Near the beginning of
Gone with the Wind, Scarlett had struggled with her spirituality. She had deeply admired Ellen’s religiosity and viewed her mother as the Virgin Mary. She’d hoped to be as religious as her mother one day. However, just like Ellen’s teaching, Ellen’s religiosity has also ceased to be useful during these trying times. Scarlett has lost so much and suffered so many hardships that she can’t believe in God. This leads her still farther away from being like Ellen one day and makes her even less able to sympathize with Carreen’s need for religion.