5 Reasons To Read “Gone With The Wind” By Margaret Mitchell

If you are like the majority of people, you may have watched a few iconic scenes from the movie Gone with the Wind before changing the channel on your TV. If you have been determined enough to watch the entire four hour movie, you may feel a sense of pride about your attention span. It may have even inspired you to use the phrase “fiddle-dee-dee” in casual conversation. However, if you take the time to read the 1,000 page novel, you will cross over a great divide and become a true fan of a classic piece of literature; in turn, it will cause you to possess a greater appreciation for the movie.

Here are five reasons you should take the time to read Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell:

It deepens knowledge of the American Civil War – The ideal time to read Gone with the Wind is right after learning about the Civil War in American history class. Although Gone with the Wind is historical fiction, Margaret Mitchell is thorough and brutally honest in describing the effects of the war on the home front in Georgia. The movie skims over or ignores many uncomfortable details that Mitchell includes throughout the novel.

It introduces new characters – If you have only watched the movie, you may be surprised to learn that in the novel Scarlett O’Hara has more than one child. Although it is understandable that the movie had to cut some characters out, the novel includes many extra characters that are used to better flesh out the story. Some of these characters have meaningful conversations with Scarlett that emphasize her personality traits and motivations.

It helps you better empathize with the main characters – While the movie presents Scarlett as naturally mean-spirited, the novel digs deeply into the motivations for her behavior throughout the story. As much as she tries to fit in with other women in her society, she struggles to relate to them. She finds it easier to maintain male friendships, and in so doing she alienates other women. Her behavior is further influenced by her unfortunate devotion to Ashley Wilkes, and later her desire to keep Tara, her childhood home. Readers find themselves sympathizing with Scarlett more often than they would expect to, especially when she must step up as an unwilling leader in order to survive.

Vivien Leigh, the actress who plays Scarlett, is obviously beautiful; however, Margaret Mitchell explicitly states in the beginning of the novel that Scarlett is not beautiful.

Mitchell writes that her charm makes up for her lack of beauty. Furthermore, Mitchell’s description of Rhett Butler makes him seem even more dark, mysterious, and romantic than the movie does. As great as Clark Gable is in his portrayal, he cannot embody Rhett Butler perfectly.   

It has a great romance – The romantic scenes in the movie are tame in comparison to the novel. Though Rhett and Scarlett are romantically attracted to one another, they also have a deep friendship that is not explored in the movie. One of the best aspects of the novel are the many conversations between Rhett and Scarlett that develop their relationship and keep the readers wanting more.  

The writing style is unpretentious – Readers will find that Mitchell’s writing style is witty, conversational, and easy to read. However, be forewarned: unlike the movie, Mitchell utilizes cuss words throughout the novel.

Compared to the G rated movie, the novel would be rated PG-13. If this blog post has inspired you to read Gone with the Wind for the first time, you can find the novel in Union’s library.

*written by Sara Hand