The Scarlett Letter

This story of the South starts out with the heroine Scarlett O’Hara on the porch admired by the Tarleton boys. This sets the precedent of the novel, of what Scarlett is used to, constant attention and adoration. However this spoiled southern belle, surrounded by eligible men, only has eyes for one. The honorable and quite boring, Mr. Ashley Wilkes of Twelve Oaks Plantation. However, everyone knows that the Wilkes always marry their cousins, the Hamiltons. Ashley is set to marry his cousin, the angel sent from Heaven, Melanie Hamilton. Scarlett in all of her logic, thinks that if she confesses her love for Ashley, then he will marry her instead of Melanie. Alas, Ashley stayed devoted to Melanie even after Scarlett’s touching confession of love,

He voiced everything that we, the readers, were thinking, that Scarlett O’Hara is no lady. (120). The interaction with Rhett left Scarlett seeing scarlet. As she left the room with what was left of her dignity, the rebel yell went out to signify the start of the Civil War. This anger towards Rhett, frustration towards Ashley, and spite for many others led Scarlett to accept the proposal of marriage put out by Charles Hamilton earlier. Poor, pure Charles. Scarlett got married two weeks later and made life miserable for poor Charles, not even letting him into her bed unless she was crying about Ashley. Two months later, she was a pregnant widow. Charles died of measles. The child was named Wade after her husband’s commanding officer and she felt very little affection for her son, not surprising since she hated his father. She then went with her son to Atlanta to Aunt Pittypat and

While in Atlanta there is a bazaar for the Confederate Cause, as a widow Scarlett is not to attend any social events where there will be people, much less balls. But Scarlett and Melanie are called upon last minute to work a booth which makes Scarlett extremely happy until she recognized Rhett Butler, now a blockade runner for the Cause. He pokes fun at Scarlett’s marriage to Charles and also at mourning rituals of the Victorian era, saying that being burned alive was better than being a widow in the critical South. This is a position that Rhett Butler takes throughout the novel, critiquing Southern society. Meanwhile, a jewelry collection is going around, and Scarlett is grateful that she is in mourning so that she does not have to give up any of her family jewelry. While the ladies at the ball gave pearl combs that have been passed down through generations to the cause, Scarlett throws her wedding ring into the basket out of loathing for Charles. While Rhett Butler sees this for what it really is, a selfish action meant to relieve guilt, Melanie sees Scarlett’s ring as a great sacrifice that Scarlett donated to the Confederacy out of the goodness of her heart. Melanie too good for this world Hamilton throws her ring in as well, but for the Cause, claiming that Scarlett’s selflessness inspired her while Scarlett is disgusted. This whole situation Rhett finds quite humorous, he mocks her