Study Questions &
Essay Topics
Study Questions
1. In what way
does Scarlett represent the Old South and in what way does she represent
the New South? How does her transformation reflect the changes the
South undergoes during and after the Civil War?
2. Compare and
contrast Ashley and Rhett. What cultural attitudes or ways of life
do they embody?
3. How are slavery
and black people depicted in Gone with the Wind? Can the novel be
labeled racist?
Suggested Essay Topics
1. Is Scarlett O’Hara a feminist
character? Explain why or why not, considering historical context,
Scarlett’s character traits, and her relationship with Rhett.
2. What values and lifestyles
do Tara and Atlanta represent? How does Scarlett change as a result
of her interactions with these two settings?
3. Discuss some of Scarlett’s
unscrupulous actions—for instance, her employment of convicts in
the mill. How does she justify these actions? How do other characters
react to her? Does the narrator judge her, defend her, or remain objective?
4. Discuss class issues in Gone
with the Wind. How does Mitchell portray characters who
do not belong to the white plantation-owning class? How do the Civil
War and Reconstruction change class boundaries?
5. How do Gerald and Ellen influence
Scarlett’s character? What traits does she inherit from each?
6. What role does Melanie play
in the novel? How and why does her relationship with Scarlett change
over time?
