Carreen O'Hara

Caroline Irene "Carreen" O'Hara is the youngest daughter of Gerald and Ellen O'Hara .

Carreen is described as shy, delicate, and dreamy. She is good-natured and unselfish, and follows her mother's and Mammy's edicts without argument.

During the war she is courted by Brent Tarleton, and is engaged to him at the time of his death at the Battle of Gettysburg.

She does not recover from this loss, and eventually chooses to become a nun.

Carreen is thirteen at the beginning of the novel.

She is played by Ann Rutherford in the film.

Biography

Born in 1848 (est.), Carreen is three years younger than her sister Scarlett, and two years younger than her sister Suellen. 

Carreen was very much in love with Brent Tarleton, even while he was still her sister's beau prior to the war. He begins to court her during his first furlough, and by early 1863 they were engaged. Before they could be married, Brent was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg, along with his two remaining brothers. The loss was devastating to her.

In 1864 she, along with her mother and sister Suellen, became ill with typhoid. Although she did survive, it took many months and her strength was never fully recovered. After the war ended she spent much of her time nursing soldiers as they passed through, and most of her remaining time in prayer for Brent and her late mother. Though always willing to work, her health prevented her from doing the more difficult and tiring tasks.

Will Benteen fell in love with her as she nursed him, but the feelings were not reciprocated, and in 1866 she left Tara to join a convent in Charleston, SC. Her life after this point is never mentioned.