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====== How does this movie work as a secondary source? What does the movie get right about history? ======

Something that Gone With the Wind gets right about history is some of the broad details that serve as the background for the plot during the Civil War. The film rightly points to some early battle success from the confederates in the first years of the war. The turning point of the war is also shown to occur at Gettysburg, which is still a popular interpretation to this day. There is also the relevance of the Siege of Atlanta and Sherman’s march to sea present. These events really did happen, although they aren’t very expanded upon (besides the Siege of Atlanta) or used as much more than a backdrop and to chronicle Scarlett’s journey over time. - Ewan H

One of the only things this movie gets right, in my opinion, is the overall Southern Antebellum rhetoric. The "lost cause" ideology, these concepts about how life in the South is key and something to maintain, it's a theme that the movie does very well. There are some details throughout the movie that are largely used as a way to establish an accurate timeline, like the Battle of Gettysburg and Sherman (as Ewan mentioned). I feel that the movie also depicts the devastation of the war on the South particularly well too, especially after Sherman. The shift in gender roles following the war is something that wasn't uncommon as well, as shown by Scarlett taking over the farm and Melanie's husband struggling to find a purpose after the war. - Caty

The movie does get the southern female roles during the war and reconstruction fairly accurate. As the war goes on, you start to see Scarlett and Melanie wearing less extravagant costumes, the size of their skirts become smaller, and their clothing is more simple. This is in part due to the Union blockade of goods getting to the south and the fact that women had to take on the roles of the men while they were away fighting. Scarlett is a nurse, which is something she would've never done before the war. She also is the one to work the fields and pick cotton along with her sisters in the aftermath of the war. What was formerly a role saved for the men, or the enslaved peoples, were now being carried out by her. They also portrayed the Confederate spirit a lot of southern soldiers had, or at least what 1930s Hollywood though they had. When news of the war broke out, the song Dixie Lee was playing in the background, which was a song many people of the south had pride in even up to the 1950s and 60s. - Emma Galvin 

There were some here and there historical accuracies in the movie. They demonstrate the Southern spirit fairly well; for example, one of the men exclaimed, "The Yankees can't fight, but we can!" They also were offended in the film when Butler remarked "all you got is cotton and slaves," which pretty much depicted Southern culture and spirit. The film also depicted some of the women's roles, such as nurses. Women were called to help with the wounded during the Civil War. They helped with feeding, writing letters to loved ones, and generally providing comfort, as shown through Scarlet and the nurses in the background. Another historical accuracy is the destruction of towns whether through battles or people purposely destroying the areas. Buildings were on fire, houses were robbed, animals were stolen/dead, and so on. (Hannah E.)

This film correctly depicts the effects of the Civil War on the South. Specifically, the physicality of Atlanta. Atlanta was burnt down and the economic collapse of Southern civilization was correctly shown. -Anj  

 
The film highlighted a couple things about history somewhat well. The sheer loss of life that was experienced during the civil war was illustrated quite strikingly. The struggle for survival of many widows and broken families following the war was also represented well. o’hara’s view that African Americans were “inferior” was unfortunately a commonly held worldview at the time in the south. The film illustrated how women’s role in supporting the household changed, and how they had to begin performing labor they hadn’t been doing before. Additionally, Rhett’s initial synopsis of why the north was better positioned to win the war was relatively accurate. - Owen
Despite being a highly romanticized period piece, Gone With The Wind does get certain things right. For one, in my eyes it does a solid job at portraying the grandeur of the Southern aristocracy through plantation estates like Tara. Another thing I believe it did well was how it depicted the Civil War. While using the conflict as mostly a backdrop, the film does depict the real life siege of Atlanta.---Thomas K 

  ====== Problems with historical accuracy? Errors in fact? ======

One of the most significant problems with the historical accuracy of Gone With the Wind is the portrayal of American Slavery in the south - and, to a larger extent, its general portrayal of African-Americans both before, during, and following the American Civil War. The movie depicts slaves as being generally content with their status, although admittedly, it is possible that this is because the few enslaved people who garner significant screen-time are domestic slaves, rather than field hands. Almost no time at all is dedicated to African-American characters who aren’t working in the house, with Mammy and Prissy, and to a lesser extent, Pork, serving as conduits for offensive Black stereotypes. Additionally, not one of them leaves the family after the end of the War, choosing instead to stay behind and work for Scarlet (which, again, gives off the vibe that they were more than happy when they were enslaved). Another significant issue in Gone With the Wind is its blatant spreading of the Lost Cause of the Confederacy myth, which portrays the Southern Cause as a noble one. The film does have a character mention that they will not allow the ‘Yankees’ to take their slaves, but despite this admission, the film continues to portray the South as an upstanding - if slightly misguided - and romanticized group just fighting for their homes, which was decidedly not the predominant cause of the conflict. - John M.

The most obvious and significant historical inaccuracy in the film was the depictions of slavery in the South. The film begins by portraying plantation life as idyllic. The enslaved individuals appeared upbeat, happy to talk to Scarlet and other family members. The movie clearly skimmed over the horrific reality of slavery. It also misrepresents slavery by not depicting a real picture of it. For example, Mammy. If this were back then, Mammy would not have yelled out the window, delivering directives to their slaveowners and slaveowners' families. Furthermore, Mammy talked with a dialect that could be seen as stereotyped. In actuality,  enslaved people who worked closely to white families (domestic) were forced to speak and behave in "white" ways, therefore Mammy would not have sounded like that. (Hannah E.) 

The main issue in particular with this film is on the notion of slavery. When comparing this film to last week's film, Amistad it does a significantly worse job in showing race relations during their respective time periods. This film mostly whitewashes over reality because the slaves in this film are seemingly happy and loyal to their slaveowners because they are treated well. This is not true not only about slavery during the time in the nation but especially from what transpired in the south. Slaves in the south had harsh working conditions and were beaten by their slaveowners if not willing to comply with their directive. Thus, slaves would assemble and revolt in which the most notable person to lead one would be Nat Turner in August of 1831 in which his historical revolt would end this myth that slaves were happy with their current situation. -Alex   

Problems with historical accuracy within the movie Gone with the Wind are prevalent. There is a sort of downplayment upon the efforts made by African Americans to ensure civil rights. Gone with the Wind also portrays the South as honest, fighting for a good cause for THEM rather than magnifying the main issue of slavery. -Anj
 
This film’s most obtrusive inaccuracy is its treatment of slavery in the period both leading up to and following the civil war. The enslaved people working on O’Hara’s plantation are seen as happy to be there, and so happy in fact that many of them would stay and become lifelong servants of Scarlett and her family. The slaves who were enlisted to dig trenches for the confederate soldiers were depicted as consentingly “digging for the south”. There is no discussion of emancipation, and Ashley claims slaveholders treated their slaves with benevolence - something which was far from the truth. - Owen

====== How does the film’s overall interpretation(s) deviate from scholarly historical sources? ======



====== How does this movie work as a primary source about the time in which it was made? ======

Through its historical inaccuracies and misguided portrayal of the American South, Gone With the Wind provides a keen insight into the historical mindset of the American public during the time in which it was released. Pseudo-historical concepts which have today been largely (though far from completely) scrubbed from proper academia were, at the time, generally accepted as truisms. The myth of the meddling carpetbagger, the concept of the sultry, beautiful, paradise-like South in the Antebellum period, the misconceptions that Black Americans were largely unbothered - and in some cases, pleased - by their position as enslaved people, that American Slavery was beneficial to Black people - the list goes on and on and on. Through these concepts, which are expelled liberally throughout the duration of the film, we have an opportunity to understand how Americans viewed the Civil War, slavery, and the South during much of the 20th Century. - John M.

Gone with the Wind is definitely a product of its time. I've seen many old Hollywood films, and they all follow similar rhetoric, especially in their depiction of enslaved/African American stereotypes. Pork, Prissy, and Mammy are portrayed as less smart and annoying. They are also the primary sources of comedic relief throughout the movie. Their brush off of the brutalness of slavery was also prevalent. The enslaved, especially in the beginning of the movie are depicted as doing a normal days work, when in reality, they were working up to fifteen hour days. This was made around 6o years after the Civil War happened and many people were still alive during the 1930s. Racism, segregation and viewing African Americans as lesser than was also still common practice. You can see the 1930s attitudes towards African Americans as well as the erasure of terrible events that is often done throughout American History. - Emma Galvin  

This movie didn’t do a great job of painting slavery, showing the slaves as being happy and proud of their work. That being said, it still was a good primary source in some aspects. I thought that it captured a lot of the southern attitudes well before, during, and after the war. Some of the first hand experiences that the film portrayed gave the viewers a small look into what those people might have gone through emotionally. Along with emotional changes, there were lots of societal changes as well, seeing towns/cities go through reconstruction and even social hierarchies changing. For women’s experiences back then, it was a great primary source. It showcased lots of things that they had to go through, that of the pressure of marriage, poverty, and abuse. Furthermore, this film did romanticize the South and its people a little too much. Portraying messages like “better things will come tomorrow”, when in reality people probably didn’t have super hopeful mindsets when their homes were destroyed. -Matt S. 
Gone With The Wind is an excellent source to use when looking back at American society and culture during the 1930's. During the period this film was released, Americans were still reeling from the Great Depression, with millions of ordinary Americans jobless and unable to provide for their family. What's more, Americans were also grappling with their role in the world as Hitler and Imperial Japan were murdering their way across Europe and Asia. Conceivably, this film could've been seen by Americans as escapism that took them back to a simpler time. Lastly, this film also appeared during a time when there was still a decent amount of Civil War veterans were still alive, making the topic of the Civil War "more" personal to Americans of the 1930's.--Thomas K.

This movie provides a lot of insight into the perception of the South prior to the Civil War, as well as the war itself. There was an interest in romanticizing the life of the “knights” and ladies who populated the South at the time. In order to paint this narrative, however, the film had to put forward a more palatable depiction of the slavery which occurred on Southern plantations. The erasure of African American suffering on plantations shifts the narrative around the civil war away from the institution of slavery and onto the issue of land, and loyalty to said land. - Rickie


This film was created during the height of Jim Crow laws and the black actors were not allowed to attend the premiere. Needless to say, it’s not shocking, but still upsetting, with how the glaring issue of race is portrayed. This film does provide insight into what Hollywood and the general American audience thought of the Civil War. It was highly romanticized in its depictions of the enslaved people. They wanted to believe slavery “wasn’t that bad” but didn’t shy away from the violence and horror of the Civil War on Southerners. - Allie


====== The "So What" Question ======

Viewing this movie with a critical lens is important in a time where the narrative and mystique of the confederacy is still prominent in our culture. By romanticizing the Confederacy as a place of happy slaves and righteous men, it can send the wrong idea to many people who would mistake these depictions for fact. The facts are that slavery was a terrible institution and that the Confederacy fought to defend it, but this is totally lost on someone who just watches the movie. The success of the movie also serves as an important talking point, where it has become so revered and iconic that a real look at the history of the south around the time of the Civil War is needed to understand that the movie is not the reality. The popularity also has a part in the notion of the “Lost Cause” and other pro-confederate ideas and how these ideas were and still are dispensed in America. - Ewan H

There's no doubt that this movie is problematic in it's portrayal of enslavement, it's glorification of the South, multiple interactions between Scartlett and Rhett, the list goes on. However, despite how objectively bad this movie is in terms of themes (in my opinion), it's something that's considered a classic. It won multiple awards, it's something people today still reference as an amazing film. That contrast is precisely why I think it's important, because the conversations this movie can spark can be critical. It brings up themes surrounding the "Lost Cause" and Antebellum South through the lens of a female main character, which I believe to be a particularly interesting perspective. This movie has had such a big influence on American popular culture, and I think when a movie does such a bad job of portraying things like enslavement, a conversation is necessary to contextualize it in order to ensure that misunderstandings don't occur. - Caty

Despite the issues presented in this movie it's important to understand the time period that this particular film was created in and why producers would want to portray this media. Since this film was first introduced in 1939 it was geared towards having righteous hero's or heroine as a reflection of the terrors of World War 2. This film pushes towards having a romantic agenda for Scarlett and Ashley for example and how the antebellum South should be praised for its ideals of superiority and prosperity. However, this instance is skewed from reality because African American slaves in this film are not only slaves physically, but their also slaves mentally to the notion that this is how life is supposed to be as displayed through their glee. What we need to ultimately take away from this film is that the era that this film was made which still had race related issues throughout the country is not an accurate depiction of the reality of the situation; thus, we need to actually be responsible individuals and learn about our history truthfully so that we do not repeat our past mistakes. --Alex

Gone with the Wind is another example of how the creator’s perspective of the story greatly affected the general public’s outlook on a major historical event. When this film came out in 1939, it’s said that it was equivalent to the popularity that a Star Wars film brings. While it’s great that it’s been able to get so many viewers, it can also be dangerous as it isn’t a fair representation of the true history. Gone with the Wind was extremely sympathetic towards the South, aggrandizing Confederate soldiers as cavaliers and heroes, while making the Union men to be the clear antagonists. Having this story be so one sided probably painted a very false image in the minds of people whose main source of information about the Civil War was probably from this. The makers seemed to be much more worried about romance in this film too, disregarding some of the major political and racial problems that occurred back then. Overall, this movie hid a lot of the atrocities that occurred back then to give entertainment that would appeal to a large audience. -Matt S. 

This film does a lot to push forward the notion that the south was done a deep injustice during the civil war, and that to be a confederate soldier was really to be some kind of gallant hero fighting for a noble cause. This film also does a lot to ignore the issue of slavery, or when it does show up, brush it off as something minor. Painting the picture that the south was this pristine bubble of peace and joy, that could’ve just kept on prospering without problems if it weren’t for the fury and flames of Sherman and the north, is rather upsetting. - Owen

The ongoing success and prominence of this film (and the book) shows the lasting appeal of this story in the American mind. When discussing the film with friends, multiple people told me their parents love this film. The depiction of American slavery as a positive, reciprocal relationship changes the narrative of American history and diminishes the systemic racism that is still experienced by African Americans throughout the country today. - Rickie

When adjusted for inflation, GWTW is the most successful movie of all time. I wanted to learn more about the film’s reception while watching and found out that within the first four years of its release, it sold what was just under half of the US population of that time. Needless to say, audiences loved it. 85 years later, this film’s relevance continues to permeate the American cultural landscape. “Frankly my dear, I just don’t give a damn,” is probably one of the most, if not the most, famous and iconic movie lines ever. With such a widespread and long-lasting impact, people are still found believing GWTW’s sugar-coated, pro-Confederate portrayal of the South during the Civil War and Reconstruction. - Allie

Gone with the Wind captures several historical elements of the American South during the Civil War and Reconstruction era. It portrays the chaos and destruction brought by the war, illustrating the profound impact on Southern society and civilian life. The depiction of plantation life highlights the economic reliance on slavery, showcasing the lifestyles of the wealthy elite. At the same time, the rigid social hierarchy is evident in the roles and expectations placed on women. The film also touches on the challenges of the Reconstruction era, reflecting the tensions between white Southerners and newly freed African Americans. Additionally, it conveys a strong sense of Southern pride and nostalgia for the "Old South," demonstrating the cultural identity many felt during this period. - Sam B