Quest for Folly is not an island...or a man.
When I was younger, I thought Scarlett was the goal. I first read the book when I was 13 and have read it nearly every summer ever since. About ten years ago, I realized that Scarlett is nothing but a huge selfish bitch, and the real heroine of the novel is Melanie. Duh.
Sure, Scarlett is strong and does have some admirable qualities. As Ashley (the ninny) says, she is very vibrant and alive. But it is Melanie with her less flamboyant but nevertheless ever-present ability to set everyone straight that has the kind of strength that is much more admirable—and more difficult. At first Melanie does seem like a “mealy mouth”, but really, she takes no guff from anyone, and she’s very quick on her feet in an emergency.
Anyway, I’ve tried to stop the selfishness and start the selflessness. And I think, now that I see the book in its proper perspective, that these two characters are excellent archetypes.
