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Library's collection Library's IT development CancelThe novel that is discussed in this thesis is
Margaret Mitchell'e Gone With The W i n d .This thesis
discusses three different settings:before,during,and
after the American Civil War which each has a great
influence on the main characters:Scarlett O'Hara and
Rhett Butler.
In this novel,Margaret Mitchell presents the
realities of human experiences before,during,and after
the American Civil War.She describes the changes of
their character traits,that is,their personalities,
actions,ways of thinking,and also outward appearances
such as clothes,bodily peculiarities,speech mannerisms
before,during,and after the American Civil War.Before
the American Civil War,Scarlett and Rhett lead a life
like a lady and a gentleman in their both daily and
formal occasions because they are bound with the order
of the society they live in;ithat is,the genteel tradi -
tion of Southern aristocratic life style during which
Georgia's people live in peace and prosperity at
the cotton plantation.However,behind all of their
ladylike and gentleman manners ,basically Scarlett and
Rhett are strong-willed characters.Their strong
will leads them to strive to get whatever they want.
Later,the sudden American Civil War between the
South and the North changes the lives of Georgia's
people.People lose everything,live in hunger,
poverty,and misery.These sufferings lead Scarlett
and Rhett to be cruel and selfish.Since basically they
are strong-willed characters,instead of being
desperate,they struggle hard against the cruelty of
war,and take advantages from this situation.
After the American Civil War is over,again the
situation and the condition change in this Reconstruction
period.People have to rebuild the ruined homes and
cotton plantations.Since basically Scarlett and
Rhett are two strong-willed characters,they use all
means of hand in order to get their former lives back.
They turn into greedy and ruthless opportunists.
Thus,through the study of setting in this novel,
the readers will find out that the setting;in this case
the American Civil War,only changes Scarlett's and
Rhett's character traits and their outward appearances
but actually their basic nature;that is,their
strong-willed characters remain the same until the end of
the story.