Scarlett O’Hara – scarlett o’hara and racism story

Scarlett O’Hara is a complex character that has been both celebrated and criticized for her actions in Margaret Mitchell’s classic novel, Gone with the Wind. One of the key criticisms of Scarlett O’Hara is that she is racist, with some arguing that her character embodies the worst aspects of the antebellum South. While there is no doubt that Scarlett O’Hara is flawed, the question of whether or not she is racist is a more complicated one.

To understand why Scarlett O’Hara has been accused of racism, it is necessary to look at the context in which the character was created. Gone with the Wind was published in 1936, during a time of great social upheaval in the United States. While slavery had been abolished more than 70 years earlier, racial tensions were still high, particularly in the Southern states where the book is set.

Behind the story

At the heart of the accusations of racism against Scarlett O’Hara is her relationship with the character of Mammy, the O’Hara family’s enslaved servant. While Scarlett and Mammy have a complex relationship that evolves over the course of the novel, some argue that the character of Mammy is a problematic racial stereotype, and that Scarlett’s treatment of her is evidence of the character’s racism.

It is certainly true that Mammy is portrayed in ways that would be considered deeply problematic today. She is portrayed as overweight and illiterate, and her dialogue is written in a thick dialect that can be difficult to read. However, it is important to remember that Mammy was created in a very different time, and that the portrayal of African Americans in popular culture was very different in the 1930s than it is today.

As for Scarlett’s treatment of Mammy, it is true that the character is often dismissive of her servant, and that she frequently ignores her advice and counsel. However, it is also true that Mammy is one of the few characters in the novel who is able to stand up to Scarlett, and that their relationship evolves over the course of the novel to become one of mutual respect and affection.

Another aspect

Another aspect of the accusations of racism against Scarlett O’Hara is her treatment of African American characters more broadly. While there are few African American characters in the novel, those that do appear are generally portrayed in ways that are deeply problematic by modern standards. They are portrayed as subservient and unintelligent, and their lives are presented as being devoid of agency or dignity.

However, it is important to remember that Gone with the Wind was created in a time when racial attitudes were very different than they are today. While it is undoubtedly true that the portrayal of African American characters in the novel is deeply problematic by modern standards, it is also true that the novel was groundbreaking in its depiction of the Civil War and its aftermath from the perspective of the Southern states.

Ultimately, the question of whether or not Scarlett O’Hara is racist is a complicated one that defies easy answers. While it is certainly true that the character embodies many of the worst aspects of the antebellum South, it is also true that she is a complex and nuanced character who evolves over the course of the novel. While the portrayal of African American characters in the novel is deeply problematic by modern standards, it is also true that the novel was groundbreaking in its depiction of the Civil War and its aftermath from the perspective of the Southern states.

At the end

In the end, what is perhaps most important about Scarlett O’Hara is not whether or not she is racist, but rather the way in which she has been used to perpetuate certain myths about the antebellum South. By celebrating the character’s resilience and determination in the face of adversity, many readers have been able to overlook the deeply problematic aspects of the world that she inhabits.

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