Gone with the Wind: Chapter 2 Summary & Analysis

Back at Tara, Scarlett is miserable. For the first time in her life, she isn’t getting her way. She can’t believe that Ashley Wilkes is going to marry the ugly, boring Melanie Hamilton when she knows that he really loves her. She hears Mammy, the O’Hara’s enslaved woman, approaching, and she quickly dries her eyes. If Mammy sees she’s upset, she will go to Ellen O’Hara who’ll get the secret out of Scarlett. Mammy is deeply devoted to the O’Haras and shows her love by chastening them. Mammy scolds Scarlett for not inviting Brent and Stuart to supper and asks why her voice sounds hoarse. Scarlett changes the subject and says she wants to watch the sunset.

While Mammy gets Scarlett’s shawl, Scarlett decides to go down the drive to meet her father, Gerald O’Hara, on his way home. He’s been at the Wilkeses’ on business, and she wonders if he’s heard about the engagement. She sneaks down the drive, sits on a stump, and waits. She thinks of Ashley, feeling anxious and upset. Growing up, she’d never thought of Ashley as anything more than a friend. However, when he came back from Europe three years ago, she wanted him “simply and unreasoningly.” Ever since, they’ve seen each other weekly. Although he’s never said so, she knows he loves her.

Ashley is courteous, but remote. He is good at riding and shooting like other men, but unlike them he’s interested in books and music. These things don’t interest Scarlett, but that doesn’t matter. She loves him, wants him, and doesn’t understand him. With Ashley, she’s up against a “complex nature” for the first time in her life. He lives in a dreamy world of the mind, and his mystery excites her. It can’t be true that he’s going to marry Melanie. Just the other day he said he had something important to tell her. His words seem tragic now. The sun sets over the land Scarlett loves, though she doesn’t know she loves it.

Suddenly, Gerald comes up the drive at a gallop. Scarlett admires his riding as Gerald jumps his horse gracefully over the fence then comes to a halt. Scarlett laughs. Gerald notices her and scolds her affectionately for spying on him. He smells pleasantly of bourbon and tobacco. He’s a short man, but so muscular that he appears large. Although his hair is white, his face is youthful because he’s never worried about much besides poker. His gruff exterior poorly conceals his soft heart. Everyone on the plantation knows that Ellen is actually in charge—except for Gerald.

Scarlett and Gerald have a special bond because they keep secrets for each other from Mammy and Ellen. Gerald, for instance, isn’t supposed to be jumping his horse after injuring his knee, but Scarlett won’t tell anyone. Similarly, Gerald doesn’t say anything when he catches Scarlett climbing fences instead of using gates. Scarlett is comforted by Gerald’s “earthy” nature, not knowing that she possesses the same qualities. She teases Gerald for jumping the fence and fixing his cravat to conceal the evidence from Ellen.

Gerald explains that he bought Dilcey, the wife of their enslaved man Pork, from the Wilkeses where she’d been enslaved. He then starts to talk about the war, but Scarlett impatiently changes the subject to tomorrow’s barbecue. Gerald mentions that Melanie Hamilton, that “sweet little thing,” is visiting from Atlanta. Crestfallen, Scarlett asks about Ashley.

Suspicious, Gerald asks Scarlett why she’s asking after Ashley; has he proposed to her? Scarlett answers no. Then, Gerald confirms that Ashley and Melanie are engaged and will announce it at the barbecue. Scarlett is visibly upset, and Gerald becomes angry. He accuses her of running after Ashley and tells her there’ll be plenty of other men. Scarlett despairs that he’s trying to placate her like a child. Gerald admits that he doesn’t think Ashley would make her happy anyway; marriages are only happy when like marries like.

Gerald goes on to say that the Wilkeses are “queer folk.” Scarlett starts to protest but Gerald insists that even a cheater or a drunk would make Scarlett happier than Ashley because he’s impossible to understand. She wouldn’t be able to change him, and he’d always be reading and thinking. He’s “moonstruck,” like all the Wilkeses. Gerald suggests Scarlett marry Cade Calvert and live at Tara after Gerald passes away. Scarlett says that she doesn’t want Cade or any plantation—she secretly believes that no land amounts to anything without the right man. Offended, Gerald insists that land is everything.

Gerald says that women shouldn’t be allowed to choose their own husbands. All that matters is that the husband is Southern, prideful, and like-minded. For a woman, “love comes after marriage.” Scarlett says this is a tired idea. Gerald commands Scarlett to be prideful, and not reveal her misery to anyone. She dries her eyes and they head toward the house.

Mrs. O’Hara and Mammy are standing on the porch. They’re headed to the Slatterys to baptize a newborn baby who’s on the verge of death. Mammy grumbles that they shouldn’t be giving so much help to “po’ w’ite trash” like the Slatterys. Gerald grumbles something similar. He heads into the house, having completely forgotten Scarlett’s heartbreak. As she follows, Scarlett wonders how a match between her and Ashley could be stranger than the match between her parents, who aren’t at all alike.