The first time I read Gone with the Wind and Rhett walked out on Scarlett, I was fifteen and thought all that unrequited love was wildly romantic. The second time I read it, last summer, I thought she was silly and he was a selfish pig.
The quote reflects how perspectives on love and relationships can evolve over time. Initially, at fifteen, the narrator viewed the unreciprocated feelings between Rhett and Scarlett as romantic and captivating. This youthful interpretation highlights a common teenage idealization of love, often influenced by passion and emotional intensity.
However, upon a second reading, the narrator's view has shifted dramatically. Now, Rhett is seen as selfish and Scarlett as foolish, indicating a more...
