== 5 Other movies/questions of style/framing/storyline ==

== 5 Other movies/questions of style/framing/storyline ==

"Gone With the Wind" is beautifully filmed and edited.  The use of color, music and other forms of mise en scene are spectacular, which a whole other class period could be devoted to for discussion.  One of  the scenes that stood out to me was when one of the soldiers comes back from battle and exclaims "It's over, the war is over, we surrendered!"  Immediately after this, the spectrum of reactions from the south is expressed in only a matter of seconds through a couple of lines (these lines are of course paraphrased to the best of my memory):  "Why did we ever go to war?" (feeling of reluctance and regret), "Oh (insert name of husband) is coming home!" (relief that a loved one made it alive), "We surrendered?!?!" (shock of losing the war). - David F

'''"Gone With the Wind" is beautifully filmed and edited.''' The use of color, music and other forms of mise en scene are spectacular, which a whole other class period could be devoted to for discussion.  One of  the scenes that stood out to me was when one of the soldiers comes back from battle and exclaims "It's over, the war is over, we surrendered!"  Immediately after this, the spectrum of reactions from the south is expressed in only a matter of seconds through a couple of lines (these lines are of course paraphrased to the best of my memory):  "Why did we ever go to war?" (feeling of reluctance and regret), "Oh (insert name of husband) is coming home!" (relief that a loved one made it alive), "We surrendered?!?!" (shock of losing the war). - David F

I have to say - the first half.... LONG and BORING. The second half - on the edge of my seat at times. I had to leave for a club meeting (for literally 5 minutes) and it was hard to pry myself away. I must say NOT what I expected. Also, I totally called the deaths of Bonnie (foreshadowing) and Melanie (classic Little Women-like Beth character). -Elle

'''I have to say - the first half.... LONG and BORING. The second half - on the edge of my seat at times.''' I had to leave for a club meeting (for literally 5 minutes) and it was hard to pry myself away. I must say NOT what I expected. Also, I totally called the deaths of Bonnie (foreshadowing) and Melanie (classic Little Women-like Beth character). -Elle

One more thing - symbolism... I felt that Scarlet's love for Ashley (which tragically ended at the end at his wife's death, when Scarlet finally really gets a clue and realizes Ashley has loved his wife all along) was symbolic for the death of the south. Not a very uplifting ending. -Elle

One more thing - symbolism... I felt that Scarlet's love for Ashley (which tragically ended at the end at his wife's death, when Scarlet finally really gets a clue and realizes Ashley has loved his wife all along) was symbolic for the death of the south. Not a very uplifting ending. -Elle

Very nice insights, Elle.  I was just wondering the likelihood of someone like Scarlett's character truly existing during the Civil War.  Her extremely demanding personality gave me no choice but to stereotype all white women in the south during that time; but, I still feel that nobody that hysterical could really be based off a real person(s).  I know a lot of it probably has to do with dramatic effect, but generalizing off of Elle's interpretation of Scarlett's love for Ashley symbolizing the death of the south, is Scarlett's personality representative of the arrogance of the South and how that lead to severe psychological repercussions?  - David F.

Very nice insights, Elle.  I was just wondering the likelihood of someone like Scarlett's character truly existing during the Civil War.  '''Her extremely demanding personality gave me no choice but to stereotype all white women in the south during that time; but, I still feel that nobody that hysterical could really be based off a real person(s).''' I know a lot of it probably has to do with dramatic effect, but generalizing off of Elle's interpretation of Scarlett's love for Ashley symbolizing the death of the south, is Scarlett's personality representative of the arrogance of the South and how that lead to severe psychological repercussions?  - David F.

What a demeaning image of a southern white lady, and how awful to have to play that role and reinforce this stereotype!  Scarlett is purely selfish, immature, whiny, vain, stubborn, hysterical, greedy...the list goes on.  Uggh!  And how she is in the beginning turning from one guy to another, entirely insincere and loving attention.  She marries to help herself and spite other men, and it takes until the loving, perfect Melanie dies for her to realize that Ashley was right when he said that he loved his wife and not her, and to realize that Rhett also loved her, like he always said he did.  And I don't even need to go into her spending habits.  Frankly, I couldn't give a damn what she did without Rhett, either.  To sum it up, as Elle said, "God, she's pathetic." -Whitney H.

'''What a demeaning image of a southern white lady, and how awful to have to play that role and reinforce this stereotype!''' Scarlett is purely selfish, immature, whiny, vain, stubborn, hysterical, greedy...the list goes on.  Uggh!  And how she is in the beginning turning from one guy to another, entirely insincere and loving attention.  She marries to help herself and spite other men, and it takes until the loving, perfect Melanie dies for her to realize that Ashley was right when he said that he loved his wife and not her, and to realize that Rhett also loved her, like he always said he did.  And I don't even need to go into her spending habits.  Frankly, I couldn't give a damn what she did without Rhett, either.  To sum it up, as Elle said, "God, she's pathetic." -Whitney H.

How is Rhett supposed to have become and stayed a millionaire? -Whitney H.

'''How is Rhett supposed to have become and stayed a millionaire?''' -Whitney H.

Agreeing with Whitney, the effects of witnessing Scarlett going through her cluttered romantic thoughts and her various cases of whiny rants was at some points mind numbing, but at least she was determined to succeed. James D.

Agreeing with Whitney, the effects of witnessing Scarlett going through her cluttered romantic thoughts and her various cases of whiny rants was''' at some points mind numbing''', but at least she was determined to succeed. James D.