Introduction Gone with the Wind is a classic fictional love story depicting life in the Old South before, during, and after the Civil War. The book was originally written in 1936 by Margret Mitchell, the film adaptation was released in 1939, directed by Victor Fleming and starring Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh. Ms. Mitchell grew up hearing Civil War stories from Confederate veterans. It was reported that they told her everything; everything he is, except the fact that they lost the war, he found out when he was 10 years old. Although the book was written 71 years after the end of the Civil War, Ms. Mitchell did her research and appears to have drawn inspiration from those childhood stories she was told. This is evident in the detailed description of the characters' clothing, homes, daily discussions, and interactions throughout the book. While not everything is historically correct, most of what is in the book is accurate. During the time the film was released, "damn" was considered vulgar and controversial and they used the term "darkies" to describe slaves. Movie Summary The movie revolves around the sometimes love-hate relationship between Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'. Hara and how she will do whatever it takes to survive. It overly romanticizes the old South and how plantations were run and addresses topics such as slavery, Southern Reconstruction, and has a strong feminist survival theme. Scarlett “makes her uncontrollable self-centeredness seem like the most charming thing in the world. world." She is a young Southern belle and every man in the county is in love with her. Although she could have any man she wants, her eyes are set on Mr. Ashley Wilkes who is engaged to marry his c...... middle of paper......and (Ashley's wife) dying and a promise To take care of their son, Scarlett realizes her true love for Rhett even though it is too late as Rhett walks away from the marriage He will return to the plantation of Tara to find a way to win him back. Mitchell, Margaret, Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind Letters, 1936-1949, edited by Richard Harwell, New York: Macmillan, 1976. "is essentially a collection of letters written by Mrs. Mitchell to those who wrote to her about Gone with the Wind. One letter in particular is addressed to Vivian Leigh who plays Scarlett in the film.Thompson, C. Mildred. Reconstruction in Georgia: Economic, Social, Political, 1865-1872, Gloucester, Mass.: P. Smith, 1964-1915. This book contains the history of the reconstruction of Georgia. It gives you an overview of the economic, social and political aspects of reconstruction