The famous, yet mysterious Harper Lee, recently published Go Set a Watchman, the sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird. Jean Louise Finch, who is hardly ever referred to as “Scout” in the original novel, returns home to Maycomb County for a two week vacation. Besides Jean Louise and Atticus, more familiar faces are revealed as the story advances, such as Henry Clinton, who is an old childhood friend of Jean Louise. Henry was part of the lower social class in Maycomb, and after going to college and working for Atticus, he thinks that he can support Jean Louise, and thus asks her to marry him. This potential “love story” aspect of the novel is diminished once Jean-Louise rejects his proposal in the end. Only several pages in, the reader discovers that Jem died of the same heart condition that killed his mother. This flashback made me wish that Go Set a Watchman had come out before To Kill a Mockingbird. This way, I wouldn’t have been so heartbroken to learn that Jem, one of my favorite characters, had died. Several other flashbacks to Jean Louise’s childhood are provided in the novel, creating a much needed comic relief to lessen the tension developing between Scout and her father.
Most of the reviewers of the novel had made it known to the public that Go Set a Watchman depicts Atticus as a “racist”. However, after reading the scene where Jean Louise spots Atticus participating in a meeting against blacks, I thought it was a minor event that needed to be included in the novel. Without this event, the reader would not have learned more about Uncle Jack, who takes the place of the caring and wise figure that Atticus represented in To Kill a Mockingbird. This made me appreciate Uncle Jack even more, which made me feel empathy for him when I found out that he was in love with Atticus's wife; a huge plot twist. If Atticus had not led Jean Louise into a trap that tested her ability to stand up for what she believes in, the novel would not have contained the major theme in the prequel; standing up for what one believes in.
It would have been a much happier novel if Jem was still alive and some scenes with the forever buoyant Dill were included. Also, I would have appreciated some answers to my outstanding questions about Boo Radley, who was never mentioned in the new book. However, after I finished the novel, I was filled with the same hope and joy that To Kill a Mockingbird had left me feeling. I think that this novel will soon become a classic, which begs the question of whether or not it will be included in the curriculum for freshman year. I think Go Set a Watchman should be included, for it conveys a very important message to its readers; to stand up for what they believe is right, even if it means going against the status quo or even your own family.