Mammy’s true story: the characterization of mammy in Ruth’s journey by donald McCaig.

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Abstract

The immense popularity of Gone with the Wind, over eighty years after being published, is now often tarnished by accusations of rampant racism. The character of Mammy, especially, has been criticized as stereotypical and perpetuating historically inaccurate ideas of the role of black Mammies. With the double-fold intention of giving a voice to black characters mostly silent in Gone with the Wind and counteracting these accusations of a negative portrayal of African-Americans, the Margaret Mitchell Trust commissioned an authorized sequel recounting Mammy’s story, Ruth’s Journey, by Donald McCaig. This article analyzes the image of Mammy Ruth’s Journey presents, and considers whether it has successfully fulfi lled these goals.