Obscure GWTW Trivia - Cite Needed

Cafe Society
1

Years ago, my parents had a book of Gone With The Wind trivia that talked about some of the revisions Margaret Mitchell made while writing the book. Apparently, in an early version, the character of Scarlett was of French rather than Irish extraction. Instead of “Tara”, the plantation was called “Fontenot.” Since that’s my family’s name, we always found that particular tidbit to be rather fascinating.

Last week I mentioned it to a co-worker, who refused to believe me. I conducted a thorough search on the Net and couldn’t find a thing to back me up. And the book has been missing from my parents’ house for years.

So I turn this one over to the Teeming Millions. Can anyone help me prove that I’m not making this up?

2

Scarlett O’Hara is of French extraction. Her mother, Ellen Robillard O’Hara, was a Creole from Savannah who spoke “with the barest trace of French accent” (Chapter 3).

3

Never heard about Fontenot, but in an early draft of the book, before it was published, Scarlett’s name was Pansy O’Hara. That was changed before the book came out.

4

According to Gavin Lambert, Margaret Mitchell’s original name for Tara was Fontenoy Hall.

5

Fontenoy Hall named by Gerald O’Hara no doubt with patriotic fervor after the Battle of Fontenoy.

6

I have “The Complete Gone With the Wind Trivia Book” by Pauline Bartel. Just looking at the back cover it says:

"Did you know that:

~author Margaret Mitchell originally named her heroine Pansy O’Hara?
~Melanie was originally called Permalia?
~Tara was Fontenoy Hall?
~one title considered was Ba! Ba! Black Sheep?

Nothing abou them being French that I can see in leafing through (well, Ellen was, but I mean about O’Hara not being the name).

This book does focus more on the movie than the novel. I thought I had another trivia book that was more about the novel but I don’t see it.

7

[completely gratuitious hijack]
“Lawsie, Miz Pansy - Ah doan know nuthin’ ‘bout birthin’ no babies! And Miz Permalia - she hurtin’ bad! We all gots to get to Fontenoy Hall!”
[/completely gratuitious hijack]

Just not the same somehow.

Regards,
Shodan

8

I hear the original name for Rhett Butler was Herb Tarlick. That was a good change, on MM’s part.

9

Good call on rewriting Scarlett’s declaration, “With God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly,” too.

10

Thanks for the replies, folks. As anyone from Louisiana (Geaux Tigers!) can tell you, Fontenoy morphed into Fontenot, Fonteneau, Fonteneaux, etc. Damned French never could learn to spell anything.

So aside from a slight technicality, I stand vindicated.