If Scarlett in "Gone with the Wind" has a black perseverance, then Melanie's perfection must be gray. Mr. Yi Zhongtian said: "The philosophy that is viable and can bring happiness and peace to everyone should be gray." Coincidentally, when Melanie first appeared in the novel formally, she was wearing a gray dress. . Scarlett’s blatant Irish ancestry destined that she could not be a good woman in the traditional image. Therefore, what people see is a smart, capable, strong, courageous, and disregarding secular concepts to pursue love. It seems that her soul is given to her. Her unique temperament. Scarlett, who stands out from the traditional concept, will inevitably attract readers' attention and make readers unconsciously look at Melanie from her perspective. Because of this, this good woman in the southern traditional concept will definitely be criticized, not to mention that her appearance is the beginning of Scarlett's impossible to get Wisley's love. But when we jump out of Scarlett's heart and "look on" Melanie with a pair of "cold eyes", we will find that she has another soul that is also worthy of readers' reflection and awe.
Understanding and kindness
Although Melanie is young, short and mediocre, she has a steady and dignified manner and noble character. These qualities are enough to make everyone respect her and be willing to be friends with her sincerely.
Brad once said: "If I treat Miss Melanie better, it's because she is worth it. There are not many people I know who are kind, sincere, and selfless, and she is one of them." She has "brown eyes that always look so focused, little warm hands wearing black gloves, and that gentle and peaceful posture." This is absolutely different from Scarlett, who is "not beautiful, but has a charm that fascinates men". Her lack of publicity does not mean that she is truly ordinary. Her charm lies in her inner kindness and pleasant temperament. While working in the Nurses Association, Melanie would also be pale when she saw Dr. Mead undergoing surgery to remove the rotten flesh from the wounded, but she just hid in the bathroom after the operation and gagged her mouth with a towel, quietly vomiting. She understands what the wounded really needs when they are in danger, so what she shows to the wounded is always a smiling face, gentle, gentle and meticulous. At this moment, she is undoubtedly a kind angel fallen into the world. . At this time, Scarlett was thinking that she would become a widow and could not participate in the dance. She could not act as she pleased. "She hates the work here, and even waits for the wounded to die overnight." And Scarlett's self-sorrow. Compared with self-blaming, Melanie's behavior can undoubtedly be described as noble.
Indeed, when she treats every patient and defeated soldier, she hopes that her Vichyli can get the same help from others when she is in trouble. If this is also a kind of selfishness, then under the influence of this behavior is a heart and soul that has been warmed up. We all say: Love must be transitive. Then Melanie's love and kindness are not only needed during the war, even in today's society, it is also needed and carried forward and inherited. Use the belief of self-appreciation to extend kindness to the most common level, believing that one of your actions can really trigger the unimaginable "butterfly effect."
True love and bravery
Although she looks timid and cowardly, she is actually more brave than Scarlett.
At the most critical moment, Melanie, who has never spoken big and is gentle and honest, dared to jump out boldly. In the face of women who mocked Scarlett, she did not lose sight of her fair words: She said that Mrs. Elsing attacked Scarlett only because Scarlett fired her son; said that Hani attacked Scarlett because she was jealous of Scarlett. Robbed her lover Charles; when the whole of Atlanta rejected Brady, she said that she still welcomes Mr. Butler's visit, because he has the same attitude to war as Vichyly... She bravely loves and protects her side. People, even if the price is to lose the image of the "superior". This is a kind of outspoken courage hidden under a quiet appearance. In Tara, when Scarlett killed the lost Yankee, she was too weak to get out of bed so Melanie was ready to fight. She was holding Charles’ saber in her hand, ready to protect Scarlett. Confronted with the Yankee; she helped Scarlett, who was terrified, conceal the murder and bury the body decisively. At this time, Melanie seemed to have become Scarlett's patron saint: Melanie, who "has nothing but a heart" at this time, gave Scarlett's mother the same support.
She loves Scarlett, she bravely protects her with her meager strength; she loves Wishyly, she bravely supports his beliefs; she loves Bryder, she bravely welcomes his visit...Her frail appearance and firm heart Let me see that she has the power of a truly strong person: because she truly loves the people around her, she bravely stepped forward at a critical moment, standing in danger for her ideals, beliefs, and those who care about herself and want to protect. At the forefront, there is hope and composure in its firmness and unyielding. At this moment, like Scarlett, she bravely protected Tara and the people around her, bravely survived the war, and won't be defeated. They have all become indispensable forces in the southern manor.
Wisdom and tolerance
Melanie has superhuman wisdom, which allows her to see the lowest level of essence through all mundane phenomena, down to the depths of people's hearts.
She knew that Scarlett's love for Wisley was a girlish obsession, a reluctant pursuit of what she couldn't get. She knew that Vichyli loved the straightforwardness and willfulness of Scarlett, a spiritual yearning. She knew that Brad's love for Scarlett would last until his death, and that Scarlett's most love was Brad, and Vichyly would eventually understand that her favorite was Melanie next to her. She understands that "only people who are truly similar can be together", so she tolerates these confusing "illusions": everything Scarlett does for herself is to fulfill her promise to Vichy; Vichy is spiritually to herself Scarlett’s unfaithfulness; Scarlett’s uninterrupted love for Vichyli... She had a wise insight into everything at the very beginning, but she also tolerated everything at the same time. It is this kind of wisdom and tolerance that gave Scarlett the motivation to survive the war bravely, so that Vichyly had the dream to push him to face difficulties when he retreated, and that Bryder had the opportunity to be rejected again and again. The backing of understanding... When she was facing death, she wisely used her last words to make everyone realize their true heart without hurting anyone.
She was not "stupid" as Scarlett said, but she wisely tolerated them after wise insight. All this is not just a realm that can be achieved as a devout Christian. When Scarlett was crying for the moon like a child, Melanie was already using her wisdom and tolerance to protect the people she loved. Bai Ruide said: "She is too kind to believe that anyone she loves will hurt her." Therefore, she will not hurt the person she loves. So this love turned into wisdom, into tolerance, into a perfect part of Melanie's soul.
Melanie is beautiful, she is a dream of Vichyli, the other side of Scarlett's soul. She is like Jane Eyre in Charlotte Bronte's novels. She is unpopular and short, but she has her own judgment and principles on everything. She is quiet, tolerant, and has a spirit of sacrifice, and she always loves what she admires. people. She is also like Eleanor in Jane Austen's works, sensitive, kind, tolerant, without jealousy, only love. She will not hurt others, but will only defend others; she will not distrust others, and will only unswervingly believe in people she thinks should be believed. She is not Xue Baochai, so she chose every direction for herself, no matter if she goes forward or backward, whether she lives or died. She is not Lin Daiyu, so she stubbornly fights against her destiny, trusting her own judgment...
Melanie's perfection made her death out of the tragic color and sublimated. We believe that her death is nothing but a form, a new kind of relief. Her perfection conveys a truth most accurately: no matter what age, a kind heart and an optimistic attitude towards life are undoubtedly the foundation of a person's life and the source of happiness.
Margaret Michel created two beautiful women in troubled times, one is Scarlett who transcends the world, and the other is Melanie who is flawless. An unruly Scarlett allows readers to rise in disaster; a perfect Melanie allows readers to obtain long-term happiness in a long life.
Scarlett is very real, but Melanie is very real. Between the real and the illusion, I fell in love with the black and determined Scarlett, and I fell in love with the gray perfect Melanie.
There is a kind of perfection, no need to confess, but it has taken root in the heart.
PS: The result of the essay written to a certain university: failed~ woo~
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