Gone With the Wind Fans discussion

One thing I adore about GWTW is how virtually none of the characters are all good or all bad. But what about Melanie? She's saintly! Aside from physical weakness, which we can hardly hold against her character, what flaws does Melanie display? Could we call her inability to see the bad in anyone she loves a flaw? Could we even make a tight case that she NEVER sees bad in the people she loves?

While I would almost say that her inability to see anything but good in people is a flaw, Melanie isn't flawed because I think she does actually see people's flaws, but simply refuses to point them out or use it against them in any way. She almost is too perfect, now that you point it out....

Can shyness be considered a flaw?

Perhaps we could fault her a little for her shyness, although I can't think of an example of that really harming her or anyone else. It's a good point to consider.

I was also thinking that maybe she is flawed in that she doesn't know her own weakness. It's admirable, in a way, but also foolish. We see it when she comes to meet the Yankee at Tara with her Charles's sword, when she picks cotton well, right up to the moment she faints, and. ultimately, when she takes the risk of a second pregnancy. What do you guys think?

Really good point. What the book and move don't explicitly imply, however, is that for back then, not having a baby would mean no sex with your husband, basically. It might have really been more about that, but she was too proper to admit it!

Of course you're right, Lauren, but I think it's more in keeping with Melanie's character to only ever have sex for the purpose of making babies anyway! You could be on to something, though. I could definitely see her at least wanting to do her "duty" by Ashley, if not admitting her natural desires to herself. And as for Ashley, I could see him having trouble with celibacy too. Hell I can see anyone having a problem with celibacy.

Melanie. Character flaws. Can anyone on this board say definitely what those flaws are? I know we are not flawless people, but what I see written here does not indicate character flaws. More info please...

Being naive is a flaw. Being wreckless is a flaw.

Melanie's blind love for the people she loves. It's interesting that, unlike Ashley, she has changed with the changed world and is not clinging on to the superficial world (although like every character she misses it) but is so superficial about all the people she loves.

Melanie's flaw would be to be as bullheaded as Scarlett when it comes to loyalty. Right or wrong, she would back them up if she decided she loved them. Kinda like the South? ;>

If Melanie could have seen through her blind loyalty to Scarlett, she might have saved a lot of people some pain.

I love Melanie and to me she's a saint, even her loyalty is saintly so it's hard to fault her.