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329:question:329--week_6_questions_comments-2020 [2020/10/01 12:18] – 76.78.225.213329:question:329--week_6_questions_comments-2020 [2020/10/01 13:20] (current) – [II.Problems with historical accuracy? Errors in fact?] janis_shurtleff
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 Gone with the Wind presents a southern perspective that looks at the problems during and after the Civil War with romantic eyes for the southern gentry. With the arrival of general Sherman at Atlanta he is given no screen time but is rather presented as a force of evil as the screen is coated in flames as soldiers advance. Even the carpetbaggers are shown as a careless malevolent group as they arrive laughing and actively insult the southerners. The whole interpretation of the film plays the southern gentry as victims of the northerners in both language and presentation. The race relations presented in the film is by far the most egregious aspect as the slaves are a happy folk who stick with their masters. The film blatantly ignores the periods race relations while presenting horrible stereotypes. The film constantly presents the southern gentry of victims of northern oppression while ignoring the many factors that led to war as it rather presents the issue as a given occurrence of southern honor rather than being the result of any political or social interests. With the film’s focus on the upper classes it ignores many of the dynamics that are only hinted at with such characters as the slave driving having a mulatto child that died and finding financial success in the aftermath of the war. The plantation owner is presented as the primary example of the south. Rather than commenting on the ideas of the past the film perpetuates a romanticized view of the old south, counter to the historical record. -Robert Keitz Gone with the Wind presents a southern perspective that looks at the problems during and after the Civil War with romantic eyes for the southern gentry. With the arrival of general Sherman at Atlanta he is given no screen time but is rather presented as a force of evil as the screen is coated in flames as soldiers advance. Even the carpetbaggers are shown as a careless malevolent group as they arrive laughing and actively insult the southerners. The whole interpretation of the film plays the southern gentry as victims of the northerners in both language and presentation. The race relations presented in the film is by far the most egregious aspect as the slaves are a happy folk who stick with their masters. The film blatantly ignores the periods race relations while presenting horrible stereotypes. The film constantly presents the southern gentry of victims of northern oppression while ignoring the many factors that led to war as it rather presents the issue as a given occurrence of southern honor rather than being the result of any political or social interests. With the film’s focus on the upper classes it ignores many of the dynamics that are only hinted at with such characters as the slave driving having a mulatto child that died and finding financial success in the aftermath of the war. The plantation owner is presented as the primary example of the south. Rather than commenting on the ideas of the past the film perpetuates a romanticized view of the old south, counter to the historical record. -Robert Keitz
  
-One issue I have with the accuracy of this film is the treatment of the enslaved peoples after the war. While Sherman or "The Great Invader" is closing on there is the few scenes where Prissy is scolded and beat by Scarlett. Scarlett threatens to "sell her south and beat the hyde off of her". The issue in accuracy comes after they return to Tara. All of a sudden Scarlett's sisters are out picking cotton and Scarlett is telling her father that she would "never tell them (Mammy, Pork, Prissy) to do anything she's not doing herself". This likely wouldn't have happened. The complete 180 they have Scarlett do after the war is ridiculous. There is also the scene where Scarlett and Ashley were discussing using prison labor instead of hiring freed slaves for the saw mill. Ashley says he will, "not make money off of the enforced labor and misery of others". Then Scarlett mentions that he had slaves and he says he was going to free them anyway before all of this happened." -Dan Dilks +One issue I have with the accuracy of this film is the treatment of the enslaved peoples after the war. While Sherman or "The Great Invader" is closing on there is the few scenes where Prissy is scolded and beat by Scarlett. Scarlett threatens to "sell her south and beat the hyde off of her". The issue in accuracy comes after they return to Tara. All of a sudden Scarlett's sisters are out picking cotton and **Scarlett is telling her father that she would "never tell them (Mammy, Pork, Prissy) to do anything she's not doing herself". This likely wouldn't have happened**. The complete 180 they have Scarlett do after the war is ridiculous. There is also the scene where Scarlett and Ashley were discussing using prison labor instead of hiring freed slaves for the saw mill. Ashley says he will, "not make money off of the enforced labor and misery of others". Then Scarlett mentions that he had slaves and he says he was going to free them anyway before all of this happened." -Dan Dilks 
  
 This movie has several major historical inaccuracies. One problem that bothered me the most was the portrayal of enslaved African Americans and the concept of slavery itself. Slavery was glorified in the film and made out to be a better system than it was. Furthermore, the power dynamics between the slavers and the enslaved made it seem like enslaved people had more freedom and rights than they actually did. The way Mammy talked to Scarlett and most of the family would not have been okay at all during that time period. Plus African Americans hated being slaves, no one would have willingly stayed with their master after the Civil War so it's off-putting that Mammy and Pork would stay even after getting their freedom. -Purnaja Podduturi This movie has several major historical inaccuracies. One problem that bothered me the most was the portrayal of enslaved African Americans and the concept of slavery itself. Slavery was glorified in the film and made out to be a better system than it was. Furthermore, the power dynamics between the slavers and the enslaved made it seem like enslaved people had more freedom and rights than they actually did. The way Mammy talked to Scarlett and most of the family would not have been okay at all during that time period. Plus African Americans hated being slaves, no one would have willingly stayed with their master after the Civil War so it's off-putting that Mammy and Pork would stay even after getting their freedom. -Purnaja Podduturi
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 +The two female slave GWTW decided to depict were Mammy and Prissy.  Mammy is portrayed as a beloved member of Scarlet’s family, who is happy to work and comfort Scarlet.  Prissy is portrayed as naïve and scattered to the point of being a burden to Scarlett.  Neither of these characters were representative of the horrors of being a female slave.  As the Harriet Jacobs reading painfully described, female slaves were often raped and forced to have the children of their masters.  After this they would be sold to not upset the mistresses and have to live in shame and humiliation.  Mrs. James Steward and Mrs. Nancy Howard both fled to Canada to escape the atrocities of their masters, which included abuse and torture as punishment for things they did not do.  The portrayal of slave women in this film is harmful because it lends to the concept of the “happy servant”.  A figment of the white imagination this type of character is the embodiment of how the south accepted slavery, as it was not a bad thing but something that the slaves were “happy” to be a part of. – Janis Shurtleff 
  
 There were definitely a lot of problems with historical accuracy, and one of the most apparent problems was the portrayal of slavery. **It was portrayed as if slavery was not a horrific, torturous system; but one that helped African Americans and allowed them to live better than they had before.** I also think that some of Scarlett's behavior would not have been accepted, yet for the sake of the movie, she was allowed to be perceived as an independent, powerful woman. Especially after the intermission, when she went into business with a man that was not her husband and continued to make her own decisions without her husband. -- Mariah Morton There were definitely a lot of problems with historical accuracy, and one of the most apparent problems was the portrayal of slavery. **It was portrayed as if slavery was not a horrific, torturous system; but one that helped African Americans and allowed them to live better than they had before.** I also think that some of Scarlett's behavior would not have been accepted, yet for the sake of the movie, she was allowed to be perceived as an independent, powerful woman. Especially after the intermission, when she went into business with a man that was not her husband and continued to make her own decisions without her husband. -- Mariah Morton
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 As we had talked about in class, this was how the topic of the Civil War was presented to Americans in 1939. Of course there are some things this movie does get correct, like the period clothing, the timeline of the war, and the devastating aftermath of the Civil War. But, there are some issues within the movie itself. There is recognition of these issues, and today there are warnings and disclaimers stating that. I feel like this might have been a decent movie in its time, but today there are many movies and documentaries that are much better representations of the Civil War, and slavery.- Kaylee Williams  As we had talked about in class, this was how the topic of the Civil War was presented to Americans in 1939. Of course there are some things this movie does get correct, like the period clothing, the timeline of the war, and the devastating aftermath of the Civil War. But, there are some issues within the movie itself. There is recognition of these issues, and today there are warnings and disclaimers stating that. I feel like this might have been a decent movie in its time, but today there are many movies and documentaries that are much better representations of the Civil War, and slavery.- Kaylee Williams 
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 +The fact that this film is essentially blatant Lost Cause propaganda means that we cannot ignore the historical fallacies of it. This film is incredibly important to the history of filmmaking and the history of the United States popular culture, and without it's advancements I do not think film would be the same. However, unlike previous films where the historical inaccuracies were a bit problematic, this film can severely damage people's perception of history, and is trying to convince them of a narrative that is historically false. Whenever the characters mention the "moonlight and magnolias," the "Bonnie Blue flag," or shows images of the evil yankees burning their way across a "civilized land," the film is convincing you the Confederacy were in the right. And that cannot be ignored. --AJ DeGeorge
  
 Gone With The Wind is one of the most successful movies in the history of American Cinema.  Not only was it a blockbuster about superheroes or a fictional topic, it was about a real-time period and about a story that could very well have been real.  Everybody knew about the Civil War and reconstruction, some people were still alive who had fought in the war.  The reason this is all important is because for many people, they see and remember Gone With The Wind when they think of this time period.  They think this story is what happened to everyone.  Whether they think the movie is accurate or not, the movie still pops into mind when thinking of the time period.  Movies with such an influence have an even greater need to be accurate and true than others.  A movie as popular as this, can create an entire culture about the topic.  In this case, people see this movie as what the old south was like and what happened to it.  They see the hardships that became of these people and they are sympathetic.  They see how slaves and recently freed slaves were in the movie too.  Once again, despite if the movie is accurate or not, these images last in people's minds. -Daniel Walker Gone With The Wind is one of the most successful movies in the history of American Cinema.  Not only was it a blockbuster about superheroes or a fictional topic, it was about a real-time period and about a story that could very well have been real.  Everybody knew about the Civil War and reconstruction, some people were still alive who had fought in the war.  The reason this is all important is because for many people, they see and remember Gone With The Wind when they think of this time period.  They think this story is what happened to everyone.  Whether they think the movie is accurate or not, the movie still pops into mind when thinking of the time period.  Movies with such an influence have an even greater need to be accurate and true than others.  A movie as popular as this, can create an entire culture about the topic.  In this case, people see this movie as what the old south was like and what happened to it.  They see the hardships that became of these people and they are sympathetic.  They see how slaves and recently freed slaves were in the movie too.  Once again, despite if the movie is accurate or not, these images last in people's minds. -Daniel Walker
329/question/329--week_6_questions_comments-2020.1601554703.txt.gz · Last modified: 2020/10/01 12:18 by 76.78.225.213