Finished: Go Set A Watchman (Lee) I'm so very torn and confused about this sequel/prequel/rumored springboard/disillusioner of To Kill A Mockingbird, but what an amazing writer Harper Lee is. Sigh. I'm very much so still trying to take in everything I've just read, but the gist of the story is that twenty-six year old Scout Finch goes home to Maycomb for her biannual, two week vacation from her current home and work place in New York City and gets slapped in the face, both literally and figuratively, with her father's about face in regards to Civil Rights. And the father we're talking about is, of course, the epitome of all good men, Atticus Finch. It's a life-shattering moment for Scout, who now goes by her given name, Jean Louise, when she witnesses both her beloved father, and her nearly betrothed, longtime best friend and love, Henry, at a citizen's counsel meeting that opposes the recent creation of the NAACP and all it stands for. When the guest speaker gets up and spews the most vile, racist remarks about the lowly "niggers" and her father does nothing but sit and listen, Scout is devastated. Everything she knows, all her morals, her inherent "color blindness", her compassion towards fellow human beings, she has learned from her father from the day she was born. Rather than leaving town, she does confront Atticus, and he tries to explain his reasoning to her, but she tears him to pieces verbally. I don't know that I fully understand his reasoning, even for a white man in 1960's Alabama. I mean...he's the one who defended the innocent black man who was accused of raping the white girl! He's the one who said equality for all! Who would have thought that he did it because it was the right thing to do because the man, not the black man, but the man was innocent? He didn't do it because the defendant was black, he did it in spite of the defendant being black. Anyway, he tries to explain to Scout that the NAACP shouldn't be swooping down in southern states and trying to change things so fast...that the black people aren't ready themselves for such a drastic change, aren't educated enough, are still children in their social growth. He tries to explain that the black people are the majority of the population in many towns and that they'd be suddenly thrust into running towns, etc. without the proper idea at all of how to do it. He wasn't against equality for all, but he thought it needed to work about slowly? I just don't know. Anyway, Scout rails against him and heads for home. Her father's brother, Uncle Jack, slaps some sense into her when she's packed up and ready to leave Maycomb forever. He says, congratulations, you just grew up. Your father and I were waiting for the day when you would finally realize that you have your own conscience. All your life you've taken on Atticus' conscience as your own. And now, you've finally realized that your father isn't perfect, and you disagree with him to the core on this important issue...you've finally grown up. I don't know. I'm still reeling a bit myself at this change in Atticus, so that's about all I'm going to say about the book. I'm not sure if I believe that this was the first draft of To Kill A Mockingbird, as is touted by some...and that it took major rewrites (obviously) to this manuscript before To Kill A Mockingbird was born. There are just too many differences to me. It's an entirely different story. And another thing...Jem Finch is dead. Scout's beloved big brother and protector, another of my favorite characters has been dead for two years when the story takes up. He was 28 and suffered the same heart condition his own mother did, who died when the kids were so little. That was so, so sad for me. :-( I think I might go re-read To Kill A Mockingbird now and pretend this one doesn't exist? Still....such great writing. What a terrible shame that Harper Lee didn't write so much more in her lifetime!