To the unschooled traveler, the very suggestion that Gone With the Wind is the South’s second bible seems, well...a bit cliché. The very thought that Margaret Mitchell’s epic romance would be so revered in the South nearly 65 years after its first publication often elicits a smug "frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn" from some unenlightened individual of foreign descent (usually a Yankee) in the crowd. But when tour guide and Charleston historian, Jane Kiser, steps up to respectfully readjust a few attitudes, no one ever, EVER forgets that in the Holy City of Charleston, it’s a sin to use God and Scarlett’s name in vain.
Kiser often begins her Charleston tours with a little education about the pre-Civil War South. "The first thing you must realize," says Kiser in her authentic Charleston accent, "is that all that appeared on the surface, all this wonderful gracious way of living was only for the 15 percent of the population with the money and power. Women were chattel, and as such were little mindless bits of fluff who were put on pedestals and expected to host parties and have babies, and that was about it. Having no work to do, these ruling class women were waited on hand and foot. They even had slaves to brush their hair."
After a pregnant pause, Kiser, in her most provocative tone asks the weighty question of the day. "But was there contentment?"
She contends that perhaps the women were content on the surface, but the diaries penned in the 1860s reveal many great and strong women — women like Kate Stone, and Sarah Morgan, and Mary Boykin Chesnut, whose day-to-day diary of the Civil War years is today considered one of the most important documents in Southern history.
"I think Margaret Mitchell displayed keen insight into Southern mentality when she wrote Gone With the Wind," suggests Kiser. "We jokingly call it the second bible here, but it’s a fairly accurate statement. If you remember, Scarlett went from being a little twit worrying about her 16-inch waistline to a strong woman running an empire. Scarlett represents the many little mindless bits of fluff who were left here in Charleston with their children and their slaves while their glorious young men went off to do battle. And soon deprivation set in, and hardship set in. The female who had never washed a dish or made a bed had to feed her babies — had to survive. And that’s when she showed her true grit.
"And with the days of reconstruction arrived the carpetbaggers and the scallywags — words that still curl the Southerner’s top lip with contempt. And they told the woman ‘the taxes are due on your fine old house right here on the waterfront,’ and she said ‘all I have is this worthless Confederate paper, and my babies are hungry, and I cannot pay the taxes.’ But they didn’t care and they took the family homes. And property to a Southerner is practically his soul, definitely his blood. So these women dug in their heels and they fought back because they’d had enough of being dictated to. And they hid their family silver, and they sold grandmama’s diamond rings, and they paid taxes, and they fed babies, and they held on for dear life. And from that moment to this, there has never been a mindless bit of fluff in the South."
Today, Scarlett’s legacy is reflected in the fine old homes that line the historic downtown streets. Strong Charleston women are, in large part, credited for leading the charge in the preservation movement that saved many of the old mansions beginning with the Joseph Manigault House, which had been slated for demolition to make room for a service station and parking lot. It was a woman who, having had enough of the disgraceful slum tenements on East Bay Street, began renovating one only to uncover priceless cypress paneling. Her discovery inspired others, and lo and behold, Charleston’s Rainbow Row was born.
Thankfully, the essence of Scarlett lives on here. Without the vision of the many women who have played Scarlett’s role through the last decades, perhaps the charming, gracious Charleston we know today would be gone with the wind.
To the learned traveler, the very suggestion that Margaret Mitchell’s classic 1936 novel is the South’s second bible seems fitting. The learned traveler smiles knowingly, remembering the energy and rebellion of the fiery Scarlett, and lifts a glass in her honor.
With just 300 members, many of them non-residents and no unaccompanied guests, you might feel as though you have the course to yourself. The Golf Club at Briar’s Creek was recently awarded the 2007 Golfweek Residential Course Of Distinction award.
Voted Best Seafood Restaurant...Charleston Courier and News. With both waterfront and deck dining, it is reported that Charleston Crab House is the perfect family spot. Famous for fresh local fish & seafood, steaks, pastas, chicken, salads and frozen tropical drinks. Southern seafood, sensible prices and a darn good time.
Luxury real estate sales on Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, Johns Island, Wadmalaw and the surrounding Charleston area. One of Charleston area's leaders in luxury real estate sales and vacation rentals on Kiawah Island. Find the perfect luxury property for a seasonal vacation rental or year round South Carolina coastal living. Tel: (843) 768-0273
To the unschooled traveler, the very suggestion that Gone With the Wind is the South’s second bible seems, well...a bit cliché. The very thought that Margaret Mitchell’s epic romance would be so revered in the South nearly 65 years after its first publication often elicits a smug "frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn" from some unenlightened individual of foreign descent (usually a Yankee) in the crowd. But when tour guide and Charleston historian, Jane Kiser, steps up to respectfully readjust a few attitudes, no one ever, EVER forgets that in the Holy City of Charleston, it’s a sin to use God and Scarlett’s name in vain. 
She contends that perhaps the women were content on the surface, but the diaries penned in the 1860s reveal many great and strong women — women like Kate Stone, and Sarah Morgan, and Mary Boykin Chesnut, whose day-to-day diary of the Civil War years is today considered one of the most important documents in Southern history.
Today, Scarlett’s legacy is reflected in the fine old homes that line the historic downtown streets. Strong Charleston women are, in large part, credited for leading the charge in the preservation movement that saved many of the old mansions beginning with the Joseph Manigault House, which had been slated for demolition to make room for a service station and parking lot. It was a woman who, having had enough of the disgraceful slum tenements on East Bay Street, began renovating one only to uncover priceless cypress paneling. Her discovery inspired others, and lo and behold, Charleston’s Rainbow Row was born. 
With just 300 members, many of them non-residents and no unaccompanied guests, you might feel as though you have the course to yourself. The Golf Club at Briar’s Creek was recently awarded the 2007 Golfweek Residential Course Of Distinction award.
Voted Best Seafood Restaurant...Charleston Courier and News. With both waterfront and deck dining, it is reported that Charleston Crab House is the perfect family spot. Famous for fresh local fish & seafood, steaks, pastas, chicken, salads and frozen tropical drinks. Southern seafood, sensible prices and a darn good time.
Luxury real estate sales on Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, Johns Island, Wadmalaw and the surrounding Charleston area. One of Charleston area's leaders in luxury real estate sales and vacation rentals on Kiawah Island. Find the perfect luxury property for a seasonal vacation rental or year round South Carolina coastal living. Tel: (843) 768-0273
