Rethinking War Off the Battlefield in Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind Intekhab Sadia Research Scholar, Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India Email id: sadiaintekhab21@gmail.com
Online Published on 26 February, 2024. Abstract A war novel is a narrative in which the primary action unfolds in armed combat or in a domestic setting where characters are either preparing for or recovering from war, depicting a post-war situation. War novels are generally categorized as historical novels. This paper aims to analyze the American Civil War and the Reconstruction era through Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind, emphasizing the effects of war beyond the battlefield in a domestic context. The novel does not glorify the war, but it illustrates the loss and trauma experienced during the conflict. ”Gone with the Wind” portrays the factual details of the war, providing readers with a passionate understanding of the period. The paper will delineate the reasons that led to the American Civil War. Additionally, it will discuss language as a tool for subjugation and the linguistic marginalization of African Americans through a textual analysis of Gone with the Wind.” The analysis will delve into slavery and racial discrimination from both a Marxist and Postcolonial perspective. The paper will also reflect on female characters using a feminist approach, exploring how the war paved the way for equal rights and increased demand for economic opportunities for women as they realized their potential during the conflict. Furthermore, the proposed paper will analyze the economic losses and collateral damage resulting from war. It will consider whether the war achieved its objectives and successfully eradicated racism and penal labor. Top Keywords American civil war, Linguistic marginalisation, Female heroism, Racism, African American rights, Exploitation, Girmityas. Top |