Gender Ideals and Roles Violation in "Gone With the Wind"

This book is the result of a thesis written in 2005 which analyzes Scarlett 'O'hara as the female lead in Margaret Mitchell’s “ Gone with the Wind” in her role as a daughter, belle, wife, mother, and widow, in terms of how she behaves in opposition to the Southern norm of her established community. Scarlet O'Hara violated the gender ideals and economic ideals of her time to satisfy her ego and to survive the civil war. She conquered her fear of cold, hunger, and poverty by struggling with men in the economic life outside the house to gain financial security. Her violation of most rules of the good behavior of a Victorian woman was considered revolutionary and unacceptable in her society but she turned deaf ear. Although she seemed to be pioneering gender equality, it was only her ego that drove her to behave as she was. Scarlett O'Hara teaches the readers that male and female have the same potential and capacity to create a better life quality.