Gone with the Wind question

There is no evidence that Mitchell was depressed or seeking her own death. Nor did she run in front of a taxi. According to spectators of the tragic accident, the car that hit her (manned by a drunk driver) was coming down the middle of Peachtree Street as Mitchell and her husband John Marsh were crossing on their way from their own parked car to a movie theater. Peachtree has a curve near the site of accident, and the couple likely did not see the car coming until it was nearly upon them. John ran back toward one curb, she ran toward the other, with certainly no time for conversation about which way to run. The drunk driver, in trying to avoid a collision, careened in the opposite directon from John and hit Mitchell instead. But just for the sake of argument, let's assume she did have a death wish -- there are far more certain ways of killing oneself than drawing a drunk driver and being dragged down Peachtree Street. Her death was grisly and not instantaneous. No one at the scene suggested a suicide, nor did any of her friends or family suggest depression. I had the privilege of visiting in the home of her cousin Regina Rapier, who helped to address the funeral announcements, and we discussed the incident in some detail. It's an insult to the memory of a brilliant writer to suggest it was anything other than an accident.

I have not listened or read commentary from MM, so take this for what it's worth: While I understand that it is natural to assume that the names "Red" and "Rhett" are close to one another, the names "Rhett" and "Butler" have long and deep histories in Charleston and the Civil War. Given I've not heard anything from MM to the contrary (see above), I wouldn't assume because the names are close that the book character is drawn on the husband's own character.

By all accounts, MM was a vivacious, strong-minded, intelligent, stubborn woman who thoroughly enjoyed life (although she found the GWTW attention annoying!). Her first husband was an abusive drunk. Putting both of these together, I highly doubt she committed suicide.

No, she was simply walking down the street when a taxi came and hit her. It was accidental.

Suicide, probably not. Murder, very likely. At the very least, the popular narrative isn't correct.

http://www.readingtoknow.com/2013/11/...

The above article is about a book called Bargain with a Devil: The Tragedy Behind Gone with the Wind. The article brings up some compelling points. The book is also reviewed here on goodreads and in the comments are some people with some personal insight into the story & many of them concur with the murder theory. In any case, it does seem like an innocent man was framed for her death.

Pauline, that is an interesting theory. I can see that besides the death of Red there were other factors wish may have sent her into a depression. As an icon with a huge novel to her credit she was probably being pressured to write a sequel or at least another novel. What little I know of her, some of her actions tend to make me think she may have been bipolar.

No, of course she didn't. she was on her way to a picture show and was hit by a cab diver, and then she died a few days later in a hospital. Complete, and utter accident.