From 1920s to 1930s, America suffered from the most serious economic crisis in the history: Factories were closed and many workers lost their jobs; Agriculture was lean and so many farmers left their land to seek new ways for living. What people should do? The women needing the book or watching the film in the 1930s were coming out of the Great Depression, and perhaps gained strength and inspiration from the characters in the story.[7]Certainly, Scarlett’s famous determination not to be hungry again encouraged most of the readers and audience.
3. Reasons for the Shaping of Scarlett’s Character
Portrayal of a character can’t be separated from the environment she or he is in, and the social environment plays the same important role as the natural environment to portray the characters of the figures. It is the same to portray the figure of Scarlett, which must also rely on both the social and the natural environment.[8]
3.1 The Exterior Reason
The transition of the living environment is the exterior reason for Scarlett’s changing her character, which causes Scarlett’s distinctive character. Before the war, Scarlett lives in the traditional and conservative plantation and the life style forms her plantation master’s character of loving land than anything else in the world and her rebellious character spontaneously.[9] She leads an extremely poor life during and after the war, and that abominable environment molds her character to confront the reality bravely; and her independence and selfishness to overcome difficulties. The rich life experience before war; the unstable life during the war and the extremely poor life after war provide the foundation to form the character of Scarlett. And thus in such environment, Scarlett’s character can be complicated.
3.2 The Internal Reason
Meanwhile the triangular love between Scarlett, Ashley and Rhett is another element to influence the developing of Scarlett’s character; it is also the internal reason for the mature of her character. Scarlett is in love with two men, one is Ashley, and the other is Rhett. She undergoes the love for Ashley from being blind to being stubborn and to being disillusioned, and she also experiences the change from being childish to mature. When she meets Ashley for the first sight, his mysterious and complex character attracts her, which is a kind of simple and childish emotion. However, when Ashley refuses her at Twelve Oaks, her pride and vanity is bruised strongly, which deepens her blind love for him, so does the war. Although she can’t understand Ashley’s ideas at all, she still regards him as a idealized lover obstinately. This unreal image supports her to stand up in the horrible environment and overcome difficulties in life. And because of this spirit backbone, she can confront the difficulties and setbacks in life. However, Scarlett cannot face the reality on the spirit aspect until the death of Melanie. Ashley is a man who still lives in the past and can’t face the reality. His cowardice and decadence break Scarlett’s dream, thus Scarlett begins to understand that Ashley is not the man she wants, and at the same time her realistic character is displayed both on her spiritual life and material life.英语作文