Reaction to: Gone With the Wind

Gone With the Wind

Before watching Gone with the Wind for the first time, I expected it to be annoying and dull, like just another assignment. Instead, I discovered an intriguing, informative film that also romantically portrayed Southern life during the Civil War. It showed the brutality that slavery has inside the house along with outside at this time period.  Along with other historically accurate cultural norms. Despite the sadness of slavery, the movie offers meaningful insights into human experiences like friendship and compassion.

Relationship between Scarlett O'Hara (White dress)
And Mammy (Black dress)

What caught my attention most was how the film subtly showed the dynamic of status played a role in everyday activities, back then. The relationships with Scarlett, including characters like Mammy,
Melanie, and Belle Watling, show a spectrum of care and tension that feels authentic for that time.  It makes it seem like a real accuracy or a true story at the time, even though it is fiction. 

The filmmakers clearly distorted historical reality in my opinion.  I think that slavery was more embedded than what the film portrayed.  Rather than seeming like they had a beneficial, natural relationship, as what the film was made to seem.  I did like the relationship between males and females at the time.  While characters like Scarlett O'Hara were upstairs sleeping, the males were drinking and smoking cigars.  This glance into the norms of the time brings in some truth.

Let's talk about the main character, Scarlett O'Hara. The character that she portrayed was a posh, annoyingly rich, Southern doll that has always gotten her way.  The film shows how the war and greed for conflict has affected her lifestyle.  Towards the end of the film, you can see how she became much more grateful and realistic.  Her character arc made her become much more in touch with reality
towards the end. 

Scarlett O'Hara

I think that this development with Scarlett O'Hara is historically constant throughout American history.  During times of war or conflict, others have always stepped in to support their side.  Whether this is banks becoming infirmaries, or lamp businesses becoming bullet manufacturers, or even others stepping up to fill roles.  In this film, it shows Scarlett O'Hara helping with the war effort by going and becoming a nurse.  This small action that most normally overlook then watching is something that has happened in times of conflict.  

While I believe Gone With The Wind wasn't the best depiction of how brutal and hard slavery was for African Americans, I think the film had a good plot with an interesting romance.  Along with a little sprinkle of southern culture back in the civil war times and history.  This shows that even a film that might not perfectly illustrate the harsh reality can have truths and lesions that are important.  Also the production makes it hard to look away or fall asleep

My overall opinion of Gone With The Wind is that it's a good watch that portrays character development and conflict resolution during the civil war.  This is why this film is still heavily watched today in school and entertainment.  After I watched it, it gave me a whole new look out on life and life back in those terrible times for African Americans.