““Gone With The Wind” exam Gone With The Wind” exam reviewreview

25 multiple choice 25 multiple choice questions about plot and questions about plot and the film itself.the film itself.

Know the film’s general Know the film’s general background: year of background: year of release, actors, etc.release, actors, etc.

25 matching that describe 25 matching that describe the characters or require the characters or require you to identify key you to identify key passages of dialogue by passages of dialogue by characters.characters.

Know the characters well; Know the characters well; how they know or are how they know or are related to each other; related to each other; where they are fromwhere they are from

““Gone With The Wind” exam Gone With The Wind” exam reviewreview

12 points worth of short 12 points worth of short answers that primarily answers that primarily address the supplementary address the supplementary articles we read.articles we read.

Read the review articles: Read the review articles: have a sense of the film’s have a sense of the film’s place in history and reaction place in history and reaction to it, then and now.to it, then and now.

Review “Why We’re Still Review “Why We’re Still Fighting the Civil War”: what Fighting the Civil War”: what are the two sides of the are the two sides of the argument as to the war’s argument as to the war’s cause? What role has slavery cause? What role has slavery played in our history? What played in our history? What was Lincoln’s view of or plan was Lincoln’s view of or plan for the South after the war?for the South after the war?

Gone With The WindGone With The WindEssay QuestionsEssay Questions

Three short essay Three short essay questions: Everybody questions: Everybody does the first one; then does the first one; then choose two more. Do only choose two more. Do only three. three.

Be able to use details to Be able to use details to support your answers. support your answers. Study your viewing Study your viewing guides and PowerPoint guides and PowerPoint notes, especially notes, especially regarding race portrayals regarding race portrayals and gender (feminist and gender (feminist lens). lens).

Be especially familiar with Be especially familiar with Rhett’s and Scarlett’s Rhett’s and Scarlett’s personality traits.personality traits.

Gone With The WindGone With The WindSample Essay QuestionSample Essay Question

Consider this Consider this statement: The statement: The characters in “Gone characters in “Gone With The Wind” are With The Wind” are most successful most successful when they depend when they depend on no one but on no one but themselves. Agree themselves. Agree or disagree with this or disagree with this by demonstrating by demonstrating your view through your view through the main characters.the main characters.

Sample essay answerSample essay answer The statement that characters in “Gone With The Wind” The statement that characters in “Gone With The Wind”

are most successful when they depend on no one but are most successful when they depend on no one but themselves is true. The characters who most illustrate themselves is true. The characters who most illustrate this point are Scarlett, Melanie, Rhett, and Ashley.this point are Scarlett, Melanie, Rhett, and Ashley.

Although she uses men as means to an end, including Although she uses men as means to an end, including her strategic (if loveless) marriages to Charles Hamilton her strategic (if loveless) marriages to Charles Hamilton and Frank Kennedy, Scarlett refuses to listen to other and Frank Kennedy, Scarlett refuses to listen to other people’s opinions and builds a successful business (the people’s opinions and builds a successful business (the mill) relying on her own judgment and skills. By the mill) relying on her own judgment and skills. By the time she marries Rhett, she is no longer financially time she marries Rhett, she is no longer financially dependent on men. She only wants more, driven by the dependent on men. She only wants more, driven by the horrors of poverty she experienced during the war and horrors of poverty she experienced during the war and her pledge to “never go hungry again.”her pledge to “never go hungry again.”

Sample essay answerSample essay answer Like Scarlett, Melanie similarly refuses to allow Like Scarlett, Melanie similarly refuses to allow

the opinions of others to influence her. Even in the opinions of others to influence her. Even in the face of (false) gossip that Scarlett and the face of (false) gossip that Scarlett and Ashley are involved in a physical affair with Ashley are involved in a physical affair with each other, her judgment of them as a loving each other, her judgment of them as a loving husband and dear friend, respectively, never husband and dear friend, respectively, never wavers. While some may call her judgments wavers. While some may call her judgments foolish (especially in her somewhat blind foolish (especially in her somewhat blind allegiance to Scarlett), by sticking to her allegiance to Scarlett), by sticking to her convictions she dies having lived a happier life convictions she dies having lived a happier life than anyone she leaves behind. than anyone she leaves behind.

Sample essay answerSample essay answer As for the men, Rhett, rejected by his family in Charleston, builds a As for the men, Rhett, rejected by his family in Charleston, builds a

fortune through his own confidence and abilities. He has allegiance fortune through his own confidence and abilities. He has allegiance to no one. His downfall occurs when he becomes entangled with to no one. His downfall occurs when he becomes entangled with Scarlett. His need for Scarlett’s affection eventually drains him of Scarlett. His need for Scarlett’s affection eventually drains him of his strength, which he doesn’t fully regain until he heads out on his his strength, which he doesn’t fully regain until he heads out on his own again, saying he seeks “peace” in his life.own again, saying he seeks “peace” in his life.

Conversely, after the war, Ashley depends on Melanie and Conversely, after the war, Ashley depends on Melanie and Scarlett’s strength to the point where he fades badly and is almost Scarlett’s strength to the point where he fades badly and is almost dysfunctional by the time Melanie dies. He is the weakest of the dysfunctional by the time Melanie dies. He is the weakest of the main characters. His feeble attempt to leave Atlanta for New York main characters. His feeble attempt to leave Atlanta for New York to start a new life and career after the war is quickly squelched by to start a new life and career after the war is quickly squelched by the two women who dominate his life. It’s tempting to say that the two women who dominate his life. It’s tempting to say that Ashley would have been better off (in the context of Ashley would have been better off (in the context of independence) out from under their influence, but the reality is he independence) out from under their influence, but the reality is he may not have been able to survive without them.may not have been able to survive without them.