Margaret Mitchell's 1936 book Gone with the Wind is an important reference point in Because of Winn-Dixie. Miss Fanny Block, the librarian, recommends the book to Opal, who checks it out to read to Gloria. The book advances the plot first by giving Opal an opportunity to spend time with Gloria, and later, more importantly, by inspiring Opal to throw her own garden party. An analysis of Gone with the Wind can help to shed new light on Because of Winn-Dixie.
In Gone with the Wind, our protagonist is Scarlett O’Hara. Scarlett becomes a woman as the Civil War ravages her country. Over the course of the novel, Scarlett deals with a number of different men, one of whom she loves, and three others whom she marries for societal gain. Scarlett is an imperfect heroine. She is a model Southern belle who enjoys the frivolous things in life. After the war, Scarlett is forced to take control of her family’s reputation. She sheds her innocence and steps up to manage the family estate, but this is not without criticism from her community. Scarlett is stubborn and ruthless. She employs every means necessary to get her way, and for the most part, this works out for her.
On the surface, Scarlett and Opal are similar characters. They are two girls whose lives are defined by forces outside of their control. Both of their characters are driven by a sense of self-sufficiency, where the protagonists do what they must in order to better their own conditions. In order to face their situations, both characters build relationships that offer them support and protection. Throughout her life, Scarlett is driven by her longing for Ashley, who is married to another woman. She does whatever she has to do to connect with this man, including marrying other men under false pretenses and befriending his wife. Opal is also driven by longing, but where Scarlett never lets go of the person she cannot have, Opal learns to let go of her mother. Gloria teaches Opal that you cannot hold onto something that wants to leave. Scarlett could have benefitted from this lesson.
The key similarity between Opal and Scarlett is their tenacity. Even though Opal had reason to succumb to her loneliness and longing for her mother, she steadfastly improved her situation by building a community in Naomi. It is indicative of Opal’s strength of character that she allowed herself to be loved and protected by other people, and by doing so she allowed them to take the place in her heart that her mother once occupied. A key difference between Scarlett and Opal is that Scarlett was blind to the love that Rhett Butler offered her. Opal, by contrast, is not only aware of the love her friends offer her but is also eager to offer as much in return.
