I think Gone With the Wind works as a secondary source because it shows how people in the 1930s wanted to remember the Civil War and Antebellum South era of American history. The movie does get some parts right, especially with showing how much destruction the war caused and how different the South became after the Confederacy lost. But honestly, I think the movie is more useful for understanding the people who made it than the actual Civil War because it romanticises the “Old South” so much. It gives viewers this almost “beautiful” version of the South that leaves out a lot of the uglier parts of its history, so I think it tells us more about how history was being remembered in 1939 than what the past actually looked like. ——Cait Edwards

The film generally sticks to truth with the portrayal of the wealthy white plantation owners, and how they experienced the civil war and reconstruction era. The film really deviates with its portrayal of slavery, and generally ignores the issue as a whole. The reason for the civil war is not really mentioned, it is just a big deal that the south is going to war. The main slave characters never get called slaves, and stick around even after they’re free. While that could have happened, they don’t mention it. Emancipation in general is rarely mentioned, and skirted around whenever possible. Scholarly articles about slaves’ experiences, and their personal letters, share that they always sought freedom, and that emancipation was a really big deal. Not a nuisance. -Katie D.

While Gone with the Wind includes many historical inaccuracies, especially regarding the nature of slavery, it does contain some accurate depictions of how white southerners felt during the period of Reconstruction. Many of the sentiments echoed by people like Ella Gertrude Clanton Thomas on reconstruction are prominent in the latter half of the movie especially. The attitude of southerners toward the carpetbaggers in addition to their disdain for successful freedmen seen in the film mirror many of their written opinions. The extent of the destruction Sherman brought to Atlanta and subsequently towards other parts of Georgia are also portrayed in the film, though only in terms of the side of the war experienced by southerners. Only one Union soldier has a speaking role in the film, and the destruction is otherwise shown only from the perspective of the Confederate army and civilians of Atlanta. Overall, while there is some historical truth in Gone with the Wind, it mostly comes in the form of accurately depicting how white southerners felt about Reconstruction, rather than truthfully depicting it as a whole. - Hunter M.

There is no doubt Gone With the Wind is a product of its time period; it is intrinsically shown in its overt sugarcoating of the horrors of slavery and perpetuating racist stereotypes, such as the explicitly displayed ‘Mammy’ archetype portrayed by Hattie McDaniel, and other ‘happy slave’ archetypes displayed liberally throughout the film. One such scene shows Scarlett O’Hara, now the widowed Scarlett Wilkes, reuniting with enslaved men she had previously overseen during the height of the Confederate War, each greeting her kindly and positively as she does in turn. The reality was vastly different, as seen in Judith Cocks, Emily, Susan (Sukey) & Ersey, Harriet Newby, and Louisa Alexander’s Letters from Slaves, which detail the separation of families through the international and domestic slave trade, as written by Emily upon being forcefully separated from her husband by his master: “O! Mother, what shall I do? A time is fast approaching when I shalt want my husband and mother, and both are gone!” - Bailee E.

I think the biggest problem with Gone With the Wind is the way it portrays slavery and enslaved people. The movie makes plantation life look like it’s glamorous and makes it seem like enslaved people were always loyal to their owners, while barely showing the harsher reality of why they were enslaved in the first place. To me, this is where the movie really starts to whitewash history because the struggles of white Southerners become more important than the people who were actually being oppressed during these times in the South. I understand that the movie was made in 1939 and was meant to entertain people, but I still think that makes it important to point out how much of the “Old South” shown in the movie is a fantasy rather than the reality of slavery. I’ll also add, this doesn’t involve the movie itself, but when the movie was released, during the previews of the movies, non of the Black actors/actresses were allowed to attend the screening, and during award seasons, Hattie McDaniel(Mammy) wasn’t allowed to sit with the cast, she was placed at a table on the far back side of the theatre, and yet she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. To me, this just shows that even though slavery had been abolished by the time the film was released, the way Black individuals were treated had not completely changed. Jim Crow and segregation were still heavily followed, which makes the way the movie portrays the “Old South” even more interesting to look at. —- Cait Edwards.

In terms of historical inaccuracies in Gone with the win there is of course the elephant in the room, which is the representation of slaves and slavery. Almost every enslaved person in the movie is a stereotype. Mammy is of course, the Mammy archetype. Someone made Scarlett's caregiver and mother figure. Prissy is portrayed as dim witted and the dialogue she’s given is exceedingly racist and stereotypical. Furthermore the film portrays every enslaved person as willing to serve and “happy to be enslaved” The Yankees/ Union are shown to be the villains in this story while the confederates are the hero’s. The film also portrays the slaves that did flee when the union one as selfish which is dishonest to say the least. The film completely glosses over the dark history of slavery, ignoring that women like “Mammy” were forced to be in that position. Often made to neglect their own children in favor of their masters white children. The fact that the film glorifies slavery and the old south is absolutely disingenuous and harmful -Ellie I

I think one of the biggest historical inaccuracies in Gone With the Wind is not necessarily what the film gets wrong, but what it chooses to leave out. The destruction of Atlanta, the economic hardships, and the struggles of Southern families during and after the Civil War were very real. However, the film tells that history almost entirely from the perspective of wealthy white Southerners, while largely ignoring the experiences of enslaved people.

The romanticized portrayal of plantation life is particularly troubling when compared to Jacob Stroyer's account of families being separated and sold south. Even Mary Chesnut, who belonged to the Southern aristocracy, recognized the cruelty and injustice of slavery in her diary.

I think the film does a reasonable job portraying the loss experienced by the Southern elite, but it fails to acknowledge that the same events also brought freedom to millions of enslaved people. This makes me wonder whether historical omissions can be just as misleading as factual inaccuracies. After all, a film can accurately portray certain events while still giving audiences a distorted understanding of history. - Todd H.

Gone With the Wind presents Mammy's character as a second mother figure in the O'Hara family, constantly concerned for the girls and eventually Scarlett's husband, Rhett. The audience doesn't know anything else about Mammy beyond her role in the O'Hara household. But comparing this to the letters we had in this weeks readings from enslaved women show a much more complex and broader story and experience. Enslaved women were taken from or had their children taken from them, or if they had their children with them on the plantation, they were forced to be what we'd say today is neglectful due to their duties to the household of the white slave owning family. None of this is reflected in the film, and while it's possible Mammy didn't have kids of her own, that's not the whole point I'm trying to make. Mammy's character in the film is reduced to a nagging yet caring mother-like figure to our other main characters with no life, struggles, or triumphs outside of their family, which isn't accurate and arguably adds to the movie's overall glamorization or romanticization of the Old South. – Grayson D.

This film presents an idyllic version of the South; happy slaves willing to help their masters in any way, gallant men and submissive women, and a prosperous economy for all to live fat and happy. While we do see some violence against enslaved individuals, it is usually just a slap or a threat of violence — Mr. O’Hara at one point even warns Scarlett to stop treating some of the enslaved individuals so poorly. This movie nowhere near shows the extreme and casual violence against enslaved individuals that occurred regularly. Instead, we are shown submissive enslaved people who do whatever they’re told when they’re told or like Mammy, are so furiously protective and caring of their enslavers. Another scene similar to this is when some of the field hands from Tara are taken to work for the Confederate army digging trenches and fortifications in Atlanta and run into Scarlett, they tell her not to worry and that “they’ll stop them Yankees.” They seem almost rather content to protect the institution that keeps them in bondage. As presented in the lecture, it was common for enslaved individuals to protest in small ways — work slowdowns or theft, disrespectful or sarcastic language toward their enslaver. None of this resistance is shown, if an enslaved individual does anything “wrong” it is usually because they are too stupid to understand, like in the case of Prissy. There is a scene near the beginning of the movie where Mrs. O’Hara wants to dismiss a white overseer because he had been messing with an enslaved women — probably in a non-consensual manner. However, it is explained that the overseer is from the North, and the scene almost exists to exemplify a kind enslaver. This movie interprets slavery from the perspective of an enslaver, yet the institution was never that benevolent. – Nora M.

I think Gone With the Wind deviates from the historical sources primarily because it presents the Civil War and Reconstruction through the experiences of wealthy white Southerners, while largely ignoring the experiences of enslaved people. The film portrays plantation life as something almost idyllic, with enslaved people appearing loyal and content with their circumstances.

However, the primary sources we examined tell a very different story. Jacob Stroyer's account describes the emotional devastation of families being separated and sold south, while the letters from enslaved women reveal their fears of losing husbands and children. Even Mary Chesnut, a member of the Southern aristocracy, openly questioned the morality of slavery and acknowledged its cruelty.

What I find particularly interesting is that the film's depiction of Southern suffering is not entirely inaccurate. The destruction of property, economic hardships, and social upheaval were very real. However, the film presents the collapse of the plantation system almost exclusively as a tragedy, without adequately acknowledging what emancipation meant for millions of enslaved Americans.

I think this demonstrates how a film can portray actual historical events while still presenting a misleading interpretation of history simply through whose experiences it chooses to emphasize. - Todd H.

Gone With the Wind was released nearly right smack-dab in the middle of the Jim Crow era, as depicted by the rampant utilization of racist archetypes, such as the aforementioned ‘Mammy’ portrayal and character that appears throughout the film. However, another major event that occurred during this time period, and reflected deeply in Scarlett O’Hara’s own drastic economic instability, was the Great Depression, with the film released near the end of that time period. While not exactly a one-to-one portrayal, the decimated land and production value of Scarlett O’Hara’s beloved Tara likely resonated deeply with the American populace still healing from the wounds of high unemployment rates and their correlating consequences: a substantial amount of physical and emotional loss. - Bailee E.

This movie is a primary source due to the characters portrayal of the time period. These characters did more than just read off a script or to read about the accounts of people who lived during the civil war. The actors that played the main characters in Gone with the Wind brought the wartime at home to life. We saw the glamor of life before war and how happy everyone was in the south. The wealth, the beautiful gowns, and the willingness to fight. While the filmrights obviously had some references to actual historical documents, they still have a right to call their film a masterpiece. While there are some dry periods in the movie and the length is not ideal, the film reflects real life at its finest. Now the film Gone with the Wind was made close to a century after the civil war took place but it still shows off the civil war motivations. This film was made in 1939 and it could also source its own period of time as well. Mr. Butler gave off the persona of a rich man in the 1920-30s. He reminded me a lot of Gatsby in the great Gatsby which was based in the roaring 20s. Scarlett also gives off this persona as well due to her strong nature and fashion sense. Both time periods present themselves very well. – Autumn M.

I feel that this film works best as a primary source about the time period it was created in, the late 1930s, when you look at its portrayal of slavery and the Black characters. They are seen as well-treated, almost comedic figures (particularly when you look at the 'Mammy' character) who are almost members of the family. Something that really struck me was early in the film when the Black men were working in the field and then it just became quitting time and everyone got to stop work and go home peacefully with no more labor that day. It was almost laughable, but it gives you an idea of the way people in the 1930s wanted to think about this shameful period of our nation's past. (Ezra C.)

The lost cause myth was very prevalent around the time the movie came out in the 1930s, and it was used to reframe the American Civil War as not a war about slavery, but rather a war of Northern aggression. This myth was used to justify the system of Jim Crow and the racial hierarchy still in place in the South in the 1930s. The Lost Cause myth explained that the North had destroyed a Southern civilization (the civilization is mentioned was “gone with the wind”) and Jim Crow was simply a way to restore an almost natural Southern way of living. This movie plays out from that perspective, how Southerners in later generations could justify the institution of slavery to themselves and justify the war through a display of a “benevolent” system of slavery and a display of unwarranted Northern violence. This movie debuted in 1939, just as America was emerging from the Great Depression. Our main character Scarlett is meant to exemplify a high bred Southern woman's experience of the Civil War, but can too be related to the great economic hardship of the 1930s. Scarlett’s childhood and innocence was ripped from her by something out of her control, from this she must face incredible hardship, fear, and uncertainty as the world around her falls into ashes, but she pulls great strength from within to make sure nobody or nothing can hurt her ever again. Many watching this movie when it came out, especially young women who had grown up in the roaring 1920s, must have related to her. – Nora M.

Gone with the Wind came out in 1939—in the time of Classic Hollywood/the Golden Age of Hollywood. This is particularly seen in Vivene Leigh’s complex portrayal of Scarlett and through the extravagancy of the costumes and setting; with the rise of the Lost Cause and the Golden Age of Hollywood, this allowed for the literal aesthetic of the old South to be created visually (notably, I’m thinking of the scenes earlier in the movie where we see the white women in large dresses and the large aesthetic houses and plantations). This later easily makes the destruction of this way of life devastating to see and prompts a sense of nostalgia. Because of the time in which this was made, Scarlett O’Hara—as the main character and through Leigh’s portrayal—is assumingly who the (white) audience is supposed to feel empathy towards/relate to as she is a white woman, as opposed to the stereotypically-written Black characters (I think this movie attempts to make you focus on the “prettiness” of the South to not focus on the horrors of slavery.) - Aaliyah A.

I think Gone With The Wind works as a primary source for the 40’s in multiple ways. It came during a time of segregation, so it unfortunately makes sense that the movie is racist. Despite being nominated for an Oscar, Hattie McDaniel was segregated from the rest of the cast. Showing the racism of the time no doubt influenced the film's racism. The film also came out at a time where there was nostalgia for the old South. The film wanted to be an ode to the Old South showing the “good old days” where things were “happier”. The film is essentially propaganda for the South and intentionally so when you look into the production history. Along with being racist the film is to no surprise, sexist as well. Scarlett O’hara is incredibly unlikeable but a lot of her relationship with Rhett Butler reflect aspects of rape culture. Multiple times he kisses her without her consent, threatens to kill and harm, and it’s supposed to be “normal” or even “romantic”. There is also an infamous scene that can be interpreted as martial rape, Scarlett tells him no, and Rhett uses his strength to overpower her, carrying her up the stairs. The next morning she’s shown to be pleased, implying she “wanted” it along This is a reflection to the time the film came out as this behavior would be seen as normal and romantic in the 40’s. As for the martial rape, this unfortunately reflects the time as even today, there are people who argue that martial rape is not a thing

-Ellie I

I think Gone With the Wind works particularly well as a primary source for understanding American society in 1939. The film tells us quite a bit about how Americans remembered the Civil War nearly 75 years after it ended. Rather than confronting the realities of slavery, it romanticizes the Old South and presents plantation life as something worth mourning. This reflects the influence of the Lost Cause narrative, which remained prominent during the Jim Crow era.

Something else I find interesting is the film's release during the Great Depression. Scarlett's determination to survive financial ruin, rebuild Tara, and regain her family's wealth may have resonated with audiences who had experienced similar economic uncertainty during the 1930s.

I also think the treatment of Hattie McDaniel provides an important historical connection. She portrayed one of the film's most recognizable characters and became the first African American to win an Academy Award, yet she still faced segregation during the film's premiere and the Academy Awards ceremony.

To me, the film is almost more valuable as a historical source about 1939 than about the Civil War itself. It reveals not only how Americans chose to remember their history, but also how racial attitudes and economic experiences influenced the stories Hollywood told. - Todd H.

We should care about Gone with the Wind and its version of history because it reflects on commonly held beliefs of the American public that lasted for many years. While the film is relevant in examining the beliefs of its own time period, it is also relevant in examining the beliefs of Americans during the entire period where the Lost Cause myth was prominent in society. The ideas that slavery was simply the way of life of the South, that black people liked being slaves more than being free, and that the Civil War was a morally neutral war or even one where the Union was in the wrong were at one time commonly held beliefs, especially in the South. Gone with the Wind shows a version of history that was considered the “right version” of history by many people at the time of its release, even though now we look upon its perspective on history as extremely inaccurate. It therefore provides valuable insight into how Americans perceived their own history for a lengthy period of time. - Hunter M.

Gone With the Wind is one of the most famous movies in history, and adjusted to inflation, has the highest box office sales ever. This movie was watched far and wide, especially in the late 1930s where going to see a movie was a regular activity. That means both its reflection of history, and the gender dynamics of this movie were spread to the general public. While confederate sentiment is still felt in the south, Gone With the Wind was a surprisingly feminist film with its portrayal of Scarlett O'Hara, and her independence. This actress who played Mammy was also the first black woman to win an Academy Award. But despite these forward opinions, the film did disregard slavery as an issue and overly romanticized the antebellum south, which could have changed public views of the reconstruction era and civil war. Even if the directors were neutral, this could have rewritten history for some. -Katie D.

While this film is hard to watch at times, incredibly racist, and romanticizes the history of the American South, Gone With the Wind reflects many themes and sentiments that I would argue still remain strong foundations for the lives and beliefs of some groups of Americans today, for better or for worse. The movie does have some depictions of the Old South that are realistic/true to history, like the hatred of the carpetbaggers or Yankees and the destruction of civilians homes or plantations, but the overall theme or pattern throughout the movie is that Scarlett wants to return to the “good old days” (yikes) of the South before the war, and that life was more peaceful and simple before. The film discusses ideas of honor and duty and what that means to different people. Different characters have different ideas or reactions towards poverty, labor, what's right and what's not. There is much loss in this movie, and ultimately Scarlett realizes the one place she wants to go and truly loves is home, a symbol of when her life was good and peaceful. This movie is important to watch and discuss because it not only has shaped generations of Americans but it has shaped how we remember the South during and after the Civil War and the ways we chose to remember it. – Grayson D.

I care about this movie because it's inspiring. Seeing young men and women making sacrifices for their families is hard. This film brought a lot of what I've learned in school to life. Now in our past films for this class I've seen brutality and death, but in Gone with the wind I got to see more of the afteraffects of war. The film displays the list of those lost in battle to the families. This was very eye opening because the families of the fallen had no closure for their loved ones, they had an idea of how they died but there was no actual remembrance of their bravery in battle unless they knew someone who survived. It was cruel to see how a single sheet of paper could make an entire crowd of people cry. In other films they at least have a fellow soldier or commander come to the houses of the fallen to let their families know of their death but not in this one. Another factor of why I care about this film was the abandonment of women and wives. In the film of course Melanie gives birth to her baby but it is with Scarlett with no experience because no doctor has the time to help. It was surreal to see how much many women had to stand up for themselves during the war compared to before it. – Autumn M.

This movie is still so present within the culture consciousness of this nation and adjusted for inflation, is still the highest grossing film of all time. This movie is often referred to in conjunction to other hallmarks like Birth of a Nation which are so blatant in their racism. This movie is probably the best representation of the Lost Cause myth and its an important artifact in understanding how some viewed and still view the history of the American Civil War and tried to twist it to fit into their narrative of white superiority. This movie left a massive mark on how many think about the American past, a scar that has taken so long only to partially undo. Many in this nation still believe in this idyllic south, and some want to take us back to that fake past. This movie is crucial in understanding that way of thinking. Along with this, Gone With the Wind produced and proliferated so many popular racist archetypes like the Mammy character that are still seen in films today and have even been plastered on products like maple syrup. – Nora M.

We should care about the film because, racist or not, it had and continues to have such a great impact on the consciousness of the nation. It was the highest grossing film of all time (with previously stated adjustments made), so we know that people were watching it back then, are watching it today (like we are!), and have watched it at all times in between. That really says something, good or bad. It means that this movie has been disseminated so greatly throughout the past 80-something years that the information is has to impart, accurate or not, is deeply embedded in our psyche and culture. (Ezra C)

We should care about Gone With the Wind and its version of history because of its portrayal of the pre- and post-Civil War south (in a “lost cause”/ positive light) because this had/continues to have real life consequences for how audiences view slavery and the Confederacy. Because this is the highest grossing movie of all time (with inflation), its impact on American pop culture is significant. This means its overall stereotypical and revisionist portrayal of slavery and Black people was seen and believed by many (white) audiences. Hattie McDaniel’s Mammy is the stereotypical mammy caricature, and, although it should be celebrated that she was the first Black winner for an Oscar, she won it for portraying a harmful Black stereotype that continues to persist in the depiction of Black women. Even now, people still perpetuate the narrative that slaves had overall positive experiences working in White households and some still call for “the good old days” of the confederacy like Scarlett O’Hara calls for in the movie. - Aaliyah A.