Wrapping up Gone with the Wind Read-a-long

I can't believe it's over! As long as this book was and even though I had a hard time always meeting the schedule, I absolutely loved reading it this way and sharing my thoughts each week. I cried at the end (even though I knew what was going to happen) and was surprised by just how depressing the ending feels in the book. If ever in the world there is evidence that a good movie comes from an even better book, it's Gone with the Wind.

Let's talk about the ending specifically, since I'll also be writing a review. The ending, I felt was very depressing. This last section picked up on the night after Ashley's party where Melanie had Scarlett receive with her. Rhett is of course overcome with jealousy and rage and humiliation but they have quite the passionate night together.

I have to admit to feeling frustrated by Rhett. For all his knowing Scarlett "down to her bones" talk he still plays the same games with her. But Scarlett actually seems quite insecure when it comes to Rhett...I feel like he could have encouraged her more. Ah well, I guess he was quite insecure with her as well. Scarlett continued to be shocking by openly thinking things like wishing that God had taken Ella instead of Bonnie, but maybe in the end she's just more honest than the rest of us.

I found Bonnie and Melanie's deaths to be so sad, but despite it all, I was so glad that at the end, Scarlett, having lost everything, still wasn't broken.

I was chatting about the end of the book on twitter awhile back and some people said they think everyone ends up alone. Do you? Or do you think Scarlett wins back Rhett? What do you imagine happens to the characters? I don't think I'll be reading any of the imagined sequels anytime soon, though I did watch Scarlett on TV when it was on.

Don't forget next week we'll discuss The Wind Done Gone!

Gone with the Wind Check-in #6: Rhett and Scarlett

Can you believe we only have 9 chapters left? And it's such a short section of the book, just 150 pages in the mass market paperback edition I have. I was very tempted to just finish it, but I don't want my comments on each section to get blurred.

I have to admit that I got bogged down by the history of Atlanta and the Klan and the politics of the time. It's not that isn't interesting or informative, it is and I do appreciate it, but it makes the book a bit heavier reading. I must admit, my favorite parts of the book are Rhett and Scarlett together though I often can't believe how unaware Scarlett is of her own feelings. She knows her mind so well in many other matters, as she tells Ashley, she can't be anybody but herself, but she's clung to the illusion of Ashley for so long that she fails to recognize how she feels about Rhett.

I loved the scene shortly after Frank is killed when Rhett comes to see Scarlett. She is full of a sort of guilt over how unhappy she made Frank and terrified that God shall send her to hell. As Scarlett talks to him, it says something like Scarlett often felt that everyone else she knew were strangers except for Rhett. (I don't have my book with me so it's not an exact quote) This just killed me. She thinks this because they are so alike and yet also I believe because she loves him. It's so frustrating!!! Anyway fantastic scene filled with such great tension though Rhett's agony over her lack of love is rather heartbreaking.

I also found the whole convict labor issue fascinating. As soon as this issue was brought up, I was dying to know what the big deal was and what the difference was between convict labor and slavery, in the eyes of the Southerners. I'm glad Mitchell did bring that up and while the answer was unsatisfactory, I can't help but wonder, the way I often do while reading timeless novels, what we do in our times and justify in our way, what actions of our own have we blinded ourselves to that future generations will condemn us for.

I liked Scarlett less through these past two sections. While I understand what drives her, I am not a fan of her cruelty or of her building her wealth off of the poor and unfortunate. And I have to admit to liking Melanie a little bit more through these sections.

Which reminds me of another interesting point. When Scarlett befriends the Yankees, Melanie tells her she cannot forget what they did and she will make sure her children know and her children's children. And I think how effective that was, how strong the traces of the Civil War still are in the South, how there's still a sense of Confederate pride. But at the same time, it made me feel so thankful for the way each generation is like a rebirth, each time a new generation is born, it's a chance for redemption to right the past wrongs of history.

And of course I like Rhett. He's not a perfect character but he's interesting and he knows Scarlett so well.

I don't know if I've mentioned this before but one thing I love about Rhett and Scarlett is how much they remind me of one of my favorite TV couples:



All in all, I really really love this book. I am so glad that I decided to read it this year and I really look forward to the last pages.

What were your feelings on this section of the book? How do you feel about Scarlett? Do you find the history a bit much to wade through?

Gone With the Wind Check-in #4 -- Scarlett Continues to Evolve

So the war is over now, but survival is just as tough as ever for our heroine. But Scarlett is as tough as nails and willing to do anything to save Tara. Including selling herself as a mistress to Rhett Butler and stealing her sister's betrothed for her own.

I have to say I continue to be impressed by just how well developed Scarlett is...she's the sort of character that I would probably hate to know in real life but can't help but admire in fiction. Despite the fact that she's brilliant in some ways and completely dim in others, I find myself rooting for her and her success. I found this section to be full of interesting historical evolution and I am continually impressed with just how timeless it is.

On Scarlett and Atlanta:
"Scarlett nodded, a grim pleasure and pride in her adopted town filling her. As Frank said, it was a pushy, impudent place and that was why she liked it. It wasn't hidebound and stick-in-the-muddish like the older towns and it had a brash exuberance that matched her own. 'I'm like Atlanta,' she thought. It takes more than Yankees or a burning to keep me down.'"

Scarlett on God:
"She {Careen} prayed a good deal for when Scarlett came into her room without knocking, she always found her on her knees by her bed. The sight never failed to annoy her, for Scarlett felt the time for prayer had passed. If God has seen fit to punish them so, then God could very well do without prayers. Religion had always been a bargaining process with Scarlett. She promised God good behavior in exchange for favors. God had broken the bargain time and again, to her way of thinking, and she felt that she owed him nothing at all now."

Scarlett on Southern culture:
"She could not ignore life. She had to live it and it was too brutal, too hostile for her to even try to gloss over its harshness with a smile. Of the sweetness and courage and unyielding pride of her friends, Scarlett saw nothing. She saw only a silly stiff-neckedness which observed facts but smiled and refused to look them in the face."

Scarlett on women:
"A startling thought this, that a woman could handle business matters as well as or better than a man, a revolutionary thought to Scarlett, who had been reared in the tradition that men were omniscient and women none too bright. Of course, she had discovered that this was not altogether true, but the pleasant fiction still stuck in her mind. Never before had she put this remarkable idea into words. She sat quite still, with the heavy book across her lap, her mouth a little open with surprise, that during her lean months at Tara she had done a man's work and done it well. She had been brought up to believe that a woman alone could accomplish nothing, yet she had managed the plantation without men to help her until Will came. Why, why, her mind stuttered, I believe women could manage everything in the world without men's help--except having babies, and God knows, no woman in her right mind would have babies if she could help it."

So you can see I really think this section was quite pivotal for Scarlett. Don't you love her?

A few questions for those reading along:
1) What in the world is the Ashley attraction? I think he's completely lame.
2) Do you love Scarlett or find her repulsive? Do you think the world needs survivors like her and Rhett to do the dirty work while others depend on them but manage to keep their conscience?

Also, just so you know in advance: This fall I'll be hosting a readalong for Lonesome Dove. Probably in October. So I've told you WAY in advance so you can plan for it!

Gone with the Wind Check-In #3

I'm all caught up through chapter 27 and I have to say that I have completely been drawn into the story and I'm loving it!

Once we got past the first 300 pages of tedious character background and entered into actual plot the story really picked up for me. I have to admit to finding the look at the war and the sort of timeless look at war that is provided via Scarlett, Ashley, and Rhett's reactions and discussions fascinating. I do find the fact that while the white characters are richly developed and sharply drawn, the black characters are all sort of one dimensional and unbelievable to me. I can see why this is a major weakness of the book, but it's also very revealing of the time. I find the way Scarlett talks about Prissy hard to bear, and this part of the book uncomfortable to read in general.

And now my questions.

1) How are you enjoying the story so far?
2) Do you like Scarlett and admire her strength and conviction to survive or does she bother you?
3) Melanie? Do we like her?
4) Has reading this book changed your thoughts or given you any additional insight into this period of history?

I think I might curl up with the book for the rest of the day! I'm just loving it!

Gone With the Wind Readalong Check-In

In which I confess I am the worst readalong hostess ever! I only managed to read one more chapter last week. Having said that, however, I don't have nearly the amount of books demanding to be read for this, that, or the other reason this coming week so hopefully I can catch up! I am enjoying the read, really I am! But this is why I tried to make the readalong informal...so none of us (read: me) have to feel bad if we fall behind for a bit! :)

Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how the book is progressing for you. Everyone promised we'd love it after the first 300 pages so I want to know if that is holding true. I have to admit I really loved in chapter 8 the parallel between Scarlett and Atlanta that is drawn and the history of Atlanta, the city of my birth. ;)

Anyway, hopefully next week I'll have a much more interesting, insightful, and in-depth post.

Gone With the Wind Readalong First Check-in

Hello fellow people journeying back in time to the world of Scarlett O'Hara with me! I'm sorry to get this up so late. I was thinking, 9 chapters, that's nothing! But it's actually close to 300 pages in my version of the book! I didn't finish all nine chapters either, I stopped after chapter 7 and will try to catch up by next week's check-in.

How is the reading going for you?

I have to confess that I'm struggling a bit. I often don't read books after I've seen the movie and in this case I've seen the movie MANY MANY times. Of course there is much more character background and description but I felt like I was forcing myself through just a bit. I did perk up a bit when Rhett Butler showed up, but unfortunately I am unable to imagine these characters as anyone other than the actors and actresses who portrayed them.

I am also appreciative of the history of Georgia...it sort of deepens my understanding of the time. This is the power of novels, they put faces to the history.

I would love to hear your thoughts so far! Are you enjoying the book as much as you thought you would? What do you like best so far? Remember, next week we're supposed to have read through chapter 18! (yikes!)

The Very Informal Gone with the Wind and The Wind Done Gone Read-a-long

At some point last year I stated that I wanted to read Gone with the Wind. A bunch of other people also said they'd be game and so this read-a-long was born. I CANNOT BELIEVE TOMORROW IS MARCH!!! I meant to post about this ages ago, but the important thing is I'm posting about it now!

I'm not going to make this really structured, basically we'll be reading the book throughout the months of March and April. Nicole of Linus's Blanket suggested we also read The Wind Done Gone to get a better look at the slave perspective. So if you can please, read both books and join in on the discussion.

Here's how I'm planning to proceed with this. I'm going to go ahead and use Sundays as a time when we can post our progress. You don't have to make a post on your blog or anything if you don't want, but you are more than welcome to if you want.

I'm going to make a very relaxed schedule here, and I'll try to think of a discussion question or two each week and we can talk about the book in comments.

I know this is really short notice! I do apologize.

My proposed schedule:

March 7: Chapters 1-9
March 14: Chapters 10-18
March 21: Chapters 19-27
March 28: Chapters 28-36
April 4: Chapters 37-45
April 11: Chapters 46-54
April 18: Chapters 54-63
April 25: The Wind Done Gone

All of the sudden I feel really excited! I don't have a button or anything fun like that but please feel free to spread the word either on your blogs, via twitter or facebook...maybe we could discuss Gone with the Wind the movie on the first Sunday in May if there's interest.