A compelling and
enjoyable read that deserves to be reviewed in its own right. (Review by Keith
Millar)
Let me say at the
outset that I felt that Harper Lee’s Go
Set a Watchman was, in its own right, a compelling but rather ponderous
story which was ultimately a rather enjoyable read.
Whether it merits
the hysteria and hype which accompanied its publication in July when it was
touted as a successor, or sequel, to Harper Lee’s famous To Kill a Mockingbird is another question entirely. The report (or
is it just an urban legend?) suggests that Lee wrote Go Set a Watchman first, and submitted to a publisher. They didn’t
consider it worthy of publishing but liked a few elements from the narrative
and asked her to develop these into a new story.
This led a few years
later to the publication of renowned and beloved novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. This was her only book until the recent,
rather mysterious, re-discovery and subsequent publication of Go Set a Watchman.
The elements
mentioned, such as the childhood antics of the main character Jean Louise
(Scout in Mockingbird) and her
brother Jem, the defence of a young black man accused of the rape of a white
girl by their father, the highly principled lawyer Atticus, and not the least,
the racial tensions prevelant in the American Southern States at that time, are
all present as flashbacks in Go Set a
Watchman.
Many of the
memorable characters are also present in the new (or is it old?) story.The
imaginative descriptions by the author also evoke a similar ambience of small
town America, and the mood of racial disquiet.
However, in my
opinion that is where the similarity ends. Go
Set a Watchman is not a sequel, prequel or continuation of the To Kill a Mockingbird story. To claim it
is, is a regrettable marketing ploy which has resulted in unprecedented sales
and best seller status for a book which does not quite deserve it.
Having said that, I
repeat my observation that it is a compelling and enjoyable read. As such, it
deserves to be reviewed in its own right.
The story is set in
the mid 1950’s, 20 years on from the time of To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout, or Jean Louise, as she is now mostly
referred to, has been living in New York for several years. She returns to her
hometown of Maycomb to visit her ageing father, Atticus, and Henry, the man who
may become her husband. Nothing much has changed in Maycomb, It is still a
sleepy country town and, worst of all, racial tensions are still prevalent.
Jean Louise is a
feisty, outspoken young lady with a mind of her own. She finds it difficult to
fit into Maycomb society which is steeped in old-fashioned, conventional standards.
Then she discovers that both Atticus and Henry have feet of clay and - far from
being liberal men of integrity she believed they were - both harbour right wing
racialistic tendencies. She is particularly shocked by her father, a man who
she idolised as the epitome of all that was good and just in the world. She is
forced to grapple with many issues both personal and political as she moves on
with her life.
To Set a Watchman is a bit of a conundrum. At times it feels
as if one is reading a blueprint for another story to follow. On the other hand
some of the characters are not fully formed and one only has a better
understanding of them because of having read Mockingbird.
However, it is a
worthy story which offers a range of ideological issues for the reader to
ponder, as well as discussing the subject of racial prejudice which still echoes
strongly in our world today.
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