I Watch Gone with the Wind: Choosing the Middle Path
by Hadley Ajana

As a young teenager I preferred to watch t.v. lying on the floor of our living room. Some of my most vivid memories of this activity are of the annual viewing of Gone with the Wind, a national ritual that is the closest America has ever come to the Greek dramas. While my relationship to viewing the film changed once it became available on video, I have not forgotten my formative relationship with the movie which occurred at the impressionable ages of 12-14. What intrigued me then, and still interests me now, are the strengths and weaknesses of Scarlett O'Hara and Melanie Hamilton, the lead female characters who personify extroversion and introversion respectively.

If you're an American over 25 you have probably seen the film, still rated among America's best and most popular; die hard fans might even have read the novel. The characters are familiar to most of us as icons. Who can forget Scarlett O'Hara, the southern belle who loses everything in the Civil War and then vows never to be hungry again? Or Captain Rhett Butler, the dashing and exciting gun-runner who woos her? Recall the pale and wan Ashley Wilkes, object of Scarlett's amorous attention since adolescence, who never admits to loving Scarlett but won't cut her loose, either. Finally, Ashley's long-suffering wife, Melanie Hamilton Wilkes, a decent person in a story filled with less than honorable people. As a young girl, I had no choice making a decision between the type of man I wanted to have in my life; Rhett Butler wins that one hands down. But in pondering what type of woman to become, the contrasts between Scarlett and Melanie still interest me greatly.

I always dreamed of growing up to have an afternoon like Scarlett's at the Wilkes' barbecue. Riding my bike after school or watching the clouds rolls by, I wondered, Would I ever be like Scarlett, the beautiful young belle surrounded by boys, eating like a bird to maintain my 19" waist, the object of all the other women's jealousy, so proud of my body that I had to "show my bosom before twelve o'clock" shocking conventional standards? Would I do everything in my power to secure a home and fortune that would keep me safe from my poverty? How badly I wanted to grow up to be the beautiful, rich, and glamorous Mrs. Rhett Butler.

The value of literature -- and nowadays one must consider cinema a form of literature -- is that it provides a road map of life. One sees where a street leads, the consequences of turning right when you could turn left, the proximity of homes you thought were miles apart. Watching Scarlett's life progress over the decades on the screen, I realized that though she was exciting, her choices led to relationships that were nothing more than a series of empty connections formed solely for the purpose of aggrandizement. Clearly, her failure as a wife and mother made her riches meaningless.

Melanie Hamilton is the other lead female character of the story. Scarlett was forever jealous of this woman for marrying the beloved Ashley and describes her as "mealy mouthed," claiming she could only open her mouth to say "yes." I tend to agree that Melanie is not an exciting role model. However, Melly's happy marriage and the respect she enjoys from her peers are to be envied as much as Scarlett's beauty and wealth. In one memorable interaction, the town madam, a friend of Rhett's, approaches Melanie about making a donation to the Confederacy. Melanie asks why the woman has come to her in particular with the gift. "You're a real human being," she says, "a true lady" unlike the other women in Atlanta. Being called a lady by the town whore wasn't as glamorous a fate to dream about as Scarlett's, but it has a substantial lure.

My ultimate conclusion as a young girl is the same one I have today: each woman has admirable and regrettable traits. Only now I would associate those constellations of traits as either extroverted or introverted. My personal growth goal has not changed; I strive to take the best qualities of both Scarlett and Melanie, the extrovert and the introvert. The rest of this essay will discuss some memorable scenes from the movie to explain my position.

Consider one of the earliest scenes in the movie. Scarlett has been forced into mourning at a young age by the death of her first husband, a man she never loved. She throws a tantrum, complaining to her mother that wearing black and abstaining from the season's social events is an awful punishment. Mrs. O'Hara (whom I have always blamed for Scarlett's selfish disposition) tells the young widow, "It's only natural to want to act young and be young when you are young." It is then decided that Scarlett should join her Aunt Pitty Pat in Atlanta. There Scarlett wants to break taboo to dance with the scandalous Rhett Butler at a charity ball for the Confederacy. Aunt Pitty Pat faints at the thought of it - a young widow dancing in public with a man of ill-repute. Scarlett insists. Melanie is asked her opinion by the organizers of the event. Mrs. Wilkes's consent legitimizes the proposal, and Scarlett is allowed to accept Rhett's invitation for the Virginia Reel.

Like a typical extrovert, Scarlettt enjoys "crowd, noise, and stimulation." She is energized by people. The trip to Atlanta and the charity ball cheer her. The spontaneity and gregariousness Scarlettt displays are enviable, for she is someone who truly seems to love being alive. Watching Captain Butler whirl her around the dance floor, who can blame her for wanting to enjoy life? The infectious enthusiasm of an extrovert is something I have always sought to cultivate.

Melanie, the introvert, provides a contrast. People do not energize her. She shows no joy in the crowded, noisy, stimulating atmosphere at the charity function. Her presence there is a duty, a burden on a sorrow-struck woman who frets over her cherished husband off at war. Nevertheless, it is Melanie's opinion that matters most to the old biddies that run the town. While Melanie's somber disposition is nothing to be excited about, it is her thoughtful nature that makes her a respected member of society, a position the fun-loving Scarlett will never enjoy.

Extroverts are known for being "very effective in pursuits that involve people." Scarlett's efficacy in this arena is frightening. By the end of the movie, she has married three times, each to gain a greater fortune than before. She accepts the first marriage proposal she receives while on the rebound from Ashley's announcement of his betrothal to Melanie. It's hard to imagine an introvert making this mistake. Scarlett stole her second husband from her younger sister in order to get the property taxes to stop the foreclosure of the family home, Tara. While this is morally reprehensible, I can't help but admire people who can actually get other people to do what they want. How much easier life must be for extroverts who know how to manipulate others into doing their bidding! Scarlett claims at the end of the movie that she actually did love her third husband, Rhett Butler, though his wealth clouds her motives considerably. Tearing through life at warp speed leaving a trail of marriages behind you is not something most people aspire to; what is admirable about Scarlett's extroverted orientation is her ability to just keep moving on. Being twice widowed doesn't impair her enjoyment of the happiness she finally finds with Rhett.

Melanie's love life is not so exciting. She finds and marries her husband, a cousin, at a young age. From what we know, she is satisfied with the marriage and neither she nor Ashley ever strays from the happy world they create for one another. Melly does experience wealth when Scarlett drags Ashley into the lumber business using her second husband's money, but it's not the kind of wealth that Scarlett gets from Rhett. Melanie loves her husband, though, never doubts him, lives a comfortable life, is a good mother, and dies wishing she had more time with her husband and children. This kind of happiness is denied to Scarlett because of who she is, which is intimately bound up with whom she is attracted to. Someone like Rhett Butler could never provide the family life that made Melanie's life worthwhile. The great gift of introversion, of course, is that Melanie is immune to the kind of charm a Captain Butler can wield over a woman. For an extrovert, immunity to that kind of charm is enviable indeed.

Melanie's delivery of the first child provides an interesting highlight of the differences in the two women's character. As Atlanta burns and the Yankees approach, Melanie goes into labor. Scarlett is forced to try to deliver the child on her own (with the infamous help of her slave Prissy) simultaneously dealing with the impending occupation of the city. Once the baby comes, Scarlett manages to secure the help of Rhett who throws the two women, the child, and Prissy into a stolen horse and buggy which he drives out of town. Before he can get them all the way home, Captain Butler suffers a bout of guilt and decides to join the Confederate army in one last stand. He abandons Scarlett by the side of a road with a gun, an old nag foaming at the mouth, a debilitated woman with a newborn baby, and a dim-witted slave. Scarlett guides them through the chaos and destruction to her family's plantation. Here she is at her best, and Melanie is at her worst. The latter's inward orientation led her to ignore the dangers that a pregnant woman who insists on staying in a city under siege would cause to herself and others. Scarlett's resourcefulness and courage save their lives.

Consider two later scenes for Scarlett at her worst and Melanie at her best. One occurs at a birthday party for Melanie in Atlanta. That afternoon Scarlett and Ashley were caught in a compromising position when the married Mrs. Butler attempted once again to seduce her beloved (who, you'll recall, always resisted, though never strenuously enough). Talk of the "affair" spread through the southern town like wildfire reaching Mr. Butler by nightfall. That night, Scarlett tried to get out of attending Melly's birthday party, but Rhett insisted she go, dressed like the whore he says she is. He abandons her at the door of the Hamiltons' home where the crowd gathered to celebrate the occasion reacts to her presence like a pack of wolves. Melly greets Scarlett at the door, welcomes her as a member of the family, and asks her to act as co-hostess. As Rhett says later that night, Melanie has too much honor in her to conceive of dishonor in anyone she loves. Introverts do create the world from the inside out. Who can deny that Melanie's sterling character is more admirable than Scarlett's idealistic and selfish indulgences?

Finally, Melanie's most shining moment comes towards the end of the story when Bonnie Butler, Scarlett and Rhett's daughter, dies in a riding accident. Scarlett was far too self-absorbed to ever be any kind of mother to the child ("a cat would be a better mother," says her husband) but seems nonetheless genuinely upset by the loss; Rhett, a devoted and generous father, is inconsolable and locks himself in the child's room for days on end crying over the little corpse. The family servant, Mammy, calls Melanie to reason with Captain Butler and secure the baby's body for burial. Melanie is in touch enough with her own feelings to be able to reach Captain Butler who has always respected her. Rhett is brought to his senses and the girl is buried. So while it may be true that extroverts are generally considered to possess "people skills" that introverts lack, the ability of Melanie to say the right thing at the right time in a delicate situation highlights the special ability of introverts to be sincere. This reinforces the respected role that they can play in the community.

There is only one scene where the best of both women is dramatized simultaneously. After the war, Scarlett acts as head of the household at Tara. Her mother has died and her father has gone mad. The Wilkes' plantation was destroyed, so Scarlett finds herself looking after not only her own family but Ashley, Melanie and their boy, as well. One afternoon, Scarlett is alone in the house while the others, who have come to hate her, work out in the field. She notices a Union soldier approaching the house and worries that he will confiscate the few resources she has left. When he enters the home and tries to rob her, Scarlett shoots him. Melanie, who has been sick in bed, hears the shot and comes running down the stairs. The others, alerted by the noise, run toward the house. Not wanting to risk anyone else finding out about the murder, Scarlett wonders how to keep them away. Melanie, cool as ice, leans her head out the window and tells everyone that Scarlett accidentally fired a weapon she was cleaning. Then Melly disrobes and uses her nightgown to wrap the soldier's body and stop the blood from spreading across the floor. The two women then conspire to bury the body in secret. Here is the best of extroversion and introversion. Scarlett reacts quickly and decisively, protecting the family from danger. She is fearless and strong. Melanie is cool, thoughtful, and deliberate. She demonstrates caring in her support of Scarlett's actions. Both sets of traits are worth cultivating.

I claimed earlier that literature is like a road map. Watching Gone with the Wind, we see the life choices of two women, one extrovert and one introvert. Their choices take them down different paths. I have argued that each woman has enviable traits and personal weaknesses, and that their life journeys were the result of these. Melanie's introverted path is the road less traveled, yet she seems so satisfied at the end of her life, it is tempting to following this pattern of choices. On the other hand, Scarlett's journey is more of an adventure, and she seems to enjoy her life as it passes far more than the subdued Melanie does. Which is the road you have chosen? Me, I always take the middle path.

more reviews by Hadley Ajana