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1、【标题】An Analysis of Rhett Butlers Character in Gone with the Wind 【作者】成 慧 【关键词】瑞德?巴特勒；性格；人性美；矛盾性；原因 【指导老师】白 敏 卢 静 【专业】英语 【正文】I. IntroductionMargaret Mitchell, the author of the book Gone with the Wind, was born in a family with ancestry like the Scarlett OHaras in the book in Atlanta. Her mother was
2、of Irish-Catholic ancestry, and her father descended from Scotch-Irish and French Huguenots. There were many soldier-members of the family who had fought in the American Revolution, Irish uprisings and rebellions and the Civil War in her family.1 The author, an imaginative child, was fascinated with
3、 stories of the Civil War that she heard from her parents and great aunts. And her life experiences and two marriage life led her complete the book Gone with the Wind that made her world famous.The author sets the growth and the experience of a girl and several youth in the background of the Civil W
4、ar. The main character of Gone with the Wind is Scarlett OHara, a daughter of an owner of a plantation in the South. Her love, her experiences and the changes of life value are the plots of this book. There are many studies about Scarlett OHara: her ardent towards life; the character of hardhearted,
5、 unscrupulousness but with strong mind and capableness; her feminism and so on. This thesis mainly focuses on the character of the male figureRhett Butler, a bold, cynical rule-breaker, and he is deeply attracted by Scarlett, and sees her as his soul mate in rebellion.2 There are three parts mostly
6、using description and contrast to show Rhetts character.We can get Rhett Butler is full of challenge by description he is an impious son and a current-leader and a supporter of feminism; he has a so sober-mind that he has his clear understanding of the society and clear knowledge about the southerne
7、r; he is so intelligent and courageous that he runs blockading successful in the war time and saving the members of the Klan. No one is perfect that Rhett has his defectcontradiction through his thoughts and actions: despising the Confederacy but fighting for the South, and determination and wit but
8、 not daring to express his love. From two aspects of Rhetts special experience of growing up and the uniqueness of social background, the fourth part briefly analyses the reasons forming his character.II. The Virtues in the Character of Rhett ButlerThe old saying says that each person has his virtue
9、, even if he is a desperately rascal. Towards Rhett Butler, a man has a deadly reputation at the beginning of the novel and during the war time, there are many virtues in his character: challenging, sober-mind, intelligent and courageous, kindness and so on.A. ChallengingIn the most character, even
10、in the virtues of Rhett Butler, his challenge is most conspicuous. However, he is so challenging what he represents is not welcomed by the people, even though his family and friends.1. An Impious Son and a Current-leader from Noble FamilyTo some extent, Rhett Butler and the most gentlemen in the Sou
11、th are fundamentally alike. They come of the same kind of class, they are raised in the same pattern, brought up to think the same things, and somewhere along the road they take different turnings, they still think alike but react differently,3 which cause Rhett as an impious son and a current-leade
12、r.Rhett Butler is well-known to the southerners, but for the most terrible fame. He is from a well reputation family like many gentlemen, while for his challenge, he refuses to marry a girl who stays out with him nearly all night just as some unexpected accident, and shoots the girls brother; he is
13、expelled from West Point and nobody receives him. And of course he is thrown into the world without a penny by his fatheran old gentleman with an iron will and a ramrod for a black bone, when Rhett is just twenty without any training, and his name is stricken from the family by his father.Rhett must
14、 continue his life although he has not a cent, then the challenge of his character play the most roles. He is an impious son that causes he is different from other men for his challenge leads him to choose some careers which are not a gentleman should take, and even professional gambling also is inc
15、luded in Rhetts careers. Therefore, he has been unpopular and receives the hatred from the citizen who have gotten many help from Rhett, even theirs lives.At the same time, as one of the most Southerners, Rhett Butler unlike other people, especially the typical gentlemen Ashley Wilkes, always lives
16、in his past times and is afraid to look on the naked realities. Rhett is cast by his father, while he lives a good life. Instead of spending much time to recall his beautiful memories, he makes clear that he has to work hard for his life. The fact evidences that he gains success. Instead of dying of
17、 the hungry or some other disease, he lives a well life, even better that other Southerners. Just as his words to Scarlett,“you were a good risk, an interesting risk. They show you to be a person of energy and determination and a good money risk”4 He is also such a person he could take every advanta
18、ge of opportunities. Thats why he can start again at taw with nothing at all, even he is in an upside-down world like the war, and he can live like a fish in the water. What he shows us is just he is a current-leader; he can lead a world into a higher stage.The phrases an impious son and a current-l
19、eader, which often can not remind us to relate the expression with a praise meaning, particularly an impious son, while we need more those kinds of men to contribute theirs talents to build the country. Rhett Butler is such a man who reflects us the most of his challenge in his character that he is
20、distinct with other guys, which indeed displays his virtue, and a country often needs such persons to devote theirs challenge.2. A Supporter of FeminismThe girl in that times are brought up by teaching such theory: it is a great and also the only undertaking for a lady is to collect other mens heart
21、 and then choose one of the most suitable one to be her husband, which was necessary and vital for an unmarried lady to the noble road.At a time when“decent” women are not supposed to engage in business, while Rhett supports that the women should have her own business, not only Scarlett, but also th
22、e old Roman matron Mrs. Merriwether who starts with a basket of pies and then becomes a bakery employing half a dozen people. He respects them having their own business and managing well, he would lend them a large sum of money to help them to expand their business. Just as his saying“I believe Bell
23、e Watling is a smart woman. I wanted to see her get ahead and all she needed was money to start a house of her own. So I set her up in business.”5 Actually we have to admit that Rhett is right for what he has done to the women and leads theirs success.At the same time, he encourages Scarlett to appe
24、ar publicly and even dance with him in her mourning of her first husband; he encourages her to be herself with no lies; he encourages her to get out of mourning several years too soon; he encourages her to accept a gift which no lady can accept and still remain a lady; he also encourages her to marr
25、y for fun; he finds it incomprehensible that women are supposed to disappear from society when they are pregnant. Although he does most these things for Scarlett, it no doubted that he is a forerunner towards unbinding the women in many aspects.Rhett is so impious or the special that is distinct fro
26、m the others all can be explained by his challenge which results in his fight. He fights against with his family, later is the school, and then is the society. Thanks to the author built such a challenging man, we can know more about the society of that period and also the culture.B. Sober-mindedPeo
27、ple with the different actions and thoughts always have a sober-mind. Rhett Butler is right such a man. He has the clear opinion towards the society and also the southerners, which form the most reasons for his unpopular.1. His Clear Understanding of the SocietyHe has a clear mind toward the society
28、, which we can get from his appearance at Twelve Oaks. Under the trees, men no matter young or old are talking about the war. Most people think they could lick the Yankees in a month with one battle and hold that gentlemen always fight better than rabble. When the conversation processes hotter and m
29、ore impassionedly, there is only one who seems calm and utters no word. What reveals his heart is his expression,“a glint of amused contempt in his black eyes-contempt, as if he listens to the braggings of children.”6Owing to his clear opinion and his most travel experiences against the gentlemen th
30、ought on the war, which more or less throws a stone in a quiet lake. Therefore, there almost leads a fighting scene. Towards the war and the society, maybe Ashley has the same thinking as Rhett, while Ashley is so coward to speak to others just tells Melanie in his letter. Rhett always takes up offe
31、nsive words and insults the citizens and their sticking to Confederacy；He often analyzes Scarlett the situation of the country and the war for she should have a clear mind concerning the Cause, not the others hoped that; he says that“Our Southern way of living is as antiquated as the feudal system o
32、f the Middle Ages. The wonder is that its lasted as long as it has. It had to go and its going now”7; he has a so clear opinion that he even tells Scarlett theres good money in empire building. But, theres more in empire wrecking. Rhett is a sober-mind that leads he is more far-sight than the other
33、so called“gentlemen”, which causes his so especial.2. His Clear Understanding about the SouthernersNo only he has clear understanding towards the war and society, but also the southerners. It seems that he could read others. He meets Scarlett for the first at Twelve Oaks, and he knows what a person
34、she is. So does Ashley Wilkes and Melanie.Throughout the novel, Rhett is the most sober-mind person, he sees numerous Southerners who are unable to shift from the lifestyle they live in the antebellum South. After the war, they continue to look back and claim the lifestyle and courtesy that they are
35、 accustomed to. They are unwilling to move forward and reject what is once theirs and choose instead to live in genteel poverty. The most obviously portrays is lack gumption gentleman Ashley Wilkes. Rhett has awareness that, to some extent, he and Ashley are fundamentally alike, the similar family,
36、growth, education pattern and so on. So Rhett has a clear understanding about Ashley and it seems that he knows Ashley than knows himself.He does understand Ashley but he doesnt sympathize; he always looks down upon Ashley and he pities him for Ashley ought to be dead and he isnt; and he has contemp
37、t for him because Ashley doesnt know what to do with him as his world is gone.He has the clear knowledge towards the people, especially the person like Ashley who always live in their old times and have no method or unwilling to start another life as the coming of a new era. Hence, he comments these
38、 people with the following remarks:It isnt losing their money, my pet. I tell you its losing their world-the world they were raised in. Theyre like fish out of water or cats with wings. They were raised to be certain persons, to do certain things, to occupy certain niches. And those persons and thin
39、gs and niches disap?peared forever when General Lee arrived at Appomattox.What is there for Ash?ley Wilkes to do, now that his home is gone and his plan?tation taken up for taxes and fine gentlemen are going twenty for a penny? Can he work with his head or his hands? Ill bet youve lost money hand ov
40、er fist since he took over that mill.8Not only can he find others shortcoming, Rhett gives his fair judgments towards Ashley for he has a sober-mind: hes only a gentleman caught in a world he doesnt belong in, trying to make a poor best of it by the rules of the world thats gone.9As for Rhett is so
41、calm that he has a clarity understanding about Ashley who is from the upper-class of Southern postwar“nobility”. Courageous, well-educated, and wealthy he has everything he needs to succeed even after the War. However, he allows himself to slip into genteel poverty and obscurity because he is unwill
42、ing to move into the present. And whats way he should take and how the society will develop from that kind of person.Melanie Wilkes, a lady looks and is as simple as earth, while as good as bread and as transparent as spring water. But for all her plainness of feature and smallness of stature, there
43、 is a sedate dig?nity about her movements that is oddly touching and far older than her real age. So common a girl that Scarlett compares her as a“wallflower”, whereas Rhett Butler who as an extremely fault-finder gives her most praise with“She is one of the few kind, sincere and unselfish person I
44、have ever knownAnd moreover, for her youth, she is one of the few great ladies I have ever been privileged to know.”10Rhett says times and times that Melanie is a great lady he knows that he is showing his reverence for her; he does what Melanie tell, especially he causes Scarletts miscarriage their
45、 baby and his beloved daughter dies from falling off a pony. How sorrow he is, there is no one could calm his heart even thought his love Scarlett except one person Melanie. It is right he knows clear about Melanie that Rhett exposes himselfa big, tough man cries in the front of a lady Melanie and t
46、ells her some secret things that a woman would never tell her. Likewise, he adores and trusts her as a boy want to find the affection from his mother.C. Intelligent and CourageousRhett Butler, a man with an exceptionally high intelligence quotient, he starts his business with nothing. Without his in
47、telligence and courage, he cannot survive, not alone gains success no matter how many jobs he would do or how capable he could spend the hard times.1. Blockading in the War TimeRhett tells Scarlett that there are two times for making money: one is in the up-building of a country and the other in its
48、 destruction. He makes use of his wise mind to make a best decisionto run business as a blockader in the war time when everything is desperately lack.11Rhett exerts his brightness and boldness to engage in his undertaking, and also he applies his intelligent to get along with the Atlanta for he will
49、 be in and out of the city. His boats are singularly lucky both in taking out cotton for the Confederacy and bringing in the war materials for which the South is desperately short. The ladies fell they could forgive and forget a great many things for such a brave man because they have a bad impression of Rhett. He brings the Atlanta the medical supplies they need, especially for the wounded soldiers; he brings in from England yards and yards of gleaming white satin and la
