it is the year 1861 and right before the american civil war. scarlett o'hara lives with her parents, two sisters, and slaves at a plantation in georgia. the plantation is called tara. scarlett is in love with ashley wilkes, but he will be marrying melanie hamilton. at a party at the plantation twelve oaks of ashley, one guest rhett butler admires scarlett. scarlett is more interested in ashley. news of the start of the civil war interrupts the party. men go racing about to enlist in the war. scarlett marries melanie's younger brother charles. she does this to make ashley jealous. charles dies in the war, and scarlett goes to atlanta. there she appears at a charity bazaar in black mourning clothing and dances with rhett.