Gone with the Wind: Chapter 53 Summary & Analysis

Around this time, Melanie plans a surprise party for Ashley’s birthday. She makes everyone swear to keep it a surprise. Archie offers to hang colorful paper lanterns, trying to seem nonchalant. Melanie smiles, and whispers to Scarlett that she’d intended to have Archie do this all along.

Scarlett grumbles about Melanie still having that “desperado” Archie in her house. Melanie says he’s harmless, and India says he’s devoted to Melanie and would kill for her. Scarlett gets up to go to the mill, and Melanie asks her to hold Ashley there past five and then India will pick him up. Scarlett is delighted to be given this time with Ashley; it makes her feel better that nobody asked her to host at the party with Pitty, Melanie and India. At home, she dresses carefully in a green dress and bonnet then goes to the mill.

Scarlett stops to chat with Carpetbag ladies on her way to the mill. At the mill, Ashley comes to the door, his hair bright in the sunshine. He asks cheerily why she’s not at home helping Melanie with the party. He explains that all the men who’ve suffered through surprise parties warned him. Scarlett smiles because Ashley looks joyful like he used to look at Twelve Oaks.

Ashley asks Scarlett into the office, and they sit down at the desk. She tells him the day is too nice to look over the finances. He agrees, taking her hands and saying she looks pretty. Oddly, his touch doesn’t excite her; she feels only friendliness towards him. She pushes this feeling from her mind. Looking into his eyes, she realizes they aren’t as remote as they usually are. Ashley says Scarlett never seems to get older. When he was in the army, he would remember her charming outfits. Then he says he wonders what would’ve happened to him if Scarlett hadn’t helped him; the “seeds of greatness” aren’t in him.

For the first time, Scarlett can tell what Ashley is thinking. When she’d been tormented by love for him, his mind had been invisible to her. But now, she can see that he isn’t sad, but is instead resigned. She tells him not to talk like this; Rhett always bores her with the same “survival of the fittest” nonsense. Ashley says he and Rhett are fundamentally the same but react differently: Neither believed in the war, but Ashley joined and Rhett didn’t. Sometimes Ashley thinks Rhett was right.

Ashley asks Scarlett what her life goal is. Scarlett thinks. She once wanted money and security, but now she has both and isn’t happy. Ashley says he doesn’t want to be rich; he only wants the old days back. Suddenly, Scarlett’s mind fills with memories of life at Tara before the war. She says obstinately that she likes these days better. Ashley takes her hand and says the old days had beauty. Scarlett allows herself to remember and imagines being back in the old days. The hard years vanish, and she and Ashley are riding together at Tara before the war through the beautiful landscape. They are going to a party with all their old friends. A voice in Scarlett’s mind warns her to not look back.

Scarlett says she understands why Ashley can’t be happy. She realizes he’s old; his hair is grey. She knows that Ashley can’t look forward. With a rush of passion, Scarlett says nothing turned out how they expected. Her heart hurts thinking of her old self who intended to be like Ellen. She begins to cry, and Ashley holds her. It feels good to be held without passion in the arms of an old friend. Suddenly, Ashley wrenches away because he sees that India, Archie, and Mrs. Elsing are standing in the doorway.

Scarlett races home, ashamed and afraid. Everyone will talk tonight at Ashley’s party, Melanie would find out, and Scarlett’s reputation will be ruined! No one will ever believe she and Ashley were only hugging as friends. Instead, people will suspect an affair. She bursts into tears thinking of how Melanie will feel. Then her heart stops when she thinks of Rhett. Archie will tell Rhett everything. At home, she gets into bed, telling herself that she’ll worry about it tomorrow. She’ll stay home from the party and think of a way to make it all right. She hears Rhett come home and go to his room.

Much later, Rhett knocks on Scarlett’s door and enters, asking if she’s ready for the party. She says she has a headache, and he calls her a “cowardly little bitch.” Scarlett is afraid Rhett knows what happened. He tells her to get up and get ready; he’ll endure a “trollop” for a wife, but not a coward. She begs him to let her explain, even though she knows she has no explanation. He tells her she will go to the party. She undresses, hoping he’ll like seeing her in her slip after so long, but he doesn’t look. He pulls out her jade dress with pink roses and says she’ll wear rouge, too, to really “nail her to the mast.” Then he laces her corset so violently she cries out.

When Scarlett and Rhett arrive, Melanie’s house is full of people. Scarlett is afraid to go in and hear what everyone will say. Rhett holds her arm so hard it bruises. Inside, Rhett bows to everyone. Scarlett wonders if people will kill her, and then Melanie walks up, her shoulders squared. Melanie slips an arm around Scarlett’s waist. Complimenting Scarlett’s dress, she says India couldn’t make it tonight, and would Scarlett host with her?