Scarlett v. Gerald

I believe that Scarlett is the stronger person between her and her father. While Scarlett took charge of Tara after Ellen's death and grieved but still kept her head, Gerald completely lost his mind. He was nothing without Ellen, while Scarlett could still manage, was able to move on. She not only has to shoulder the responsibility of taking charge of the plantation, but now she has to take care of Gerald, too, as evidenced on page 376--"[Scarlett] caught herself. This was the way she talked to [her two-year-old son]--she should not address her father like this. But he hung onto her every word." As this shows us, Gerald is reduced to acting like Wade, Scarlett's two-year-old, while Scarlett, who has never run anything so much as a lemonade stand in her entire life, is taking care of the plantation and everyone in it, not to mention the sick soldiers that come around needing medical attention. Right now, Scarlett is stronger than her father, who has alway been her rock, and it's heart-breaking for her.