Talked to a friend after a long time and he reminded me about an old crush of mine.
I had a big crush on Rhett Butler, was head over heels for him after reading Gone with the Wind. His personality and the perfect romantic picture his masculine presence in the novel, imprinted on my mind, had blown me off my feet . As much as I hated Scarlett O ‘Hara, for her snobbishness, I liked her for her spirit. But I kept feeling that it should not have been her who should have been with Rhett!!! I hated it that a snob like Scarlett got all his attention. My crush on Rhet Butler would have been probably like Scarlett’s feeling for Ashley. (When she finally could have won Ashley, she realized that she is no more attracted to him.)
Looking back, I realize how silly a feeling it was because I have come to realize that a Rhet Butler really does not exist, for his very existence will spoil his magnetism. Rhett Butler is like that complicated yet beautiful song which I had imagined myself sing and had felt happy, but which if I really had sung , would have suffered from damage of degree one. A Rhett Butler in real life might be considered to be a “horrible male” and the sparks might really not work out . I have realized that the people I have taken a liking to, are miles away from Rhett Butler. And now I know that I’ll never meet my Rhett Butler, as there isn’t one.
But the ever-so-romantic in me still beams at the picture of myself waltzing with the very imaginary Rhett Butler.
Comments
I bought the book long back, but.. Man, i found the book so boring.. i couldn't go further than a couple of chapters. And the movie on it? Jeez.. don't ask!
Anyways, that's just my opinion. I know many who swear by the book too and believe it's the best ever!
Well..i hope u find ur Rhett Butler who sweeps u off ur feet, and i hope it's not as hard as choosing sandals for u ;)
"Yeah, I like the character of Melanie a lot." I said.
"Isn't it a completely romance kind of story, becuase my friend in college used to have a very big crush on Rhett Butler" (we now know who the friend is :-)
"It is not exactly Romance and I am surprised someone has such a big crush for Rhett, because he is an outcast and people have all kinds of problems with him and it is very teen of your friend to have a crush on him, she may laugh at that after a few years" I said.
Looks the suspense is over now.
Neway, me a big fan of GWTW. I live in ATL and my house is very close to Peachtree St. :-)
It is the best prose ever written in English.
raka, I wanted to mention Melanie especially because I hated her in the novel, then thought I'll just stick to Rhett. and yes, it really was very teen of me to have a crush on Rhett and I do laugh at it now but then, we all go back (and want to do so too) to the 'teens-feel' once in a while even now, dont we?
I guess, that something is Rhett Butler.:)
He knew when to cut his losses and run.... He wouldn't take sh1t beyond a point and could see the dangers of spending any more of his life with Scarlett.
I have discussed Rhett with friends before, most of them (mostly women) say that he is really selfish, he betrayed Scarlett when she needed him the most, shut her off when she finally opened her eyes and all that jazz.
My point is, he pendulum swings both ways. Scarlett is a survivor.... and so is Rhett. Fairy tales and movies(and even the Dickensian Great Expectations) talk about a character moving through a series of wrong relationships partners, ditching an obvious and pure love (who's heart he/she breaks in the process)..... but finally ending up with the abovesaid right one. Well, world's not like that IMO.... how far can one person be "taken for granted", how long could one be tested/toyed, how would one like it if he/she were a "backup"? Everybody has flaws and partners/aspirants learn to cope, but even here.... there's a line.
This GWTW theme is a common funda in many cultures, but there's one particular story that sorta struck me. This is a anti-fairytale story I heard in the classic movie "Cinema Paradiso". I chewed on it for quite a while till I got what the the story conveyed. It goes like this;
There was a palace guard soldier who was hopelessly in love with the beautiful princess. He would try to catch a glimpse of her whenever she opened her window on the tower, walk by the gardens etc etc. One day he musters enough courage, goes to her and confesses his love. The princess was more amused than angry, perhaps she even liked him, and for some reason asked him to wait "a hundred days and nights outside her door". The soldier agrees and he waits like that tin-soldier, outside the keep where the princess could see him. For many nights, he braved the winds, the rains, the chills, hunger and thirst.... the princess opened the window every dawn to check he was still there. Just *before* the 100th night came to an end, she opens the window and is shocked to see the soldier leave the post, without even as much a glance over his shoulder.
I dunno if this was more apt (or cruel as some might take it) than the "Parthian Shaft" of Rhett Butler as he dismissed Scarlett with his famous last line.
PS: The formulaistic and populist need for fairytale endings led to a sequel called Scarlett, where she wins back Rhett and live happily ever after.
I think its all the negative traits in him that endear the blackmarketeer to the deadlier of the species. Do you think differently? :-)