To Kill A Mockingbird and Prequel

Socrateswannabe

Are you a fan of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird"? I read the book as a child and have read it many times since. Miss Lee obviously wrote the book to entertain us, and she accomplished that. It's possible her aim was to educate and influence us, somewhat like Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin". If that was her aim, I think she accomplished that too. Even when I was mentally "in" the Borg, I viewed this book as far superior to the bible in teaching morality, and in motiviting me to want to do good to others. Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, Boo Radly, Miss Maudie Atkinson...they are all superior role models in comparison to any bible character I can name, including Jesus.

Lee's new book, "Go Set a Watchman", I'm not so sure about. I haven't purchased it or read it yet and I'm not sure I want to. How about you? Will you read it? Do you think it should have been published?

Barrold Bonds

Well the lawyers and publishers basically took advantage of a senile old lady to get the book published.

Also, Watchman is quite literally a rough draft of what became To Kill A Mockingbird.

I will not purchase or read it.

LisaRose

I am a huge fan of TKAM, but I am not planning to read the new book. I loved the original book, I think it was a mistake to publish this book. It isn't a prequel or a sequel, but a different story about some of the same people but where they were very different people. It was rejected for a reason, it's only being published now to make a quick buck for some people. You have to ask why Harper Lee never published it before and whether it was entirely her decision to publish it now.

millie210

Great post Socrateswannabe, but dont forget Scout!

Many of us grew up relating to Scout Im sure.

Wasanelder Once

I will wait till its a used book. I have an aversion to buying new books. I looked at it in the store and it seems to have a nice flow to it. I think its a valuable record for any aspiring authors who wish to see the writing process in action. Remember it was a first draft of TKAMB. The editor, (bless the editor) told Harper that the best parts of the book were the flashbacks when Scout speaks in her own voice. He encouraged her to rewrite the book from the little girl's point of view. That's why we have TKAMB. This was the dry run down the wrong road but an invaluable document of Harper's mind when she wrote TKAMB. I WILL READ IT FOR THAT REASON. Its a book people, not a memoir about her dad that seeks to trash him. Just maybe he was the bigot and not the hero? So? Read it for what it is, a stand alone book with different character studies.

Socrateswannabe

MILLIE210: Of course you're right about Scout. I think we would all like to have her childlike innocence and genuineness. You could even say the same for Jem and Dill. Dill got physically ill when he saw how Tom Robinson was being mistreated at the trial. There are almost too many role models to list. Tom Robinson was one of the foremost--right up there with Atticus, but many minor characters were admirable too.How about Judge Taylor for appointing Atticus to defend Tom and Sheriff Heck Tate for his support of Atticus. I love the section of the book where Jem has to read to Miss Dubose, as she struggles successfully to get free of her addiction before she dies. Atticus said she was the bravest person he knew. Mr. Dolphus Raymond was 50 years ahead of his time in his views toward race relations, and Link Deas was an uncommonly reasonable man for hiring Helen Robinson when she became a pariah after Tom's arrest. And there are others.

Really, how does the bible stack up to this? To Kill a Mockingbird has taught me how to live. If I could be 1% the man the fictional Atticus Finch was, my life would be so much better than if I struggled my entire life to live by bible standards.

WASANELDERONCE: I know you're right. The new book has value and gives insight into the mind of Harper Lee. I should want to read it but TKAM has meant so much to me, I'm not sure I can bring myself to read the new book, no matter its value.

NewYork44M

I purchased my Kindle version of the Watchman. Am about half way through. Forget for a minute the racism in the book, did you notice what she said about certified public accountants?

...Mr. Stone, except that he possessed all the necessary qualifications for a certified public accountant: He did not like people, he was quick with numbers, he had no sense of humor, and he was a butt-head.

As a CPA, I am highly offended.

Socrateswannabe

NewYork44M: Wow, I guess you have to have a pretty thick skin to be a CPA!

TerryWalstrom

I loved it. Beautifully written.

This book is closer to the 'truth' about her own father. In TKAM, Atticus was patterned after her sister, not her dad.

This book is placed AFTER the events of TKAM. It's not really a prequel.
The politically correct crowd have tried to torpedo this novel and I think that is a terrible shame.

Judge this book by its own merits. It's impossible to have an opinion about a book you haven't read.

littlerockguy

I can't wait to read it. I agree with Terry in that it is a more realistic view of the mindset at that time and the fears that people had toward blacks being blending in with the white community. The novel was written in 1957 right at the same time the Little Rock Central High School crisis was going on which was getting a lot of national media coverage at that time and it was a hot subject.

LRG

To Kill A Mockingbird and Prequel

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