Rhett Butler's People

In this novel Rhett figures out who he wants to be and what his principles are early in life. But the other characters are constantly trying to figure out who they are. Because the novel spans a long period of time, the characters must figure out who they are during the Civil War and especially after. The nation underwent such a drastic change that every character had to figure out how to fit into the new society. Beliefs were constantly challenged and changed. But many characters held strong to their way of life, especially all of the ideas connected to slavery, and had trouble adapting to the changes.