Great Fictional Characters: Scarlett O' Hara

Continuing with the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2015.

 

S is for Scarlett O'Hara.

 

 “Scarlet O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were. In her face were too sharply blended the delicate features of her mother, a Coast aristocrat of French descent, and the heavy ones of her florid Irish father. But it was an arresting face, pointed of chin, square of jaw. Her eyes were pale green without a touch of hazel, starred with bristly black lashes and slightly tilted at the ends. Above them, her thick black brows slanted upward, cutting a startling oblique line in her magnolia-white skin-that skin so prized by Southern women and so carefully guarded with bonnets, veils and mittens against hot Georgia suns.”  

 

Oh, to be a southern belle! To drink mint julep on the porch and go to balls! To wear fine dresses and flutter my eyelashes!

 

Obviously, Scarlett manages a little more than that- quite a lot more than that, in fact- and following her as she grows emotionally from a spoiled, selfish little madam who deserves a good slap to a resilient and resourceful woman never fails to be a joy for me. 

 

I love her feistiness, her complete disregard for anyone but herself, her downfall and heart-breaking epiphany. Plus, anyone who can look good in curtains and a cock-feather is a winner in my eyes.

 

Scarlett taught me to act dumb, think smart, flutter my eyelashes and that, after all, tomorrow is another day.