The background to the release of Go Set a Watchman, the second novel from acclaimed author Harper Lee, is almost as fascinating as the book itself. The book was completed in 1955 and is essentially the first draft for To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee's editor didn't believe it to be a complete novel but the found the flashback segments depicting Scout and Jems childhood to be the strongest aspects of the book and requested the author concentrate on these elements, so Harper Lee went away and did what was requested and To Kill a Mockingbird was the result.
Go Set a Watchman follows a twenty six year old Scout as she returns to Maycomb after several years in New York City. She finds many things have changed during her absence, including her beloved father Atticus.If this is a first draft then its a very impressive one, although the frequent use of the word 'Nigger' is often jarring and feels slightly unnecessary. The theme of the book though resonates and that is of course the disillusionment Scout feels when she discovers her father is a segregationist, and therefore is the opposite of everything she believes in. In other words a fallen heroe. For many children their father is the first Super Hero they find themselves idolizing. The man who knows the right thing to say and always has good advise to impart. When we late discover that our hero is just an oridinary man, with the same flaws and faults as the rest of us and, well it comes as a bit of a shock. It's this very human experience that drives the book and while the transition from To Kill a Mockingbird to Go Set a Watchman is not what you might have wished for, within the time period the novel is set in it makes perfect sense.
This isn't a perfect novel, not by a long way but the question that must be asked is whether it's an important novel and the answer is yes. One last question: Am I glad that this book was published after all those years? You're damn straight I am. It was worth the wait.
Yours in writing,
Jez Cartner
No comments:
Post a Comment