India Wilkes (1842) is the middle child of John Wilkes, the sister of Ashley Wilkes and Honey Wilkes and thus Melanie Hamilton's sister-in-law and friend. She is also the rival and enemy of Scarlett O'Hara.
Overview[]
India Wilkes is a fictional character in the 1936 novel Gone with the Wind and its 1939 film adaptation. She is the sister of Ashley Wilkes and a rival of Scarlett O'Hara. She is the daughter of John Wilkes and the cousin and sister in law of Melanie Hamilton. She first appears in Gone With the Wind in 1861, at the barbecue at Twelve Oaks. She is described to be worn out, and despises Scarlett O’Hara. India witnesses an embrace between Scarlett and Ashley Wilkes, and tells Melanie but Melanie refuses to believe her and casts her out of her family. India is a traditional southern Antebellum "lady" who takes the place of hostess and lady of the house after her mother dies. She remains unmarried at the end of Gone with the Wind. India is referred to as an "old maid" by Scarlett.
Biography[]
In the novel, India despises Scarlett for stealing the attentions of Stuart Tarleton. India also resents Scarlett for marrying Charles Hamilton, the man that everyone assumed would marry her sister, Honey Wilkes. In the film, India is in love with Charles Hamilton and despises Scarlett for marrying him. The book mentions that the only word that could be used to describe her looks which was "plain."
After Scarlett's marriage to Charles, in the novel, Stuart resumes courting India but dies in the American Civil War before they can make their relationship official. Since it is assumed that Stuart would have married India had he lived, she is given the respect accorded to widows. Once afforded this status, she grows more sharp-tongued, and is able to say things that most unmarried women cannot.
India moves in with Ashley and Melanie after they move to Atlanta. When Scarlett's engagement to Rhett Butler is announced, India endorses cutting them both from respectable society. She blames Scarlett for causing the death of Scarlett's previous (second) husband, Frank Kennedy. India also implies that there had always been more to Scarlett and Ashley's relationship than was apparent. Melanie refuses to believe or listen to her sister-in-law, and makes it clear that if Rhett and Scarlett are shunned, then she will be so as well. Melanie's loyalty to Scarlett and Rhett drives a wedge between herself and India.
India is one of the two people who see Scarlett and Ashley embrace. Because Melanie defends Scarlett and Ashley, India leaves the Wilkes home and moves in with Aunt Pittypat. India apologizes for the quarrel, later on, when Melanie is on her deathbed.
Trivia[]
- While the novel Gone With the Wind has no specific villain, India comes closest to that role, hardly doing anything sympathetic and constantly blocking the main character's happiness.
- In the film version, India takes over much of her deleted sister Honey's role. In the film she is in love with Charles, who marries Scarlett, which causes her hatred of Scarlett, as well as Scarlett's infatuation with her brother Ashley.
- The character of India Wilkes is very close to the character of Caroline Bingley in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. They both are noble ladies who love their older brother, who they don't respect enough to see them capable of their own decisions. They both dislike a character for engaging with their brother, and seducing the man they love themselves.
- After Ashley and Melanie move to Atlanta in 1867, Honey marries and India is considered an old maid at 25, meaning she was born around 1842.
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Characters |
Scarlett O'Hara · Melanie Hamilton · Rhett Butler · Ashley Wilkes · Aunt Pittypat · Gerald O'Hara · Will Benteen |
Locations |
Georgia · Tara · Twelve Oaks · Atlanta · Five Points · Rough and Ready · Macon |
Events |
Introduction · Picnic of Twelve Oaks · Off to War · Move to Atlanta · The Confederate Ball · Messages of Death · Home on Furlough · Siege of Atlanta · Journey Back to Tara · The Neighborhood in Ruins · Death of a Yankee · A Fresh Start · Home from the War · The Return of Jonas · Rhett's Imprisonment · Fanny Elsing's Wedding |