Gone With the Wind Wiki
Advertisement

Eugenia Victoria "Bonnie Blue" Butler (1869-1874) was the daughter of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler. Bonnie was much like Scarlett: beautiful, vivacious, charming, and spoiled. Bonnie was described as physically resembling Scarlett as well, but she had inherited her grandfather Gerald's Irish blue eyes. Bonnie was born in 1869 and died in 1874 after breaking her neck falling from her Shetland pony.

Physical appearance[]

Bonnie was a beautiful child, which is logical as both her parents were described as very good-looking. Her most noticeable feature were her eyes "blue as the Bonnie blue flag", which she inherited from her maternal grandfather, Gerald, and got her her name. She also had a small stature, small stubby feet, a square jaw and upturned nose resembling her maternal grandfather in most ways

Personality[]

Bonnie was very fond of animals, like her brother Wade. However, while Wade preferred birds and his Saint Bernhard dog, Bonnie liked her Shetland pony and kitten the best. Bonnie had the makings of an excellent horse-woman.

Just like her maternal grandfather, she was stubborn and easily frustrated. She could be spoiled and conceited, like her mother and overly confident, like her father. She was very afraid of the dark from a small age.

Biography[]

Bonnie was born in 1869 to Scarlett and Rhett in Atlanta. She was initially given the name Eugenie Victoria, after the Empress Eugenie of France and Empress Victoria of India, but only hours after her birth she was given the nickname "Bonnie Blue", after Melanie remarked that her eyes were as blue as the 'bonnie blue flag' of the Confederacy. The name stuck, wiping all memory of Eugenia Victoria.  

It was agreed that Bonnie was the prettiest baby ever born, and Rhett began to spoil Bonnie, giving her all of the love and attention that Scarlett had rejected. After realizing that his behavior, good or bad, would affect Bonnie's standing in society he set out to regain his lost reputation.  

Mrs. Merriwether and Mrs. Elsing soon begin to talk happily about Rhett and adoringly about Bonnie and give Rhett advice on how to take care of Bonnie. Rhett also stops drinking a lot because Bonnie didn't like the smell of liquor.  Bonnie developed a fear of the dark at around age two and would start screaming every time Mammy took the lamp away. Scarlett began to get seriously annoyed when Rhett would cuddle Bonnie every time she was scared of the dark. Scarlett tried to tell Rhett that just letting Bonnie scream for a few nights alone would take away fear of the dark as it had worked with Wade but Rhett denies this advice saying he doesn't want Bonnie to grow up to be cowardly. Bonnie began to sleep in Rhett's room.  

Age Three to Death[]

When Bonnie is three Rhett decides to teach her how to ride ponies. Bonnie soon delightedly rides and jumps fences. Mammy is disturbed by this because riding and jumping is un-lady like and Scarlett is worried that Bonnie will get injured or die like Gerald did. Rhett also begins to travel a lot with Bonnie and Bonnie soon meets her grandmother and great-aunts in Charleston. Scarlett is pregnant during this time. She also attempts at acting the loving mother to her two first born children. But while making an effort to spend time with her children, she finds disappointment in them, Wade for being too shy and Ella for being too stupid. She concludes that Bonnie is her favorite child. When Rhett and Bonnie arrive home Bonnie happily enters but Rhett and Scarlett soon argue about Bonnie and Rhett says that he won't let Scarlett break Bonnie's spirit the way she broke Wade's and Ella's spirits. Scarlett retorts that Bonnie is her child just as much as Rhett's and that she ought to see Bonnie as well and have some influence over her. Rhett angrily replies that she has two other children. Scarlett reveals to Rhett that she is pregnant, Rhett responds with "maybe you'll have a miscarriage" which upsets Scarlett. Scarlett strikes at Rhett but Rhett dodges, she loses her balance and falls down the stairs which causes her to miscarriage. Rhett guiltily watches Scarlett's slow recuperation and feels guilty about the things he said to her.  

Bonnie constantly jumps fences on ponies and wants a bigger pony and a higher bar to jump over. Rhett who for once is stern, says Bonnie can't have a bigger pony until she's six. Bonnie pouts and begs Rhett, who melts and decides that Bonnie can jump higher but not to blame him if she falls and gets hurt. A few days later Bonnie excitedly starts to jump over the fence and proudly shows Scarlett. Scarlett begins to watch Bonnie proudly but her pride soon turns to fears when Bonnie jumps over and extremely high fence. Scarlett yells for Bonnie to stop but sadly Bonnie falls down on the ground and breaks her neck. Scarlett faints.   

Her death starts the separation of her parents. Rhett accuses Scarlett of being a horrible mother and shoots Bonnie's pony who he blames for killing her. Scarlett, in her turn, pleads that Bonnie was her favourite child and that Rhett murdered her. Rhett won't leave Bonnie's body and it takes a whole night for Melanie Hamilton to convince him to let her be buried.

Trivia[]

  • Bonnie's character has the most actresses in the film version: four.
  • Bonnie is one of the three main characters known mainly by their nicknames. The others are Pittypat Hamilton and Honey Wilkes.


v - e - d
Gone with the Wind transparent logo
Media
Gone With the Wind
Characters
Gerald O'Hara | Ellen O'Hara | Scarlett O'Hara | Suellen O'Hara | Carreen O'Hara | Brent Tarleton | Stuart Tarleton | John Wilkes | India Wilkes | Ashley Wilkes | Melanie Hamilton | Charles Hamilton | Frank Kennedy | Rhett Butler
Locations
Tara | Twelve Oaks | Atlanta
See also
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | Warner Bros. | Turner Entertainment


Advertisement