Weekly Classics Discussions

Margaret Mitchell

"Sir," she said, "you are no gentleman!"

"An apt observation," he answered airily. "And, you, Miss, are no lady."

― Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind

Margaret Mitchell was an American novelist born in 1900 and passed away in 1949. She's best known for her incredibly successful and popular novel, Gone with the Wind. Mitchell was awarded the National Book Award for Most Distinguished Novel of 1936 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937.

Mitchell said she heard Civil War stories from her relatives when she was growing up, but she began her writing journey by writing stories about animals, fairy tales, and adventures. Later, romantic love and honor emerged as major themes in her work. Recognized for her writing talent, Margaret was encouraged by her mother, English teachers, and professors, but despite the praise, Margret had a low estimation of her own writing abilities while in college.

In 1922 Mitchell began her journalism career, which lasted less than four years. Mitchell quit due to an ankle injury that wouldn't heal properly and chose to become a full-time wife. It was during this time that she wrote her novel, Gone with the Wind, about the Civil War and Reconstruction from a Southern point of view.

It was published on June 30, 1936. Scarlett's story of survival amid the brutalities of war and its aftermath struck a chord with readers around the world, and a film version of her novel was released only three years later. The book went on to sell more copies than any other novel in U.S. publishing history. By the 21st century, more than 30 million copies had been sold worldwide in more than 40 different languages.

Discussion Questions:

-Although there is, and has been, much controversy around classics like, Gone with the Wind, how do you feel society should approach many of these historical, period works now and in the future? Should they still be made available to readers?

- Have you ever read Gone with the Wind? What were your impressions of the book, plot, and characters?

As always, any additional discussion about Margaret Mitchell and her work is welcomed!

If there's another author you would like to see a discussion on, please post your suggestion in the comments below for a chance to be featured in a future chapter!

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Mitchell
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Margaret-Mitchell
https://www.biography.com/writer/margaret-mitchell