THE CHANGING SENSE OF POLITENESS IN 
FEMALE CHARACTERS IN MARGARET 

MITCHELL'S GONE WITH THE WIND 

Rendra Bening Prakoso I 

Abstract: Sense of politeness in language is an important 
aspect in human interaction. Since it is dealing with society, 
this makes politeness something flexible based on place and 
time. It means that what is meant by word "polite" is different 
from one place to another place or even politeness in a 
particular area changes from time to time. One of literary 
works that gives a clear description about a society including 
sense of politeness is Margaret Mitchell's story of the Old South 
Gone With the Wind. Though it is an old story we still are able to 
learn somethingfrom it about sense of politeness. Gone With 
the Wind novel took old southern United States society in 
American civil war era (1861-1865) as the setting of the story, 
which still adopted patriarchy system. This society had a 
tendency to clearly polarize men and women's role in the family 
and society, in which the women should be kind, polite, and 
gracious. While on the other hand, men, who held the superior 
position in the society. could express their feeling more freely. 
This politeness changes when the Civil War comes through this 
process, there are many changes in the society that influence 
the rapport. From the beginning when women must speak soft, 
gracious, and, politely, until the coming of the war, in which 

I Rendra Bening Prakoso, S.S., M.Pd.<rendra_bening-prakoso_tegal 
@Yahoo.co.uk>+6281325755126 is a lecturer at STMIK YMI Tegal. 





















ItB Prakoso, Politeness in Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind 203 

eternal. I t changes from one time to another based on the situation 
experienced by the society itself. Whenever most people living in one 
society agree that one politeness norm is not suitable for any longer 
with their situation they can change it instantly. Otherwise if there is 
no a significant change in the society then the change in the politeness 
norm tends to be slow. Finally, this result shows that there is a strong 
interrelation between society and politeness norm inside it. 

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