history and criticism

What can I say about GWTW that hasn't already been said? The story is so captivating, and you can envision every scene because Margaret Mitchell describes every detail with such beautiful language. You really feel drawn back in time to the Old South and the Civil War. However, the characters are what really make the story so compelling, and the way they interact with each other is quite interesting because they are all so different. Scarlett O'Hara is probably one of the best literary characters ever created. She is very spoiled and self-centered, but I can't help but admire her strength and courage. There's also Rhett Butler, the handsome yet terribly scandalous man who loves Scarlett. Their relationship is definitely one of the greatest love stories ever written. You just have to read it! Don't be intimidated by the fact that it is over 1000 pages, the language is wonderful but not that complicated. If you haven't read this book, you're really missing out on a fantastic reading experience. Read it, and you will see why nearly seventy years after its initial publication, Gone With the Wind has not been forgotten.

I started to read this book as a challenge - to see if I could actually finish it. I did, finally, (after about a month) and was really impressed. Actually, I was quite sad at the end of the last paragraph. It was definetly a classic book, but I don't intend on reading it again anytime in the near future.

Scarlett O'Hara is a great character. Though bull-headed, nasty, and insensitive, she comes off as a believeable southern woman post-Civil War. She apparantly has no feelings whatsoever for those who care for her most, that is, she doesn't find out how much people mean to her until the very last chapter of the book. Still, she is strong, stubborn, can be sweet, and can get whatever she wants. And yes, she is a believeable character. I simply can not stand people who use the excuse that the character was unbelieveable. How is that? By saying that, you're saying that there could'nt be anyone in the world with the same qualities as that person? I don't think so.

The only thing that bothered me about this was the fact that Scarlett didn't give a rat's a** about her children. Much to the point where they were afraid of her. That fact just might make some people hate her.

But, all other matters aside, I don't think I can express enough how much I loved this book. It was beautifully written, with the right word choice (they would talk in big words all the time, so I was thankful that I could actually understand them!) and such. I know some people hated this book, but that's their opinion. I don't know why there is even such a thing as reviews. You just have to read the book for yourself and don't trust what anyone else says. And don't spend all your time going into such detail about the plot. That thing with Rhett's mentioned but not explained son really has no relevance to the plot. If you spend all your time looking at the downsides of the story, you'll never enjoy it. But, I do hope that you enjoy this book, because I think it it really great.

Gone with the Wind is an excellent book. I read it the first time when i was 14 and i have read it every year at least once since then. I would recommend it to anyone who has the time to read this lengthy book. It keeps you waiting for more about Scarlett O'Hara and her life during the Civil War and her romance with the honorable Ashley Wilkes and the reckless, scalawag Rhett Butler. If you do read this book and love it like i do i would HIGHLY recommend the sequel "Scarlettl; the sequel to Gone with the Wind" by Alexandra Ripley