Going back to the GWTW, sorry... I've been wondering, what if fanfic took Rhett and Scarlett and Tara and dropped them off into Hurricane Katrina Louisiana? I bet with Scarlett's business acumen, she'd be scoring loans and working in construction and turning up her pretty nose at whatsisface, Sue Ellen's fella. (Frank Kennedy?) Would she have been such a cut throat bitch if she hadn't ever had to wonder where her next meal was coming from, if her life had had more comfort, if her Visa had never been charged up to the limit on necessities?

Then I think either: wow, that's so brilliant, food for thought! What would she do, how would it all be different?

Or I think, maybe the pain killers are working a little too well for me right now.

cut throat bitch

But she was a cut throat bitch, (of a different sort, more in the social sphere), from the onset of the book.

Has anyone heard of James Patterson's Witch and Wizard ? Apparently, the beginning of a new series.

Would she have been such a cut throat bitch if she hadn't ever had to wonder where her next meal was coming from, if her life had had more comfort, if her Visa had never been charged up to the limit on necessities?

What Kat said -- Scarlett's coin of the realm was beaux, not money. Scarlett wanted to be her self-sacrificing, gracious mother. But anyone who'd steal all the beaux (including one of the Tarleton twins from her own sister) is going to have trouble being The Great Lady.

The real question may be, what outlet would she have found for her ambition as the wife of a plantation owner (or other upper-class man) if the War hadn't come along?

One of Scarlett's thins was, "Oh, when I have money again, I'll be gracious like mama."

But she was never gracious like mama, even when she had money. It was always, always "I'll be lady, AFTER I have everything I want."

You can never have everything you want.

You can never have everything you want.

And Scarlett's wish list would always be a country mile long.

Yeah, it was just too bad she was more like her father.(Although I think he was more kind-hearted and generous, but they had similar drive.) In a more peaceful South, maybe she would have gotten a calm man like Ashley and proceeded to make his life hell by doing the "power behind the throne" thing with someone who completely lacked her fire and ambition.

She'd have invited all the cotton buyers to a lovely soiree, dickered the prices, robbed them blind and made they happy to be so, and she'd have arranged very good marriages for her children.

For those interested, GWTW is on TCM tonight, 8 p.m. EST.

freaky synchronicity, huh?