IntroductionThe masterpiece Gone with the Wind which was written by Margaret Mitchell, who is a realistic writer. Margaret Mitchell was born in Atlanta, Georgia,a lawyer’s family at November 8, 1900. During the Civil War, Atlanta fell into the hands of Shulman who was the general of the northern army. Later, it became a popular topic among Atlanta residents. Since childhood, Margaret Mitchell would always hear about the Civil War among the residents. When 26-year-old Margaret decided to create a novel about the Civil War, and Atlanta became the background of the novel. The story happened during the civil war. A girl named Scarlett O’Hara, not very beautiful but charming, fell in love with Ashley. Unfortunately, Ashley married Melanie. Just for close to Ash ley, Scarlett married Melanie’s elder brother, Charlie Hamilton, a man she never loved. After several unlucky marriages, Scarlett finally married Rhett Bultler who she met at Ashley’s wedding, and they experienced a very tortuous romantic story.This masterpiece caused a sensation in the world and the critics held different views to this novel. Some people like Ding Y un thought,“ it is a novel writing for women and starting with the vision of women ”.1 For half a century, Gone with the Wind was inherent in the profound themes: cultural changes, the importance of the land and so on. There are many articles about this novel, especially on the personality of Scarlett. I had a crash on this novel, which gave me not only the beauty in Scarlett, but the whole view of America during the Civil War. Therefore, I wanted to know more about America and this outstanding novel. I’d like to study the American core values and the American spirit which was contained in this novel.The thesis consists of six parts. In the first part, it gives a brief introduction of Gone with the Wind, the reason for raising this topic and the framework of the thesis; the second part is literature review, which includes the previous studies both at home and abroad on Gone with the Wind; the third part is the American core values, which includes the individualism, heroism, realism and mammonism; the fourth part is American spirit, which includes the indomitable spirit, the entrepreneurial spirit and the pioneering spirit; the fifth part is the influence of the Americanvalues and American spirit on this nation, which gives a brief summary of the last two parts and discusses the effect of the American values and American spirit. The sixth part is the conclusion, which gives the significance of this thesis, the imperfection of this thesis and my hope for later studies on Gone with the Wind.Literature ReviewGone with the Wind is a masterpiece in the world literature. And there are many dissertations and periodicals talking about this novel. Some people think that Gone with the Wind is a novel which plays an important role in American history even in other nations’ history. Some people just regard this novel as a romantic novel which is as ordinary as other romantic novels and has no meaning to explore.1 The Previous Studies of Gone with the Wind AbroadGone with the wind is an outstanding novel, which was published in 1936 and adapted into a film in 1939. From then on, many critics and scholars have showed their interests in this novel and its author.Some people thought that Gone with the Wind is a masterpiece and others thought that Gone with the Wind is just a romantic love story. Some critics thought that Gone with the Wind was standing at a contrary direction of the historical trend, which negated the significance of Civil War. What’more was that Scarlett who is a princess of the slavery plantation owner in Margaret’novel was shaped with sympathy and praise, which reflect ed some politic issues. This novel won the award of America National Book and the award of Pulitzer in the second year. Such a great success achieved in the market had not been a corresponding novel in the filed of critics. Although Oxford Handbook of American Literature( New Y ork, 1956) had colleted the information of this book and its author, there were few comments on this novel in some important works. In the Modern American Novel•Comments Copywriting( New Y ork, 1963), it had no related content about Gone with the Wind.In the American Authors and W orks from 1640 to Now( New Y ork,1962), it commented that this book was the best seller in that time. All in all,this novel, Gone with the Wind, aroused heated controversy from different aspects and had profound effects.2 The Previous Studies of Gone with the Wind at HomeAs time goes by, more and more Chinese scholars started to show their interest in studying this novel. However, it also aroused heated controversy when the novel was published by People’sPublishing of Zhejiang in 1979. With the development of economy and the changing of the policy in culture and education, more and more people began to accept this novel and make comments on this novel, such as The Analysis of the Theme in Gone with the Wind written by Zhao Qiujin, Appreciation of Scarlett’s per sonality written by Song Xiaobo and so on. The topic similar as the foreign scholars is about the personality, the influence, the Civil War and anything else. And there are a few works talking about the American core values and American spirit.Ⅰ The American Core ValuesThere are many American core values in this thesis, which plays an important role in their history. In this thesis, I’d like to talk about the four core values, individualism, heroism, realism and mammonism.1.1 IndividualismIndividualism stresses the personal, which is obvious in this novel. As one of the American core values, it also plays an important role in American history.1.1.1 A Brief Introduction to IndividualismThe individualism is a product of the development of western culture. When Tocqueville was on his historic visit in America in the early 1730s, individualism was a new opinion for him which was just been created by the people of his generation. In his opinion, individualism was a weird vocabulary which expressed a new idea. The elder people only knew self-centered, selfishness. Although it was hard for him to support individualism, he could differ the individualism from selfishness. In his opinion, selfishness was a kind of love which was mighty and exaggerated, which let people connected themselves with everything and put themselves on everything. However individualism was a kind of emotion, maturity or mitigation. There had been one and a half century since Tocqueville had made the observation about this. Now individualism has made a strong image and been accepted as a value principle. As a theory, individualism is created with the theory of social equality, which got hardly from the noble people by the common people. From the middle ages to modern times, the individual suffered a process of liberation step by step. The first is the liberation from the power of god. The second is the liberation from the power of the man. In other words, self-centered is the first process and the individualism is the second process. Finally, the holiness of the individual become the custom and the law, and the modern democracy is the legalization of the right of the individual. All in all, individualism is a kind of philosophy which connect with morality, politic and society. It thinks that the personal interests is above all else and the rights of the individual and the individual freedom are it’s core elements.1.1.2 The Individualism Contained in Gone with the WindIt is easy to find that every character in Gone with the Wind is a reflection of the people in that ages and every character is a special and important one for the author to shape this novel and to express her feelings about that ages. It is obvious that every character has something more or less about the individualism. For example, the love for their home and freedom that all can reflect an aspect of the individualism.I’d like to make the Scarlett as the symbol of individualism. Scarlett, who can get what she wants by all means, always put her interests above all else. Scarlett is so self-centered that she wish all men to be keen on her even if she does n’t like them. She just put s herself above all else and pays no attention to others. In Scarlett’s opinion, she is well means everything is good. She just like the sun of the world. No one can change her thought and everyone must be around her. This is one of the reasons for me to say that Scarlett is the symbol of individualism. When Tara was in trouble, Scarlett used all means to save her home. For achieved her aim, she pretended to join Fanny’s wedding and then went to the jail to borrow money from Rhett Bultler. However Rhett did not accept her trick, so she put her eye on his little sister’s fiance, Frank Kennedy. Finally she married to Frank and achieved her aim for saving Tara and having a good life. Scarlett is so self-centered, she ever asked Asheley to abandon Melanie to come with her. For her love, she even planed to abandon her home, her relatives and her land. All that are because Scarlett is a person who is selfishness and she is the example of the individualism.1.2 HeroismThe background of this novel is before and after the Civil War. Frankly speaking, it is a good chance to develop such value. Although different people has different opinions on heroism, this novel stresses the aspect of fighting for their home.1.2.1 A Brief Introduction to HeroismHeroism refers to the people who has the spirit about unwilling to fall behind others and unwilling to accept ordinary life and jobs. Those people tends to practice some unique ideas and does not take others’ideas into consideration. If they have their aims made sure, they can do itwithout any hesitation. The heroism has two types. One is the revolutionary heroism; the other is the personal heroism. Heroism also is a kind of behaviour or masculinity of courage, indomitability and self-sacrifice, which is used to finish a meaningful task. Although heroism needs to be reflected by certain characters or events, the core value of heroism has an eternal glamour which can cross history and beyond space-time. The personal heroism which is an integrated embodiment about individualism, adventurism, liberalism and anarchism in social practice is thoroughly opposing to the revolutionary heroism. Heroism in America is as young as this country. As an immigrant country, its heroism is with the shadow of the old land’s hero culture. However this country’s heroism is shaped with opening its soil and all the heroism ha s the same characteristics, self-confidence, individualism and aggressiveness. That is heroism and this spirit can play an important role in history, even in one’s life.1.2.2 The Heroism Implicated in Gone with the WindAlmost all the men in southern areas in this novel have the spirit of heroism. When the news of war was coming, all men in the party came out, riding the war horse and yielding for the war. They were eager to fight for their home, fight for their love and fight for their reputation. They were heroes in their families’eyes and they had t he spirit of heroism, even if they did not know the meaning of heroism. What they knew is just fighting. The second reflection of heroism was something about Rhett Bultler. On his way to send Scarlett O’Hara to come back Tara during the war, he decided to join the army and fight for his country, despite his government had little chance to win the war. Rhett saw the catastrophe, the blood, the corpse, the starvation, the occupation and the doom, so he wanted to use his energy and power to fight for his home. The spirit of heroism in his body was waking up. The third reflection is the northern army. Although they did not be mentioned as much as southern army, they could also have the shadow of heroism. They used this spirit to fight for their power and economy. The fourth reflection of heroism is those women or girls. They were proud of their husbands, lovers, brothers and others, even their neighbors who were fighting for their home. There still are many reflections of heroism in Gone with the wind. Like Pitty, she was a hero in Scarlett’s family, she helped Scarlett to achieve her aim and supporther. As long as Scarlett needed help, Pitty would support her and never give up. There is heroism in her body which is similar to Scarlett, although Pitty’s spirit of heroism is not as obvious as Scarlett, not mentioned men. Heroism plays a big role in this period. In other words, heroism gives a motivation to the revolution.1.3 RealismIn such a turbulent times, many people will choose to pursue the trend. They understand the truth and become realists. This part gives the origin of the realism and explores the realism concealed in this novel.1.3.1 A Brief Introduction to RealismRealism is a kind of spirit which means giving up all ideal spirit, based on the actual and according to the need. Realism is a kind of materialism, which does not need the guidance of ideal. As a special term of the literature, realism first appeared in the theoretical work of Schiller in 18 century. However the concept of realism was first appeared in an article, named The Mercury in the 19th Century in 1821. In this article, it thought that the faithful imitation showing the prototype of the principle can be called realism. Although it was, it made the realism first appear at the France literary circles as a kind of literature and art thoughts, the literature genre and the creation method. The development of realism experienced many process, like the critical realism, the socialist realism and so on. The realism is a kind of values, which can do good to people and also can be bad to men. We should use the dialectical view to treat it. Seize its core---based on actual and according to the demand.1.3.2 The Realism Implicated in Gone with the WindRealism is another obvious value in this novel. It is undoubtful that in the author Margaret Mitchell’s ages, realism is also prevailing. The background of this novel was happened during the Civil War. When faced with war, disaster, bitter, starvation and anything else which were horrible, people was easy to give up their faith, ideal and principle. The result was that more and more people gave in the reality.Scarlett is practical. When the war was coming, she was indifferent to it. She always believedthat the war was far away from her and what she worried was only what she needed. She is a person who knows well about seizing the day and enjoying the time. Those carpetbaggers and scallawags are also practical. For example, Jonas Wilkerson, a speculator and also tara’s former overseer, he is so practic al that using the war to make fortune, don’t taking his compatriots’safety into consideration. Rhett is also a man full of the concept of realism. He is the biggest winner in this turbulent times. He knows this times so well and he knows how to survive. He likes to do what he wants and he is good at achieving his aims. When Scarlett wanted to borrow money from him, he refused her. That was because he was afraid that the northern army might find his fortune by Scarlett. He is so practical that he could keep his safe without taking care of Scarlett, who is his beloved. The other evidence is his changing of attitude towards to the neighbors. Before his daughter Bonnie Blue Butler’s born, he was strange to his neighbors and he seldom talked to his neighbors actively. However after he had his lovely daughter, he began to greet his neighbors. All those changes were for his daughter’s growth. He wished others could treat his Bonnie well, so he did what he used not to do. He is a good father, but he also is a man who had the characteristic of realism.1.4 MammonismThis times provides a good chance for some speculators. Many people spares no effort to pursue money. They set money as their faith. However, every coin has two sides. Mammonism not only can give a push to the economy, but also bring bad effects to the interpersonal relationship.1.4.1 A Brief Introduction to MammonismFrankly speaking, mammonism is the obsession with money, which thinks money is everything and people can desperate for money. The people who is mammonist can do anything for money. They always thinking about money, doing task for money, even getting money by hook or by crook. They believe that money is everything, without money you can do nothing. The mammonism is an ideological and moral concept which makes money as faith and thinks that money not only is everything, but also is the standard of all things in the world. Mammonists aretoo stressing the importance of money, therefore the mammonists become mercenary. For many things, they often se e the surface and can’t see the connotation. What’s more, they just pay more attention to the materials and their spirit is empty. On the surface, mammonism is the worship of money, but behind this worship is the hedonism and extreme individualism in fact. In other words, a person who is hedonist and extreme individualist is undoubtful a mammonist in certain economic conditions. All in all, mammonism is the pursuit of money and good life conditions. For mammonists, money is their beloved and their the only. They can fight for money and they also can be ruthless and cold-blood. There is no doubt, money is everything and money is the only one that can not betray him or her.1.4.2 The Mammonism Contained in Gone with the WindMammonism is fashionable in this times. There were many chance to make money. There also were many individuals who pursued for money by many means. They treated money as their faith. They looked money beyond everything.Scarlett is a mammonist. She loves money and she can do anything for money. She loved money so much that she was unwilling to denote the money to support the war. She thought that money belonged to her and the money only could be spent for her. She used her life to pursue money. For money and a good life condition, she lied to Frank Kennedy that her sister Suellen planned to marry to Tony Fontaine. Then she used several tricks to let Frank fall in love with her. She got what she wanted, especially the money. It was so obvious that she could do anything for money, even to marry to a man she never loved.This was not the first time for her to marry others for money. Her marriage with Rhett also had the effect of money. She is the symbol of hedonist and mammonist. When she was deal with the business in sawmill, she was so happy because she could make more money from it and she could make more fortune from this reconstructing times. She was a women who was sensitive to money. She liked to hear Frank talking about money. She was good at math, which make Frank feel surprised. Rhett Butler is also a mammonist. For money, he smuggled arms which was illegal in that times. How dare was he, he could do anything even harmful to make money. Thosecarpetbaggers and scallawags are also mammonists. They were guided by money and by interests. The place Jonesboro, a place for speculators, also was a place for those mammonists and money was the leader in this place. The people in there was care more about money and they talked more about money. In such a times, faced with starvation, fear and death, people was more easy to pursue for the satisfied of materials. They needed money to make it come true. They treated money as their faith. Mammonism more or less received the influence of the characteristics of that age.Ⅱ The American SpiritThere are many American spirit in this novel, which also plays an important role in American history. In this thesis, I’d like to talk about three spirit, the indomitable spirit, the entrepreneurial spirit and the pioneering spirit.2.1 The Indomitable SpiritThe indomitable spirit is important for one to develop his or her characteristics and finding the indomitable spirit concealed in Gone with the Wind is essential for one to understand this novel deeply.2.1.1 A Brief Introduction to the Indomitable SpiritThe indomitable spirit plays an important role in many aspects. The perseverance of history can make society rise to the civilization century; the perseverance of heroes can make justice be proud to have nothing to fear; the perseverance of loyalty can make feelings flush the myriad sweet; the perseverance of the time and tide can make people own the maturity and the sagacity; the perseverance of longing can make tomorrow become more miraculous; the perseverance of pursuit can make life emit bright glamour. The indomitable spirit is used to describe the people who is determined, not afraid of difficulty and can hold on to the end. This spirit stresses the“ steadfast”. The indomitable spirit is shaped with the endless power by the combination of t he constancy of purpose and the pursuit. No matter how difficult and no matter how many straitened circumstances and failures faced, one still can hold on to the end and never give up or give in. That is the indomitable spirit, the spirit of credit.2.1.2 The Indomitable Spirit Implicated in Gone with the WindThe indomitable spirit is a powerful characteristic for people. It is necessary for a person to achieve his or her aim. It is necessary for one to reveal glamour.Scarlett is a person who is indomitable. On her way to pursue Ashley, she faced many difficulties and suffered many failures. Although it was, she never gave up the pursuit of Ashley.she never gave in. Those failures let her become more indomitable. She would never stop going, until she finished her task or got what she wanted. That is Scarlett, such a girl full of the perseverance. One sentence is very hot in the field of literature, which is“ Aft er all, tomorrow is another day”.2 This is an example to prove Scarlett’s perseverance. She always believing tomorrow; she is always full of longing. Therefore, she never gives up, even she suffers many difficulties. It seems that there is no failure in he r life and all failures in others’eyes are just a period of time for her to have a rest. As if she recovered, she will go on without any hesitation. Rhett is also a person full of perseverance. He had a sum of money, a big fortune compared with others. He was so indomitable in his way to make money. He was cynical, but he still was a man who would never be defeated. He could conquer the difficulty. He knew how to face failure. He knew and just understood the meaning of perseverance. For that reason, he could live well in jail, and he could live well in this age. It is obvious that a person who is perseverance can adapt to the changing of times. If a person is lack of this characteristic, he will live in pain. Just like Ashley, he was lack of the indomitable spirit, so he was defeated by the changing times. He held the old customs, opinions, even the unfashionable dream, so he lived in pain and he lived without perseverance. How important the indomitable spirit is.2.2 The Entrepreneurial SpiritThe entrepreneurial spirit is an optimistic attitude. In the history of America, the entrepreneurial spirit plays a vital role, which lets this nation look forward and become more and more stronger.2.2.1 A Brief Introduction to the Entrepreneurial SpiritThe entrepreneurial spirit means that one is dare to go on and eager to accept the challenge which is tougher than others. It means one has a positive attitude which let one can pursue the new aim without giving up. For the entrepreneurial spirit, the gumption is the core. If there is no gumption in the world, society will stay at the same level forever. A man full of gumption is eager to have more great achievement and wants to strive for the bigger and better development. Thechallenge and wants to do better than others. The people who has the entrepreneurial spirit is eager to win, unwilling to lag behind the others and has the courage to accept the challenge which comes from the unknown fields. The people who has the entrepreneurial spirit is also has the positive attitude to learn new things. They have a strong curiosity and thirst for knowledge to accept new things, update their knowledge and improve personal ability. They also have the consciousness of self-development. According to the ultimate goal, they can set the self-development goal and strive for it. That is the entrepreneurial spirit, a positive attitude in one’s mind.2.2.2 The Entrepreneurial Spirit Contained in Gone with the WindAs to the entrepreneurial spirit, there are many accidents to show it. Scarlett is a person filled with the entrepreneurial spirit. Her will is to have a better life. When she planned to save her Tara, she always held on and went on. She never stopped her way of pursuing for her goals. She just is a person who is not satisfied with the current situation and always looking towards the new goal with the entrepreneurial spirit. On her way to borrow the money to save her land, she faced with trouble but she always accepted it and tried to find new methods. That is her, keeping going and never be scared. All her behaviors shows a truth that keep going and never stop could make one’s life charming and moving on. Rhett is also a man filled with the entrepreneurial spirit. He knows to hold on and move on. Therefore he catched the pace of time and became a person who was adapted to the times. Those people like Scarlett and Rhett is charming. They had the entrepreneurial spirit and they were the leader of their life. The words which Rhett said to Scarlett:“ I’ve never known an Irishman to be a coward. Where’s your much-vaunted courage?”3 This sentence not only implied Rhett’s courage, but also showed the entrepreneurial spirit of them. When Scarlett accepted the business of the mill, she learned to grasp more ability to run the business. She was a businesswoman who was looked down by other women and men for his behaviors in business field in which only accepted men to do business. Although it was, she still held on and did the business better and better. She had ever said:“ I believe that women do notforward, without impediment. As to Rhett, he was dare to break the custom and always did something contrary to the conventional. He had the courage to hold on his aims or standards and to go for his aims. His way to educate his daughter Bonnie could reflect his entrepreneurial spirit. He let his daughter learn to ride horse. He taught his daughter to be brave. He just wanted his daughter to have the same characteristic as him, the entrepreneurial spirit. All in all, this spirit is active in their body and it is obvious to find it.2.3 The Pioneering SpiritThe pioneering spirit is another source of power for people to move on. Frankly speaking, almost all the three spirit are vital for mankind. As to the pioneering spirit, having this spirit means having the key to open another world’s door.2.3.1 A Brief Introduction to the Pioneering SpiritThe pioneering spirit means pursuing new and change, changing oneself in innovation and changing society. It also means having the courage to find new fields. Therefore, The pioneering spirit is the reason of the human progress. Development refers to the development of growing up or expanding the object, which has a bigger scope. The pioneering spirit refers to having the courage of development. On one’s way to develop new fields, one can take the bull by the horns and dare to face and bear the unknown things. The people has the pioneering spirit will never give up or back for the worry or unknown difficulties. That is the pioneering spirit. For a person, this spirit can be showed by her or his courage to do something differ to others in a different field. For example, one has the courage to enter into another stage, although he or she may be looked down or distained.2.3.2 The Pioneering Spirit Implicated in Gone with the WindFor northern government, they had the courage to expand their land and they were dare to fight for their development of economy. They aroused the Civil War, because they had the pioneering spirit. We could see that from the background of this novel and their behaviors in the war. They were afraid of nothing. They were brave enough to develop their fields. Scarlett is also。
