#101
Posted: 2/23/07 at 6:57pm
I think GONE WITH THE WIND needs the dignified wise ol' slave to soften the harsh reminder that these people are owned.
The happy selfless negro helping the troubled white man is FOREVER recycled.. even up to today.
Sure Mammy is wise. She may even be smarter than her owners. But you don't give a damn that she is a slave...why? Because she is seemingly content in her servitude. This is what GONE WITH THE WIND sells you.
What GONE WITH THE WIND would NEVER say is that contentment at being owned is a SURVIVAL skill. A skill born out of the need to be useful to one's owners, or risk severe punishment. This idea isn't half so comforting.
Sure Mammy is wise and clever.. she needs to be to stay alive!
The other negro GONE WITH THE WIND needs is the silly stupid but happy negro... as in Prissy.
With Prissy you are sold the idea that a foolish girl like Prissy couldn't survive in the world without being a slave. Thus slavery isn't ALL that bad. Again, another device used to take the sting out of remembering that these people are owned.
Clearly others won't agree with me on this, but it disturbs me. Whatever magic GONE WITH THE WIND had for me is long gone.
...
as for the civil war and slavery being just a backgroup...
Tell the SAME story in another environment.
Go for it.
It won't have the same pull because much of GONE WITH THE WINDS appeal comes from selling a pre-civil war fantasy south of happy negroes, magnolia blossoms, mint julips and spoiled belles in crinoline.
This fantasty south reduces the civil war to a war pitting southern gentility vs. northern agression. The issue of slavery is a minor detail, hardly worthy of mention.
...
Mother's Younger Brother,
You have no enemy here.
The whole "mammoth ego" business was about baiting you. I appologize.
I actually think it is touching that you trying to see the many facets of this issue. I respect that.
The happy selfless negro helping the troubled white man is FOREVER recycled.. even up to today.
Sure Mammy is wise. She may even be smarter than her owners. But you don't give a damn that she is a slave...why? Because she is seemingly content in her servitude. This is what GONE WITH THE WIND sells you.
What GONE WITH THE WIND would NEVER say is that contentment at being owned is a SURVIVAL skill. A skill born out of the need to be useful to one's owners, or risk severe punishment. This idea isn't half so comforting.
Sure Mammy is wise and clever.. she needs to be to stay alive!
The other negro GONE WITH THE WIND needs is the silly stupid but happy negro... as in Prissy.
With Prissy you are sold the idea that a foolish girl like Prissy couldn't survive in the world without being a slave. Thus slavery isn't ALL that bad. Again, another device used to take the sting out of remembering that these people are owned.
Clearly others won't agree with me on this, but it disturbs me. Whatever magic GONE WITH THE WIND had for me is long gone.
...
as for the civil war and slavery being just a backgroup...
Tell the SAME story in another environment.
Go for it.
It won't have the same pull because much of GONE WITH THE WINDS appeal comes from selling a pre-civil war fantasy south of happy negroes, magnolia blossoms, mint julips and spoiled belles in crinoline.
This fantasty south reduces the civil war to a war pitting southern gentility vs. northern agression. The issue of slavery is a minor detail, hardly worthy of mention.
...
Mother's Younger Brother,
You have no enemy here.
The whole "mammoth ego" business was about baiting you. I appologize.
I actually think it is touching that you trying to see the many facets of this issue. I respect that.
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart; and you'll never walk alone.
Updated On: 2/24/07 at 06:57 PM
