Pork Character Analysis in Gone with the Wind

Pork is Gerald O’Hara’s enslaved valet. He is married to Dilcey and Prissy is their daughter. Throughout the novel, he demonstrates fierce loyalty to the O’Hara family. When there is no food at Tara, Pork sneaks into a neighbor’s chicken coop to steal some chickens and gets shot in the leg. Instead of scolding him for his robbery, Scarlett praises his loyalty and promises him a watch. After Gerald dies, Scarlett gives Pork Gerald’s fine gold watch.

Pork Character Timeline in Gone with the Wind

The timeline below shows where the character Pork appears in Gone with the Wind. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Gerald explains that he bought Dilcey, the wife of their enslaved man Pork, from the Wilkeses where she’d been enslaved. He then starts to talk about the war,... (full context)

Practicality, Tenacity, and Selfishness Theme Icon

...an enslaver and own his own plantation. He won his first enslaved person, his valet Pork, in a poker game. Then, he gambled with another man for the man’s large plantation... (full context)

...where wives managed everything, but he couldn’t find an appropriate woman to marry. Gerald took Pork to Savannah to see if James and Andrew could help. At a party, Gerald met... (full context)

...rises in excitement, but the carriage goes around to the back. She hears Black voices. Pork comes into the dining room to introduce his wife Dilcey, who’s just arrived. Dilcey enters... (full context)

...trash” Slatterys. Mammy always speaks her mind, knowing that her white enslavers won’t listen anyway. Pork enters with a plate for Ellen. An enslaved boy, Jack, waves a fly-brusher behind her... (full context)

...face in place of the Virgin Mary’s during this litany. They say “amen,” and rise. Pork escorts them upstairs with candles. Soon after, Scarlett starts to enter her parents’ room with... (full context)

Looking Forward vs. Looking Back Theme Icon

...her. Prissy says the Confederates are losing in Jonesboro, and she’s scared for Dilcey and Pork. Scarlett asks where Dr. Meade is. Prissy says he’s at the train depot tending the... (full context)

Pork runs from the house, calling for Scarlett. Scarlett clutches his arms and Prissy bursts into... (full context)

Pork attends to Scarlett like a “dutiful dog.” She asks him who else is here. He... (full context)

Scarlett tells Pork to bring two glasses of the whiskey with sugar and mint, but Pork shares that... (full context)

...recover but Ellen wouldn’t. Then, the Yankees all left. Gerald says he’s glad Scarlett’s home. Pork enters carrying two gourds filled with whiskey. Pork and Gerald disapprove of her drinking whiskey,... (full context)

...can’t think about it though; there’s too much to do. She leaves breakfast and finds Pork shelling peanuts on the porch. He tells her the horse died and that the cow... (full context)

The Civil War and Reconstruction Theme Icon

Scarlett says anyone at Tara who won’t work can join the Yankees. She asks Pork about the corn and cotton. He says the Yankees spoiled everything, except a few acres... (full context)

...eggs and ham for breakfast. They catch the sow which means pork for winter, and Pork plans to go to Jonesboro on the horse and buy clothes. The cotton flourishes in... (full context)

...same level as the Slatterys. However, no one else wants to pick it. Mammy and Pork declare they aren’t “yard niggers.” Scarlett sends them to pick anyway, but they are so... (full context)

On a day in mid-November, everyone is grouped around the table finishing supper. Pork suggests they kill the sow that day. Suddenly, Melanie hears someone coming and everyone rushes... (full context)

...the window she sees her sisters running to the woods with baskets of food, and Pork running with Gerald and two pigs under his arms. Dilcey complains that the sow bit... (full context)

...share with one another, but soon there’s nothing to share. At Tara, they eat catfish Pork catches in the stream. The kill the calf and eat the veal, but they wait... (full context)

Pork forages for food. One night, he comes to Scarlett’s room late and shows her that... (full context)

...in North Carolina and the war ends. Tara hears the news two weeks later, after Pork rides to Macon for three weeks and returns with seeds, food, and most of the... (full context)

...Scarlett trusts “darkies” more than she trusts white people. She thinks of Mammy, Dilcey, and Pork who have stuck by her despite the promises the Freedman’s Bureau made them. (full context)

Pork has dug Gerald’s grave beside Ellen’s. Four men carry out the coffin, followed by a... (full context)

After the guests leave, Scarlett goes into Ellen’s office and calls Pork in after her. She asks if he remembers the day she caught him stealing chickens... (full context)