Rewriting Romantic History
By Samantha Bradley
This month, I am inspired to write about a literary couple who I read about in my youth, Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler from Gone With the Wind. These two seemed like the perfect couple to me. There was so much passion and fire between them, and yet somehow it ended with the two of them breaking up at the end. Rhett walked out, telling Scarlett "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn," after he had asked where she would go and what would she do. That answer made me sad, and I always wished there would have been another book to reunite this pair of star crossed lovers (and isn't that the best kind of lovers, anyway?) After all, they had a little girl together! It was tragic when she got killed, but I think that could have served as a driving force to bring them closer together. Right up to the very ending of that book, I hoped for the reunion that never came. So much disappointment! The business of writers seems to be breaking at ours hearts at times. I guess we should all become just a tad crueler in our writing or something. in any case, I am not happy and do have a feeling there are plenty of fellow readers who agree with me on this particular point. I know you're out there, so speak up now or forever hold your pieces!
Now, imagine if there really were another follow up book. Margaret Mitchell has been dead a long time, but it doesn't rule out the possibility that the book could still happen. Surely one of you fellow Slytherin are intrepid enough to take on this task, am I right? Of course I am. All you need to do is reunite Rhett and Scarlett and give them their happy ending and then we Gone With the Wind fans can have ours. This is simple for you, am I right? Yeah, that's what I thought. You don't want me having to do all this work on my own, after all. I might have a mood swing or something.
Seriously, this whole issue has been bothering me for some time. How many love stories have you read where you were not satisfied with how the ending turned out for the couple? Did you like the ending to The Fault in Our Stars? REALLY? Because I didn't. I know how bad cancer is, but they still deserved more time together. There were so many unanswered questions in that book it wasn't funny. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to compile a list of all the books I feel could be improved. I bet you there are many!
If anyone wants to volunteer to rewrite this stuff, have I got the perfect job for YOU. Can't promise you any pay or anything, but at least I can make it challenging and fun for you. And really, isn't that what's writing all about when all is said and done?
This is Samantha Bradley, reporting live for at least now. Please continue to enjoy your summer reading.