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1.2 Significance of the Study
This paper endeavors to study the changes in the social member status after the civil war in the United States, especially the changes of social class relations of America. It is well known that, after the Civil War, the United States became a capitalist power in a short time. The American Civil War confirmed the highest authority of the sovereign and stimulated the integration development of the national economy. Accordingly, it established the principle that the United States citizens came first and states citizens came second. A loose federal turned into a truly unified and strong country. This included the emancipation proclamation issued during wartime by the president, which liberated 4 million slaves of the rebel states, giving this war a more noble revolutionary content and meaning. Therefore, this paper will emphasize on this and further studying the class social relations of America.
2 Previous Research of Gone with the Wind
A review of the American novel Gone with the Wind written by Li Huiquan in 1979 illustrated her main idea about Gone with the Wind. This article first introduced the cruel black slavery system in the south and black people’s fighting against this situation. Next the author described the slavery system reveled in Gone with the Wind. In the book, the southern plantation was described as a paradise on earth, without oppression or exploitation. It attempted to convince the readers that the slave owners cared the slaves very much and the slaves’ life was so adorable. The author’s idea can be pided into three aspects:
(1) Gone with the Wind covered the crimes of the south
In the myth fabricated by the novel, the author tried to cover up the bloody and brutal crimes of the slave owners, blood and tears of the black slaves were hidden, and the life-and-death battle between slave owners and the slaves was totally ignored. Once having the chance, Margaret Mitchell sang a song of praise for the south. In her works, the slave owners became very kind and merciful. Li Huiquan concluded that the facts wouldn’t change because of this, the bloody tears and uncountable death of the black slaves would be always charging the crimes of the southern slave owners.
(2) Gone with the Wind--this book’s denying of the Civil War
Obviously, the American Civil War has a great influence on the all-round development of America. Lenin pointed out that the American Civil War has a “very great, cosmopolitan, progressive and revolutionary significance” (The Collected Works of Lenin, page 50, volume 28). It was true that the Civil War has its limits, but it is undeniable that it was positive to some extent. Gone with the Wind entirely denied this. It described the Civil War as a war without reason and tried to make people believe that everything would be better without this war. On the contrary, after the war, the south became a terrible hell.In summary, from the Margaret Mitchell’s point of view, this war made “a civilization collapse”, “leaving nothing”, “as if the destruction of the world”.
(3) Analysis of the character of Scarlett
Scarlett is the princess of Tara, a real slave owner. She is “cruel, greedy and ruthless”. However, the Civil War changed everything. She had almost nothing left. She scolded this war and her heart was filled with hatred. Li Huiquan held the view that Margaret Mitchell affirmed all of Scarlett’s behaviors and thoughts to show her support for the south slavery and throughout the book, Margaret couldn’t help praising her with the purpose of describing her as a beautiful, virtuous lady.
In conclusion, Gone with the Wind supported the barbaric and bloody slavery system, slandered and attacked the Civil War which liberated the black slaves, attempting to uglify the black people(Zhang, 1995). Its role was reactionary. On the other hand, Li Huiquan argued that Gone with the Wind provided people with a lively negative example to remind them of the evil nature of the black slavery, which was contrary to Margaret’s expectation.