Вестник ТГПУ им Л.Н. Толстого №3 2005

№ 3, 2005 ВЕСТНИК ТГПУ им. Л. Н. Толстого also speaks volumes - it can mean at least three things: a red flower, a disease (scarlet fever) and a wanton woman (‘The Scarlet Letter”) - things seemingly incompatible, like the traits of Starlett’s character. What I admire most of all about Scarlett is her fighting spirit, her determination to never retreat and never surrender. Recalling some episodes of the book can easily prove this. Scarlett was born in a rich planter’s family and always got everything she wanted. She led a careless life and grew up rather selfish. But then the Civil War broke out. For the first time ever Scarlett was confronted with people’s cruelty, betrayal, starvation and other attendant horrors of war. The escape from the burning Atlanta, occupied by the Yankees, became the culmination point of her moral and physical sufferings. I can’t help wondering where Starlett’s striking firmness came from, how that spoilt eighteen-year-old girl was able to get through ail this and survive in such a hell. That was the moment when Scarlett understood how much Tara meant to her: “She wanted Tara with the desperate desire of a frightened child frantic for the only heaven it had ever known. Home!” But when Scarlett returned home she found that she had a lot of troubles in store for her: Tara had been ruined. And she began to work as hard as she could to save her family and her home. She understood perfectly well that “yes, Tara was worth fighting for, and she accepted simply and without question the fight. No one was going to get Tara away from her”. It gives me the creeps every' time I read Starlett’s words, courageous words of the exhausted but unbeaten woman: ” As God is my witness, as God is my witness, the Y'ankees aren’t going to lick me. I’m going to live through this, and when it’s over, I’m never going to be hungry again. No, nor any of my folks”. Here we can see yet another Starlett’s trait worthy of respect - a strong sense of responsibility. Sometimes her methods of struggle were not too fair but when I’m told that Scarlett is heartless, I disagree. She was very kind although she didn’t confess it even to herself. I think everyone liked Scarlett for her wonderful character traits: resolution, selflessness, vitality and courage but at the same time femininity, delicacy, defenselessness and charm. The list of her virtues can be endless. Many people have their ideals and some - even idols. Fortunately I don’t belong to the second group. I wouldn’t say that Scarlett is my ideal either. In some respects. I’m more self­ restrained than she is. But it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that I try' to be as resolute and purposeful as Scarlett. I could give an example. Every year I take part in the English language competition held in my town. I love English and would like to know it well. Last year during such a competition I unexpectedly failed at the very' first stage. For me, it was a real disaster. I came home and burst out crying. After some time I saw a book on my desk, opened it in the middle and began to read to distract myself somehow. As you can guess, it was “Gone with the Wind”. Little by little, my hysterical mood began to disappear and I decided (as Scarlett had once done): “I can’t think now. I’ll think later. I’ll think of it all tomorrow”. And the next day everything seemed much simpler and then I told myself: “Oh, feedle-dee-dee! It’s no use crying over such trifles. Do something! Make it happen like Scarlett would have done”. This year I have become the best in the same competition. So, Scarlett is the character that has had the most significant influence on me. She is wonderful and extraordinary in every respect. I think it is small wonder that she has conquered the entire world with her charm and firmness. One can’t help loving this heroine, full of energy and fire. For me, she personifies courage, self-reliance and selflessness, beauty and coquetry, soberness of mind and resolution.