"The south produced statesmen and soldiers, planters and doctors and lawyers and poets, but certainly no engineers and mechanics. Let Yankees adopt such low callings"

Margaret Mitchell, the author of "Gone with the Wind", supplies a compelling glimpse into Southern identity and societal values throughout the antebellum and restoration durations with the quote, "The south produced statesmen and soldiers, planters and medical professionals and attorneys and poets, but definitely no engineers and mechanics. Let Yankees embrace such low callings". This declaration encapsulates a complicated web of cultural pride, class differences, and historical context.

Initially, it's vital to acknowledge the pride in Southern culture that Mitchell reflects. The South is portrayed as a manufacturer of "statesmen and soldiers, planters and medical professionals and lawyers and poets", professions that bring a sense of dignity, intellectualism, and management. These roles were traditionally related to greater social status and were seen as vital to keeping the cultural and political material of Southern society.

On the other hand, engineers and mechanics, professions central to industrialization and technological development, are dismissed as "low callings". This distinction highlights the South's historic resistance to industrialization, which was welcomed more readily by the Northern states. The preference for agrarianism in the South, rooted in a plantation economy reliant on servant labor, frequently featured a scornful view of commercial progress represented by the North.

The phrase "Let Yankees adopt such low callings" recommends an intentional separation, both in identity and knowledge, between the North and South. Yankees, a term for Northerners, are portrayed as appropriate for such roles, showing a cultural chasm. This separation likewise hints at historical tensions; the North's industrial strength was essential throughout the Civil War, additional highlighting the South's romantic attachment to its antebellum past.

Mitchell's representation of these mindsets shows a longing for a bygone era viewed through a nostalgic lens. While her characterization may not capture the entire fact of the South's capabilities or contributions, it underscores the area's struggle with modernity and change, and the enduring complexities of cultural identity formed by history and social values.