The author named the book Gone with the Wind, which means "drifting with the wind". The meaning comes from Ashley, an important character in the book. Standing on the position of the declining southern serf-owners, he felt with infinite regret everything in the south before the war-the fine clothes and food of the nobles, horseback riding and dancing, picnics and parties; Full of gold and silver, fertile land, busy traffic, groups of lively and rich slaves; Free, leisurely and quiet, relaxed and comfortable rural life; And the traditional moral concepts in the south. -All kinds of forests and trees related to the old way of life, along with a war "blowing in the wind". This theme was summarized by Ashley, and then understood and experienced by Scarlett bit by bit, which left a deep impression on readers. The author not only described the war from the standpoint of wealthy southern serf owners, but also showed her personal mentality about this period of history.
The story begins at 186 1. Since 1860 * * and Republican Lincoln were elected president, the slave-holding States in the south have successively announced their secession from the Federation and established the "Southern Union", with Davis as the president. Slogans such as "secession", "state power" and "war" are getting higher and higher, like drums, which make southern men excited. But our heroine, Miss Scarlett of Tara, has no interest in it at all. She is interested in captivating her many lovers. One afternoon in April, Scarlett was chatting with two young people who were Tarleton twins. When she suddenly heard that Ashley was getting engaged, her heart ached. Scarlett has always been able to get boys to pursue her enthusiastically, except Ashley. Ashley gave her a polite smile with long eyelashes and dimples. Ashley always looks at her as if he walked past her and saw other distant places. Ashley's gentle behavior and distinctive personality made Scarlett fall in love with him. But now, Ashley is getting engaged to his cousin Melanie! Scarlett doesn't believe that she will be less charming than Melanie, and she doesn't believe that Ashley will not love herself. She is determined to find an opportunity to confess to Ashley at the barbecue the next day and try to persuade him to elope with herself.
The next day, the hot topic of men was still war. In particular, a man named Butler dared to talk big and said that the war in the south would fail, which caused everyone's unhappiness. On the other hand, Ashley is just with Melanie. In order to attract Ashley's full attention, Scarlett easily surrounded all unmarried men present-from old Kennedy with a few sparse beards to inexperienced and shy young Charles in love. But Ashley still refused her face-to-face confession as a gentleman. Scarlett became angry and slapped Ashley, grabbed a small porcelain bowl and threw it at the fireplace. Unexpectedly, this collision attracted another unusual "confidant" for her-Rhett Butler, the unpopular Mr. Butler just now. This Mr. Butler was born in a famous family, but he regarded himself as a rebel, openly flouting and mocking the moral standards recognized by the southern upper class. He admired Scarlett's courage, but Scarlett thought he had caught a glimpse of his most shameful scene.
Just then, the news that "Fort Sumter is fighting" came, and the war broke out! In retaliation for Ashley, Scarlett got engaged to Melanie's brother, shy Charles, at lightning speed, and married Charles the day before Ashley and Melanie's wedding.
After marriage, Charles enlisted in the army and died of illness soon after. What is left to Scarlett is the identity of the posthumous child Wade Jr. and the "widow". Of course, there are his relatives in Atlanta-Aunt Pitty, Melanie and some property. Ashley left, and so did all the young people nearby. Scarlett was depressed to the extreme. At this moment, I received letters from Aunt Pitty and Melanie. She took the children to Atlanta.
In Atlanta, she participated in the voluntary care of the wounded soldiers in the hospital, and her mood improved. But the status of "widow" forced her to stay away from all entertainment activities. At the fund-raising dances held again and again in the hospital, Scarlett finally broke away from convention and entered the dance floor with Rhett in mourning. Rhett has now become a famous "hero" who crossed the union blockade in Atlanta, but his sarcastic temper has not changed at all. Since then, they often go out to social occasions and become the object of attack and discussion. Only Melanie not only did not participate in the siege of them, but also often defended them. Only Scarlett still can't forget Ashley.
/kloc-in the summer of 0/863, terrible news came from Gettysburg. Many young people who grew up with Scarlett died in battle, and the living didn't have enough supplies. Ashley came back for holiday at Christmas, thin and ragged, which further confirmed that some of Rhett's "nonsense" was not false. Scarlett's heart rekindled the fire of love for Ashley. But before leaving, Ashley just kissed her on the forehead and asked her to take care of Melanie. Scared by the pain and despair in his eyes, Scarlett could not help but agree.
1864, the situation is getting worse. What Scarlett can't accept is that Melanie is pregnant. Meanwhile, the news of Ashley's disappearance came from the front. With Rhett's help, I found that he was captured. In July, Atlanta was besieged and people fled. Scarlett heard that her mother was ill and wanted to go back to Tara. However, Melanie, who is in labor, cannot travel. Scarlett promised Ashley to take care of Melanie, so she had to stay. The siege lasted for a month, and every day guns were heard, and the days passed like a few years. Then, the battle went to Tara, and Atlanta fell silent, which made Scarlett even more worried. On September 1 day, the Confederate army left Atlanta and the Yankees were about to enter the city. But Melanie gave birth on this very day. Without the help of a doctor, Scarlett, who didn't know how to deliver a baby, was busy from early morning until late at night. At this time, the city was in chaos and the fire was raging. With Rhett's help, Scarlett got a broken carriage, took Melanie and the frightened children, and fled back to Tara desperately all night.
But Tara has changed beyond recognition. The quilt at home is burned and the field is barren; Mother died, father was demented, and two sisters were seriously ill in bed. There are only three slaves left in the family who have no backbone. The burden of life suddenly fell on Scarlett, who was 19 years old. In order to keep the whole family 12 alive, she had to be strong, put down her wife's shelf, go to the fields herself, bite her teeth and pick cotton and do rough work. Even shot and killed a Yankee soldier. However, people who often come to Tara are hungry besides robbing evil Yankees. Scarlett is nervous day and night, and often has a terrible strange dream that she is chased by a dark troll and surrounded by fog. She ran and struggled desperately in the fog, but she just couldn't find a way. This nightmare has become a heart disease for her for many years, which often wakes her up, shakes her and keeps her awake all night. ...
In April of the following year, the Confederate army surrendered and the war ended. In the busy season of spring ploughing, Scarlett forgot her sadness and nostalgia, and resumed production wholeheartedly to revitalize Tara. Then, every day, some Confederate soldiers pass by Tara to go home. Ashley also sent word that he would be back soon. Will, the dying soldier they saved, was homeless. After his recovery, he stayed in Tara. Will is smart and hard-working, which makes Scarlett feel a lot easier. In September, Ashley finally returned alive.
However, Tara's embarrassing situation has not improved. In addition, Jonathan, the "black-hearted" foreman who was expelled from Scarlett's family and now in power, secretly made mischief, and Tara was cornered because she could not afford the high additional tax. Scarlett suddenly thought of Rhett, even though he left them halfway through the night he fled Atlanta. For Tara, Scarlett is determined to do whatever it takes. She came to Atlanta alone, but Rhett was arrested and imprisoned on suspicion of misappropriating huge sums of money from the state treasury. Scarlett got nothing from him, but was humiliated and ridiculed by him.
Scarlett walked alone in the cold wind and rain. She was cold and hungry, sad and desperate. Suddenly, she met her sister's old lover Kennedy. Kennedy told her that he now opened a shop and had a small sum of money on hand. When Scarlett heard the word "money", she woke up. She cheated old Kennedy and became Mrs. Kennedy two weeks later. Tara was saved.
Mrs Kennedy soon discovered that her husband was not good at managing money at all. She is determined to replace him. At this time, Rhett Butler came again and ironically said that she would not wait for him for two weeks. He has just been released by unblocking his "personal friends" in Washington. Scarlett has had enough of poverty, and she will never go hungry again. She borrowed money from Rhett behind Kennedy's back, bought a sawmill outside the city, worked hard like a man and began to make big money like a man. Even if she got pregnant later, she didn't stop working. This has caused a lot of public discussion in Atlanta. But Scarlett was so intent on making money that she simply ignored it. In order to earn more money before production, she bought another timber factory. Running business in two factories every day, busy until evening. At this time, the social security situation in Atlanta is very bad. The streets are full of hooligans, drunkards and vagrants. Newly liberated blacks flock to cities, having nothing to do and often making trouble. It's even more unsafe outside the city. People advised her not to go out, but Scarlett still ignored it and went her own way. At this time, Rhett is the only one who can understand her. He often "meets" her on the road and helps her catch the bus. Rhett also warned her not to make trouble for the Klan.
Later, Scarlett moved Ashley's family to Atlanta and asked Ashley to take care of one of her lumber mills. Melanie was very famous in Atlanta, and her family soon became the center of the old-fashioned figures. After Scarlett gave birth to her daughter Ella, she personally managed her lumber mill. She even hired prisoners to work for her because Ashley's factory always lost money. At this time, the social security in Atlanta is getting worse and worse, and women are afraid to go out during the day. On one occasion, when Scarlett was driving home at night, she was hijacked by two bad guys, one black and one white. Fortunately, one of her slaves saved her in time and survived. That night, the Klan launched an attack. Ashley and Kennedy were among them. However, they fell into the ambush of the northern army. Thanks to Rhett's clever rescue, he turned the corner. But Ashley was injured and Kennedy was killed in the crossfire. Not long after, Butler proposed to her, and she became Mrs. Butler despite everyone's opposition.
They spent their honeymoon in New Orleans. After marriage, Butler tried to satisfy all her material desires and let Scarlett get rid of her nightmare completely. At that time, Scarlett felt very satisfied and gave birth to her little daughter Bonnie, and Butler loved Bonnie infinitely. One day, Scarlett came back from the lumber mill and suddenly announced that she would leave Butler, but Butler didn't seem surprised. It's just that he has deeper feelings for Bonnie and everything is responsive. He changed Atlanta's bad impression on him little by little with the image of a loving father. For the sake of his daughter's future, he even gave up his bad habits, donated money to charity and broke up with the bad friends of the handbag party.
Scarlett's feelings for Ashley remain the same. After work on Ashley's birthday afternoon, they couldn't help hugging each other and reminiscing about the past, only to be caught and spread all over the city. Butler became angry and dragged Scarlett to Melanie's birthday party for Ashley that night. After the meeting, she went home and raped her. Then he left Atlanta with his children and disappeared without a trace. This time, Melanie stepped forward and tried to protect Scarlett from the disaster.
Scarlett found herself pregnant again. Three months later, Butler came back, and Scarlett was about to tell him the news, only to be angered by his cynicism. She slipped on the stairs, broke her ribs, and the baby miscarried. Butler was remorseful and remorseful in front of Melanie. He never pushed her again, but they never made up. Bonnie, the youngest daughter, has been playing with the fence since she got her own pony. When you jump, something will happen Butler was heartbroken and drank all day. Scarlett also temporarily left the sad place and didn't come back until she received a telegram from Melanie, who was dying.
It turned out that Melanie was pregnant again despite the doctor's advice. But her health deteriorated sharply. Before she died, she gave Scarlett the responsibility of taking care of Xiao Bo and Ashley. Scarlett watched Melanie leave and suddenly realized that over the years, because of Melanie's support and protection, she was strong and fearless. Because, at the moment, Ashley looks so scared, so weak, so helpless, and all her illusions about him for many years are suddenly shattered.
Scarlett rushed out of Melanie's house and ran alone in the dark night. It was foggy around, as predicted in her nightmare, and she didn't know where to run. The lamp of hope is so far away and ethereal. Finally, she thought clearly that over the years, what she really loved was the beautiful phantom she personally put on Ashley; Only Rhett really loves her, and only Rhett really deserves her love! Rhett is the lamp of hope in her heart.
However, Rhett has been completely chilling to her and decided to leave her forever. Finally, she lost her love for Ashley and Rhett who loved her. Everything is blowing in the wind. As a last resort, Scarlett took out her old magic weapon to deal with difficulties and said to herself, "I won't think about it until tomorrow." Tomorrow, I will go back to Tara and everything will be fine. I will try my best to win him back. Tomorrow is a new day after all …