Study Questions

1. Why does Scarlett tell Rhett she wants separate bedrooms?

2. Why is Wade unhappy?

3. What does Rhett decide about the children?

4. With whom does he spend almost all of his time?

5. Why does Bonnie begin screaming?

6. What is Melanie giving Ashley?

7. Why does Scarlett go to the lumber yard?

8. What are Ashley and Scarlett discovered doing?

9. What does Scarlett try to do after they are discovered?

10. Why won’t Rhett let her do this?

Answers

1. Initially, Scarlett blames her expanding waistline on pregnancies. Since Rhett won’t allow abortions, abstinence is the only birth control she knows and she thinks the separate bedrooms will cool Rhett’s ardor.

2. Wade is bored on a rainy day. He cannot visit or have someone come to play because all the other children are at Raoul’s birthday party. Rhett immediately realizes the Old Guard has ostracized Wade for his mother and stepfather’s past behavior.

3. Rhett decides he cannot allow the children to be shunned this way. If this is how Wade is treated, he knows if he doesn’t make some changes, it will be the same for Bonnie. He begins to curry the favor of the Old Guard matriarchs.

4. Rhett is always with Bonnie when he is not working. He takes her for rides and walks, stopping often to say hello to the townspeople and make small talk. He lets Bonnie do the talking, knowing she will charm them.

5. When Bonnie is two, she develops a fear of the dark.

6. Melly is giving Ashley a surprise birthday party.

7. Scarlett is going to the lumberyard to pay the drivers and Hugh.

8. When Scarlett and Ashley are alone in the office of the lumber mill, Scarlett becomes sad and begins to cry. Ashley silently takes her in his arms, as a friend, and this stops the flow of tears. It is at this moment that Archie and India arrive with Mrs. Elsing right behind them.

9. Scarlett tries to hide in her bedroom. She knows the story will be embellished by the time of tonight’s party and doesn’t want to face the lies.

10. Rhett won’t let Scarlett hide in her room because he cannot allow her to be known as a coward on top of her reputation as a trollop. His most important reason for this is that by staying home, she would further ruin Bonnie’s chances for a secure future in society.