涓変釜涓昏?瑙掕壊鐨勪粙缁岦br/>ScarlettO鈥橦ara
TheprotagonistofGonewiththeWind,Scarlettisadark-haired,green-eyedGeorgiabellewhostrugglesthroughthehardshipsoftheCivilWarandReconstruction.Scarlettexhibitsmoreofherfather鈥檚hard-headednessthanhermother鈥檚refinedSouthernmanners.Althoughinitiallyshetriestobehaveprettily,herinstinctsriseupagainstsocialrestrictions.DeterminationdefinesScarlettanddriveshertoachieveeverythingshedesiresbyanymeansnecessary.Thisdeterminationfirstmanifestsitselfinhernarcissisticandsometimesbackstabbingeffortstoexcitetheadmirationofeveryyoungmanintheneighborhood.Later,underthreatofstarvationandevendeath,sheisdeterminedtosurviveanddoessobypickingcotton,runningherentireplantation,forgingasuccessfulbusiness,andevenkillingaman.
ScarlettalsoaimstowinAshleyWilkes,andherfailuretodosoguidestheplotofthenovel.Ashley鈥檚marriagetoMelanieHamiltonandrejectionofScarlettdrivenearlyallofScarlett鈥檚importantsubsequentdecisions.ScarlettmarriesCharlesHamiltontohurtAshley,staysbyMelanie鈥檚sidethroughthewarbecauseshepromisesAshleyshewill,andloseshertruelove,RhettButler,becauseofherpersistentdesiretowinAshley.
Scarlettpossessesremarkabletalentforbusinessandleadership.Sherecoversherfather鈥檚plantation,Tara,afterthewarleavesitdecimated,andsheachievesgreatsuccesswithhersawmillinAtlanta.Despitehersharpintelligence,however,shehasalmostnoabilitytounderstandthemotivationsandfeelingsofherselforothers.Scarlettlivesherliferationally:shedecideswhatconstitutessuccess,findsthemosteffectivemeanstosucceed,anddoesnotconsiderconceptslikehonorandkindness.Sheoftenprofessestoseenootherchoicesthantheonesshemakes.
Scarlett鈥檚developmentpreciselymirrorsthedevelopmentoftheSouth.Shechangesfromspoiledteenagertohard-workingwidowtowealthyopportunist,reflectingtheSouth鈥檚changefromleisuresocietytobesiegednationtocompromisedsurvivor.ScarlettembodiesbothOldandNewSouth.SheclingstoAshley,whosymbolizestheidealizedlostworldofchivalryandmanners,butsheadaptswonderfullytotheharshandopportunisticworldoftheNewSouth,ultimatelyclingingtodangerousRhett,who,likeScarlett,symbolizesthecombinationofoldandnew.
RhettButler
Dark,dashing,andscandalous,RhettButlerbringsexcitementtoScarlett鈥檚lifeandencouragesherimpulsetochangeandsucceed.ThrownoutofbothWestPointandhisaristocraticCharlestonfamilyfordishonorablebehavior,Rhett,likeScarlett,goesafterwhathewantsandrefusestotake鈥榥o鈥forananswer.Heearnshisfortunethroughprofessionalgambling,wartimeblockade-running,andfoodspeculation,behaviorthatearnshimthecontemptandevenhatredofwhathetermstheOldGuard鈥攖heoldSouthernaristocracy.Rhettseesthroughhypocrisyandself-delusion,horrifyingpeoplebycuttingdowntheiregosandillusionswithagilityandpleasure.
WhereasAshleycannotfacerealityandchange,Rhettthrivesonboth.Becauseofhisopportunism,RhettsymbolizestheNewSouth.However,asthenovelprogresses,weseethatRhettdoescareabouttheOldSouth.Attwocriticalpointsinthenovel,RhettabandonsScarletttocommithimselftotheOldSouth.First,heleavesScarlettin