Prissy is Dilcey and Pork’s daughter; she’s about 10 years old when the novel starts. She becomes Wade Hamilton’s nursemaid when Scarlett goes to Atlanta after Charles dies. Scarlett thinks that Prissy is a lazy and a liar, particularly after Prissy tells Scarlett she knows all about midwifery—but when Melanie goes into labor, Prissy is scared and admits that she knows nothing. She also takes her time when Scarlett tells her to hurry on errands and fails to chase the sow into the swamp when the Yankees come to Tara. She is the first enslaved girl that Scarlett ever hits.
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Prissy Character Timeline in Gone with the Wind
The timeline below shows where the character Prissy appears in Gone with the Wind. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 4
...dining room to introduce his wife Dilcey, who’s just arrived. Dilcey enters with her daughter Prissy, whom Gerald had also purchased. Dilcey thanks Gerald for his kindness in purchasing both her...
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Chapter 8
...to the carriage. He voices his disapproval when he sees that Scarlett has put young Prissy in charge of Wade. Scarlett recalls that Charles said Peter practically raised him and Melanie...
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Peter settles Scarlett in the carriage and tells her to make sure Prissy doesn’t drop Wade. He’s right to worry; Prissy is indeed a poor nurse. But she’s...
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Chapter 10
Prissy comes in with a letter for Melanie. Melanie opens it and lets out a cry,...
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Chapter 18
...small to have children. So Miss Pitty leaves for Macon while Scarlett, Melanie, Wade, and Prissy stay in Atlanta.
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Chapter 19
The siege comes closer and closer to Atlanta. Wade and Prissy hide in the basement, but Melanie was told to stay in bed, so she and...
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Chapter 20
...can think of is the Yankees invading Tara. Scarlett longs to be home and shushes Prissy when Prissy starts singing a sad song.
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Chapter 21
Scarlett sends Prissy to get Mrs. Meade and then sits down for breakfast. Her heart beats so fast...
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...no time. Melanie hopes hers will be that fast. Scarlett sponges Melanie’s forehead and watches Prissy return, swaying her skirt and taking her time. Swearing to whip Prissy one day, Scarlett...
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...She tries to keep talking, but Melanie says not to worry. The hours pass and Prissy doesn’t return. What will happen if the baby comes before the doctor arrives? Scarlett suddenly...
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Scarlett sees Prissy returning and goes downstairs to meet her. Prissy says the Confederates are losing in Jonesboro,...
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...“a damned baby.” He tells her to find women to help. Scarlett reminds herself that Prissy knows about childbirth. But she’s afraid—this is the first time Scarlett has had to do...
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...Wade, who’s crying, to go make mud pies in the yard. Once inside, Scarlett tells Prissy that the two of them will help birth Melanie’s baby. Prissy stammers, and says she...
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Chapter 22
...life. Melanie and Scarlett are drenched in sweat, and Scarlett waves flies from Melanie while Prissy crouches in the corner. Prissy smells bad, but Scarlett doesn’t want to dismiss her for...
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...a hard birth and no doctor? Exhausted, Scarlett starts to cry and soon falls asleep. Prissy wakes Scarlett later and says they both did a good job delivering the baby. Scarlett...
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...Butler. He insulted her, but he’s in Atlanta and he has a carriage. Scarlett tells Prissy to look for him, but Prissy is scared to go downtown when the Yankees might...
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Chapter 23
Scarlett hears Prissy’s feet on the steps. Prissy yells that the explosions are Confederate soldiers burning the foundries...
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...if she is afraid. Scarlett is upset that he is mocking her again. She tells Prissy to get Wade’s feather bed, then she and Rhett go upstairs to Melanie’s room. Scarlett...
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Outside, everyone gets into the rickety wagon. Melanie lies on the featherbed with Wade, Prissy, and the baby. The horse is thin and unwell, but Rhett says it was the...
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...dead. He returns to the wagon to find that Melanie has fainted, so he gives Prissy a pistol and walks away. Scarlett hates him. Why is he walking into a lost...
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Chapter 24
The sun wakes Scarlett the next morning. Wade is asleep on her lap, and Melanie, Prissy, and the baby are curled up in the back of the wagon. Scarlett thinks about...
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...of the wagon, she’s relieved to find the horse still alive, breathing weakly. Scarlett wakes Prissy and they go to the Mallorys’ well. When Scarlett asks if Melanie should nurse the...
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...see the two tall chimneys standing above the ruined house. Scarlett shouts a hello, but Prissy shushes her. Scarlett urges the horse forward quietly. They pass more burned plantations. Tara could...
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Suddenly, there is a sound in the underbrush. Scarlett jumps, but it’s only a cow. Prissy shrieks that it’s a ghost, and Scarlett turns and whips her with the tree branch,...
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...won’t make it up the hill. She gets out, takes the horse’s bridle, and tells Prissy to get out and walk with Wade. Prissy and Wade complain, and Scarlett scolds them....
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Pork runs from the house, calling for Scarlett. Scarlett clutches his arms and Prissy bursts into tears. Getting down to business, Scarlett directs Pork to carry Melanie into one...
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Chapter 25
...and that the cow was about to have a calf. She tells Pork to take Prissy to hunt down the one hog that’s left. Pork says that’s field hand work, and...
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Chapter 26
So, Dilcey, Prissy and Scarlett pick the cotton. Dilcey works hard and whips Prissy when she is lazy....
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Chapter 27
...running with Gerald and two pigs under his arms. Dilcey complains that the sow bit Prissy and has trapped her under the house. Scarlett gathers up the trinkets from the Yankee...
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Scarlett hears the Yankees take the ducks. Then she hears squealing and a gunshot. Prissy must’ve abandoned the sow. Scarlett stands in the hall as the Yankees run around breaking...
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Chapter 30
One afternoon Scarlett, Melanie, Mammy, and Prissy are about to cut into a watermelon when they hear a horse coming. They argue...
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Chapter 32
...she gives in when Scarlett explains what’s going on with the taxes. Mammy yells for Prissy to get the dress patterns.
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Chapter 50
...daughter is marvelous. He fires nurses every week for mistreating his baby. He sends for Prissy and Lou, Uncle Peter’s great niece, tactfully telling Mammy that they’ll be her helpers (Mammy...
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Chapter 61
...when Rhett sends an urgent telegram that Melanie is ill. Leaving Wade and Ella with Prissy, Scarlett gets the first train to Atlanta. It moves painfully slowly through old Civil War...
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