"And what good is Tara? She [Scarlett] has had three husbands, and I'll be an old maid!"
Susan Elinor O'Hara (1846) is the middle child of Gerald and Ellen O'Hara, and the sister of Scarlett and Carreen. She is fifteen at the beginning of the novel.
She is portrayed by Evelyn Keyes in the film, and Melissa Leo in the mini-series Scarlett (1994).
Biography[]
Born in 1846, Suellen was one year younger than her sister Scarlett, and approximately two years older than her sister Carreen. For many years, she courted the much-older Frank Kennedy, but it took him returning from the war in 1865 before he finally proposed to Suellen.
Frank set up a store in Atlanta to support himself and his future wife, but knowing Suellen would leave Tara behind, Scarlett manipulated Frank into marrying her instead, lying that Suellen had married Tony Fontaine. Suellen never forgave Scarlett for this, truly loving Frank.
In 1864 she, along with her mother and younger sister, became ill with typhoid. Suellen did recover, though she remained bedridden for several months and claimed a lingering weakness in order to avoid working the cotton fields. Suellen was made aware by Mrs. MacIntosh of the money being given out to 'Union sympathizers', and attempted to manipulate her mentally ill father into signing the Iron Clad oath, which would have given them several thousand dollars in compensation for the damage done to Tara.
During the process of signing, Gerald became lucid enough to understand what she was having him do, and, enraged, stole Alex Fontaine's horse to ride back to Tara. While attempting to jump a fence Gerald was thrown, breaking his neck and killing him instantly. The blame for Gerald's death was then placed firmly on Suellen's shoulders.
Suellen and India Wilkes at Twelve Oaks
During Gerald's funeral Will Benteen informed all present that he would soon be marrying Suellen. The two would proceed to have at least three known children by the end of the novel, their oldest daughter being named Susie.
Personality[]
Suellen is very spoiled and haughty. It puzzles Scarlett why anyone would be interested in her, other than her good looks. Her rivalry with Scarlett originated in childhood, where they didn't get along and fought over their parents' attention due to their closeness in age. This later developed into fighting over beaus as teenagers, and as adults they fought over their different ideals, and how to best raise children. Their daughters, Bonnie and Susie, mimic their troubled relationship.
According to Scarlett, Suellen is a tattle-tale, often telling their father's secrets to their mother. Suellen's worst fear is dying an old maid, and she thinks of marriage as her only goal in life. Her home, Tara, is of little value to her, and during the war she comes to despise it as she has to work there.
Part of Suellen's unappealing personality can be explained by her treatment as a middle child. She isn't as protected and praised by the family as baby "Carreen", and she falls in between that and Scarlett, who's the family's unofficial heir, not to mention the most popular girl in the county, who men prefer. This left Suellen to feel overlooked. Furthermore, she was close to her mother, whose death affected her deeply but the circumstances of the war gave her no time to mourn, but time to work, for which she blamed Scarlett.
Appearance[]
Suellen is a pretty young lady, who resembles her father's Irish family more than her sisters. She has golden hair, which she keeps in ringlets, heavily hooded eyes, a long nose and a slender face. She dresses in pinks and yellows. As she is materialistic, she likes to wear beautiful gowns.
Trivia[]
- In the film, she is shown to be good friends with India Wilkes, as they both dislike Scarlett.