Scarlett's Growth-A Feminist Reading Of Gone With The Wind

Ever since its publication in 1936, Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind was regarded as the favorite novel by many readers and received general approval from the public. The novel was so successful because its moving plots and the creation of the vivid character:the heroine in the novel--- Scarlett O'Hara. The novel tells a story about Scarlett's development process. And her development process is also the process of her formation of feminine consciousness. From an ignorant girl, Scarlett gradually becomes a mature and independent woman through this process. Scarlett's development process reflects a way that women seek independence and liberation. In The Second Sex, Simone de Beauvoir argues that one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman. Women are the incidental, the inessential as opposed to the essential. Men are the Subject. They are the Absolute, while women are the Other. It is hard for women to seek independence and liberation. And the disharmony between men and women will last if only the femininity lasts. Men will not consider women equally, and vice versa.The thesis bases on the feminist literary theory proposed by Simone de Beauvior, attempts to analyze the main character Scarlett from a feminist perspective. And analyzes the way that women seek independence and liberation. In the reality, there are so many women who do not want to be the "Other" and seek independence and liberation.The experience of Scarlett's development process can be a guidance for them. Meanwhile her limited growth should also be avoided.The thesis is made up of four chapters. Chapter one is a general introduction to the whole thesis. It includes Margaret Mitchell's life, the theme and the main idea of Gone with the Wind, literary review on Gone with the Wind, a brief review of Simone de Beauvior's feminist literary theory and the purpose of the thesis. Chapter Two deals with Scarlett's tough development process in a male-dominated world based on time sequence. And analyzes Scarlett's gradual formation of feminine consciousness in this process. Chapter three is devoted to the analysis of Scarlett's limited growth in her development process. Chapter four traces the reasons that cause Scarlett's limited growth. The conclusion summarizes the whole thesis:when women meet with difficulties on the way of growth, they should know how to find their position of themselves and the social position. They must know how to summarize experience from their mistakes. Only in this way can they become mature and successful and obtain equal position with men in the society.