively faint physical conditions. In fact， women like the hidden treasure which are waiting for an deep exploitation of themselves and others. As we all know， women have a better sense of family， interpersonal relationship and art. They have the desire to be admitted by the society and fair opportunities. First of all， women should improve themselves by study and practice. This dissertation gives some suggestions to modern women of how to be an successful woman who units the merits of Scarlett and Melanie in the new era through a comparative analysis of the two characters in the famous masterpiece Gone with the Wind.

References：

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