This is a fantastic and challenging request! Creating prompts for a specific literary style requires breaking down its core elements: themes, character archetypes, setting, and narrative arc.
The "Gone With the Wind" (GWTW) style is characterized by:
Epic Scale: Spanning years, war, and societal collapse (specifically, the American Civil War and Reconstruction).
A Headstrong, Complex Protagonist: Often a Southern Belle/Planter's Daughter who defies societal norms to survive.
A Love Triangle/Conflict: Involving a practical, cynical admirer and an idealistic, unattainable love interest.
The Importance of Land/Home: The struggle to preserve a specific way of life, symbolized by a great estate/plantation.
Themes: Survival, the death of an era, class change, practicality vs. idealism, and unrequited/misplaced love.
Here are 100 command prompts categorized by these elements to inspire GWTW-style narratives:
I. Character Prompts (Protagonists & Archetypes - 30 Prompts)
The Headstrong Protagonist (Scarlett Archetype)
The Oath: Start a story with a protagonist standing on their ruined land, making a vow that "as God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again."
The Calculated Marriage: Detail the protagonist's inner monologue as they agree to marry a dull, older suitor purely for his financial stability to save the family estate.
Defying Mourning: Describe a scene where the protagonist is forced to wear oppressive mourning attire but finds a rebellious, defiant way to incorporate a forbidden color or accessory.
A Businesswoman Scorned: Write the first business deal the protagonist makes in a post-war, male-dominated world, where she uses her charm and ruthlessness to succeed.
The Price of Pragmatism: Show the protagonist making a harsh, practical decision (like firing a long-time servant or betraying a friend) for the greater good of survival.
Charm as a Weapon: Write a dialogue scene where the protagonist effortlessly manipulates a group of older, conservative ladies to gain social or financial advantage.
The Unsentimental Mother: Describe the protagonist's complicated, often detached, feelings about her own child, seeing them as a burden or an asset rather than a love object.
Hiding the Gumption: Detail the inner struggle of the protagonist as she pretends to be a fragile, helpless woman in front of "respectable" men while harboring a steely, practical mind.
The Last Dress: Write a scene where the protagonist creates a magnificent dress out of salvaged, unlikely material (like curtains or military blankets) for a crucial public appearance.
Moment of Clarity: Describe the moment the protagonist finally understands the true, self-sacrificing nature of her mother, realizing she can never live up to that ideal.
The Idealistic Love Interest (Ashley Archetype)
Post-War Despair: Show the handsome, idealistic love interest returning from the conflict, incapable of adapting to the new world, clinging to memories of a "lost cause."
The Confession of Weakness: Write a scene where the love interest admits to the protagonist that his moral idealism is a cage, and he envies her ruthless freedom.
Unattainable Dream: Detail a conversation where the love interest waxes poetic about poetry, chivalry, and the "beauty of the Old South," fully aware that those things are dead.
The Caged Bird: The love interest is offered a chance to leave his failing community and start anew, but he chooses duty to his family/wife/past over personal happiness.
A Secret Envy: Describe the love interest watching the protagonist's unscrupulous success, feeling a mix of admiration and moral repulsion.
The Cynical Admirer (Rhett Archetype)
The Mocking Introduction: Write the first meeting between the cynical admirer and the protagonist, where he sees through her social facade immediately and mocks her "delicate" sensibilities.
A Blockade Runner's Cache: Describe the admirer's ill-gotten wealth—jewels, French silks, foreign liquors—acquired through morally ambiguous means during the war.
The Honest Proposal: Write the proposal scene where the cynical admirer is brutally honest about the protagonist's flaws, his own, and the lack of traditional love in their arrangement.
Hidden Vulnerability: Show the moment the cynical admirer's hard shell cracks, revealing a deep, painful love or a fierce, protective instinct, perhaps for a child or a pet.
The Grand Gesture: The cynical admirer performs a seemingly selfish act (like leaving a party, giving a bribe) that is actually a profound sacrifice to protect the protagonist's reputation or life.
A Child's Corruption: Detail the cynical admirer's relationship with his only child, whom he spoils lavishly as a substitute for the love he cannot get from the protagonist.
The Final Exit: Write the moment the cynical admirer leaves, his last words to the protagonist being an unromantic, definitive statement of his own rediscovered self-respect.
Secondary Characters (18 Prompts)
The Genteel Foil (Melanie Archetype): Show the sweet, kind foil defending the protagonist against public opinion, genuinely seeing only the good in her.
The Genteel Foil's Death: Describe the death of the foil—a quiet moment that shakes the protagonist to her core, forcing a final reckoning.
The Old Retainer (Mammy Archetype): Detail the old retainer chastising the protagonist for poor behavior, a voice of the past and the only person the protagonist truly fears disappointing.
The Overseer: A dialogue between the plantation owner and the shrewd, perhaps cruel, overseer about managing the remaining workforce after a major change.
The Matriarch's Ghost: The protagonist recalls the impossible standards of her deceased, perfect mother as she faces her own moral compromise.
The Father's Pride: The boisterous, land-loving father is forced to sign a humiliating legal document, and his spirit is broken in front of his child.
The Sister's Jealousy: The protagonist's plain or traditional sister expresses a bitter, long-simmering resentment over the protagonist's effortless success with men.
The Carpetbagger: Introduce a slick, opportunistic newcomer from the North or a newly-rich "Scalawag" who attempts to exploit the protagonist's desperation.
II. Setting and Atmosphere Prompts (25 Prompts)
The Southern Estate/Land (Tara Archetype)
The Red Earth: Describe the protagonist's primal, visceral connection to the red clay soil of the land, realizing it's the only thing that cannot be taken from her.
Before the Storm: Detail the opulent, lazy beauty of the family estate just hours before the news of war breaks, emphasizing the fragile peace.
The Scorched Earth: The protagonist's return to a ruined, burned-out estate, finding only one symbol of its former glory intact.
Rebuilding: Describe the slow, backbreaking work of rebuilding the home, highlighting the transition from a place of leisure to a place of labor.
The Tax Threat: Write a scene of an official notice or a conversation about exorbitant taxes that threatens the loss of the cherished land.
The Unmended Roof: The protagonist stands in a lavish dress, but the house still shows signs of decay—a missing window pane, a leaking roof—a symbol of the façade.
The Family Graveyard: A quiet, mournful scene in the family graveyard, connecting the current struggle to the generations that preceded it.
The New Money Mansion: Describe the protagonist's new, gaudy, and tasteless mansion bought with post-war money, a stark contrast to the old, comfortable elegance of the family home.
The Last Supper: A meager but fiercely proud dinner held in the dining room of the ruined estate, with family members using cracked china.
The Smell of Magnolia and Smoke: Use the juxtaposition of traditional Southern scents (magnolia, jasmine) with the lingering smell of gunpowder and ruin.
The City (Atlanta Archetype)
The Wartime Hustle: Describe the frantic energy and opportunism of a growing city as the war begins, where social rules are beginning to crumble.
A Hospital of Horrors: The protagonist volunteers in a makeshift military hospital, overwhelmed by the stench, blood, and sheer volume of the wounded.
The Siege: Write a moment of pure terror during a military siege as the characters are trapped in a basement, listening to the shelling outside.
The Burning of the City: Describe the city's destruction and the desperate flight of the survivors by wagon, with the sky lit by flames.
Post-War Boom: Detail the shocking transformation of the city during Reconstruction, with former aristocracy rubbing shoulders with Yankee profiteers and former slaves.
The Business District: The protagonist walks through the lumber mills or storefronts she now owns, encountering the resentful, disapproving gaze of her former peers.
A Secret Saloon: Describe the atmosphere of a clandestine, lower-class establishment where the wealthy cynical admirer conducts his morally gray business.
A Public Scandal: The protagonist is seen in public with someone scandalous (a "carpetbagger," a woman of ill-repute), causing a ripple of gossip.
Time and Eras
The Clock Stops: A symbolic moment where a grandfather clock in the estate stops during a major event, symbolizing the end of an era.
Flashback to the Ball: The protagonist recalls a moment of dazzling pre-war innocence at a grand ball, contrasting it with her current desperate state.
The Future is Now: The protagonist looks at a new invention (e.g., a photograph, a type of machinery) and realizes the world has utterly changed.
The New Year's Resolution: A New Year's Eve scene where the protagonist rejects the sentimental "Old South" toasts in favor of a brutal, self-serving vow for the coming year.
III. Conflict and Theme Prompts (25 Prompts)
Survival and Loss
Murder for Necessity: The protagonist faces a direct threat to her family/home and is forced to kill or injure an aggressor, detailing the shock and the quick burial.
The Stolen Meal: Write a scene where the protagonist must swallow her pride and beg or steal food for her starving family.
The Humiliation of Manual Labor: The protagonist attempts to work in the fields or do common labor, feeling the deep humiliation of her new class status.
Selling Heirloom: Describe the protagonist having to secretly sell a precious piece of family jewelry or silver to pay for an emergency.
The Fear of Poverty: Detail a recurring nightmare or panic attack the protagonist has, driven by the absolute terror of a return to hunger and destitution.
Grave of Innocence: The protagonist visits the graves of those lost to the war (both sides) and realizes the true, unromantic cost of the conflict.
Rejection of Idealism: A pivotal moment where the protagonist openly scoffs at the idealistic, useless dreams of the love interest and chooses a pragmatic path.
The Vow to Self: A private moment of self-talk where the protagonist acknowledges her own ruthlessness but justifies it as necessary for survival.
Romance and Misplaced Love
The Rejected Embrace: The protagonist, after a moment of intense danger, rushes to the love interest for comfort but is gently, decisively rebuffed.
The Fire That Wasn't: A realization that the "love" the protagonist felt for the idealistic interest was merely an attachment to a way of life that no longer exists.
Jealousy and Madness: Detail the protagonist's insane, green-eyed jealousy over the love interest's gentle, loyal wife (the foil).
The Unexpected Kiss: A spontaneous, passionate kiss with the cynical admirer, leaving the protagonist confused and disturbed by her own reaction.
The Final Denial: A final, dramatic confrontation where the protagonist confesses her enduring love for the idealistic interest, only to have him confirm it was never real.
A Love Too Late: The moment the protagonist realizes her true, deep, and passionate love for the cynical admirer, just as he has emotionally closed off.
The Power of Loyalty: A scene where the protagonist is deeply moved by the quiet, unconditional loyalty of the foil, even as she secretly despises her.
The Drunken Argument: A brutal, honest, and possibly physical argument between the protagonist and the cynical admirer that lays bare their deepest resentments.
Social and Moral Conflict
The Unwelcome Guest: The protagonist is forced by social pressure to host a person she despises (e.g., a former slave owner, a Yankee soldier) in her home.
Race and Class: The protagonist encounters a former enslaved person who is now wealthy or in a position of authority, forcing a humiliating recognition of changed social roles.
A Reputation Ruined: The protagonist faces a room full of judgmental former friends and family who have officially shunned her for her unladylike business practices.
The Vigilante Mob: The idealistic love interest is part of a desperate, secret vigilante group, and the protagonist must help cover up their illegal actions.
The Scolding: The old retainer gives the protagonist a powerful, detailed scolding on "manners" and "proper conduct," all while knowing the protagonist is feeding the entire family.
A Shared Secret: The protagonist and the cynical admirer share a secret that, if revealed, would ruin them both, creating a reluctant bond.
A Public Defense: The gentle foil, in a surprising moment of strength, publicly defends the protagonist's scandalous behavior to save her reputation.
IV. Dialogue and Narrative Voice Prompts (20 Prompts)
Voice and Opening Lines
The Grand Opening: Write the first sentence of a GWTW-style novel, establishing a vivid sense of place and the protagonist's spoiled nature.
A Philosophical Closing: Write the final line of a chapter, leaving the protagonist with a sense of grim determination or a famous, resilient vow ("After all, tomorrow is another day").
Describing Beauty: Write a paragraph describing the protagonist's beauty, emphasizing her green eyes, manipulative charm, and lack of a "soft" or "kind" expression.
Inner Thoughts on Money: Detail the protagonist's ruthless, unsentimental thoughts about money and wealth as the only true source of power.
Narration on War: Write a passage in the third-person omniscient voice reflecting on the war, emphasizing its futility, destruction, and the loss of "gentility."
Dialogue (with Character Voice)
Cynical Flirtation: The cynical admirer delivers a highly polished, mocking compliment to the protagonist in a crowded room.
Idealistic Lament: The idealistic love interest utters a line lamenting the "passing of the Old South" and his own inability to be practical.
The Mother's Voice: The protagonist hears her deceased mother's judgmental, moralizing voice in her head just before she makes a terrible decision.
The Practical Demand: The protagonist delivers a terse, non-negotiable demand to a man, proving her strength.
The Uncomfortable Truth: The cynical admirer tells the protagonist an uncomfortable truth about herself that no one else dares to say.
Praise and Scorn: The genteel foil praises the protagonist's strength, using words that the protagonist secretly finds ridiculous.
The Old Retainer's Warning: The old retainer issues a prophetic warning to the protagonist about the consequences of her selfishness.
A Bragging Father: The protagonist's father boasts loudly about the size and beauty of his land to a skeptical guest.
The Final Insult: The protagonist, realizing her mistake, tries to grovel to the cynical admirer, and he responds with a devastating, final put-down.
A Shared Laugh: The protagonist and the cynical admirer share a rare, genuine laugh over the hypocrisy of their social circle.
V. Scene and Plot Prompts (10 Prompts)
The Farewell: A heartbreaking scene where the young men ride off to war, full of swagger and belief in a quick victory, knowing some will never return.
A Desperate Bargain: The protagonist visits a jail or a disreputable place to make a desperate, immoral bargain to raise money for the estate.
The Birth During Chaos: A tense, raw scene where the protagonist assists with a difficult childbirth during a military retreat or siege.
A Moment of True Friendship: The protagonist and the gentle foil share a rare moment of genuine connection and trust during a crisis.
The Return of the Idealist: The idealistic love interest returns from the war broken, but the protagonist, realizing his fragility, protects him and hides his weakness.
A Family Tragedy: A shocking accident or death involving a beloved family member or child that shatters the protagonist's hard-won composure.
The Grand Ball: A lavish post-war ball where the protagonist, now wealthy but socially suspect, wears a stunning, scandalous dress to defy her critics.
The Confession: A late-night scene where the protagonist, drunk or exhausted, makes a tearful confession to the cynical admirer about her deepest fears.
The Empty Room: The protagonist walks into the room of her deceased gentle foil, finally understanding the depth of her loss and the true meaning of selfless love.
The Road Ahead: The protagonist stands alone on a familiar piece of land (not the estate), looking forward, with a single phrase about strength, survival, or self-sufficiency echoing in her mind.
No comments:
Post a Comment