Adams, Amanda. “Painfully Southern”: Gone with the Wind, the Agrarians, and the
Battle for the New South.” The Southern Literary Journal, 40 (2007). .

 

This article, written by Amanda Adams, describes a popular consensus among men that Margaret Mitchell’s novel, Gone with the Wind, was biased towards the perspective of the female, neglecting to include certain political issues that were pertinent to the Civil War period. It is implied that many individuals believe that the popularity of the novel was due to increased readership by women because of the gender of the author. While writing the novel, Mitchell was not focused on the political happenings in the Confederate states; instead, she was trying to restore an image of the American South through detailed descriptions of the area, people, and culture. The setting of the novel is northern Georgia, which introduces diversity not only through race but also through social and economic status. Since the novel was set in her hometown, Mitchell was well versed with the area. The article continues to discuss the topic of whether or not the book describes the South as a progressive area or an area that is stuck within an old culture and values.

After Mitchell's novel was made into a film, there were still negative sentiments felt regarding the lack of portrayal of the politics, or more male-dominating issues regarding the Civil War and Reconstruction period. Many critics found it troubling that the entire structure was dominated by women, with the story of the film written by a female, the leading character played as a southern female, and the novel and film attracting a generally female crowd. However, the novel and the film show the dedicated participation of Scarlett O’Hara in the Reconstruction years, with Scarlett helping to rebuild and expand the city of Atlanta.

    I find it extremely important to understand the underlying causes of particular historical outcomes. For example, Doctor Zhivago is based on a very real conflict, the Russian Civil War, that completely transformed the country in the span of roughly three years (1918-1921). But what factors lead to this momentous event? Geoffrey Swain writes in detail about the causes of the Russian Civil War in his novel, Origins of the Russian Civil War. In doing so, he clarifies the social context of the film. Swain starts from the very beginning of the revolution. On March 2, 1917, Tsar Nicholas II finally abdicated the throne of Russia after repeated popular demonstrations. The masses cheered in ecstacy over their newfound glory. They established a quick and provisional government with the expectation that their democratic needs, for which they had been fighting since the end of World War I, would be met without fail. However, by April, the joyous rhetoric and euphoric sentiment came to a screeching halt. The newly-elected members of the provisional government realized that their individual visions of democracy were very different from each other. Politicians of the former Duma, the national assembly establshed by the Tsar after the 1905 revolution, wanted a government that imitated the British parliamentary system, but without an active monarchy. This type of government would allow them to retain their wealth and priveleges. However, "Soviets" longed for a system of democracy that was more geared toward the commonfolk. They wanted something that, essentially, would be more representative of the people of Russia; a system that would render wealth, privelege, and aristocracy a thing of the past. When the conservative side realized that the Soviet platform was gaining momentum, they quickly established a pre-cursor group of Whites, or counter-revolutionaries. Their first military attack on the Reds took place during a rowdy, yet "peaceful", demonstration in front of Mariinski Palace. David Lean includes a similar scene in Doctor Zhivago when Pasha leads a mass of Reds in front of a aristocratic restaurant (where Komarovsky and Lara are dining). The mob is massacred by the government army soon after. In fact, many scenes in Doctor Zhivago accurately represent real happenings during the Civil War. However, without prior knowledge of these historical events, the film becomes a confusing mix of politics and romance. Through Geoffrey Swain's novel, I have been able to gain a proper understanding of the political factors that form the historical context for Doctor Zhivago.