Blog #5

The message Go Set a Watchman is trying to convey is that you shouldn’t let your hopes and views blur the reality. Having views and opinions are important in becoming an individual but sometimes they keep you from seeing the truth. In the novel, Jean Louise returns to her hometown expecting very little change, but she discovers that things didn’t turn out how they seemed. Jean Louise has spent her entire life idolizing her father, assuming he could do nothing wrong only to be shocked by the fact that he is pro segregation. This is interesting because in To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus actually defends a black man, something that proved to be controversial in their town. Jean Louise then becomes disillusioned but this shocker aids her in finally realizing that her town isn’t all sugar and rainbows like when she was a kid. The next push into reality comes from her boyfriend Henry. After her boyfriend makes a comment about the type of privileges she has, they get into an argument with her ending it by saying, “I understand that you’re a goddam hypocrite.” She then ends their relationship and comes to the conclusion that Henry wasn’t the man she started to fall in love with. Henry let the town mold who he became instead of becoming a free spirited individual. I predicted this would happen in my first blog. At the end of the novel, Jean has a large argument with her father about being a racist. She sticks with her beliefs and then they part ways and the book ends.

Blog #4

In this novel, the ice cream shop Jean Louise visits symbolizes her childhood innocence. It states that “the modern ice cream shop where her old home had been was open,” so we know that Jean is already emotionally attached to it. She probably has fond memories of her home. Jean chooses to go to the ice cream shop after discovering that her father is racist because she was seeking comfort in a place she once received it. Unfortunately, a place that was once innocent has been tainted with the memories of betrayal. This is the final strike that finally ends Jean’s childhood nostalgia. Later in the book, Jean Louise visits her ex-maid Calpurina. In flashbacks during the book and in To Kill a Mockingbird, Calpurina serves as a mother figure to jean, she even gave her the talk about the birds and the bees as seen in chapter 11. Once she visits, Calpurina treats her coldly and Jean doesn’t receive the affection she desired. This pushes Jean to finally view the reality of her town. Jean is feeling betrayed, alone, and neglected and I predict its only going to keep getting harder from this point in the book. She will have to confront her father and have to question everyone’s true motives.

Blog #3

The book Go Set a Watchman, receives its title from biblical verse Isaiah 21:6. The preacher in the novel says, “For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.” I believe Harper Lee chose this title because the watchmen symbolize all the people guiding and influencing Jean Louise’s life. The main influences are her father, Atticus, her boyfriend Hank, and her aunt Alexandra. After further analyzing the bible verse I came to the conclusion that the watchman Jean Louise is supposed to be setting is herself. Thought the book Jean Louise is being told how to act and who to be but instead she should become her own watchman and prevent others from changing who she is. This is emphasized when the bible states, “Let him declare what he seeth,” meaning let Jean decide what she wants. This segment could also be a reference to the book’s most shocking revelation, which is that Atticus is a racist. Jean is shocked to discover who her father has become and has to change her views toward him. In addition, her boyfriend Hank is also there, making her question the entire town of Maycomb. This is eye opening for Jean because it depletes the little childhood innocence that was still left in the town. She now is tasked with deciding if what she sees is real or fake.