Similarities And Differences Between Go Set A Watchman And To Kill A Mockingbird

Go Set a Watchman, published on July 14, 2015 and To Kill a Mockingbird, published in 1960, both written by Harper Lee feature similar versions of the same characters. To Kill a Mockingbird, the beloved American classic, features a past tense coming-of-age story narrated by the main character Scout in Maycomb County during the 1930’s. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch, who functions as the novel’s moral backbone and a model for justice in an unjust world; Scout, aged six, serves as a symbol of innocence, who greatly looks up to Atticus, her father; and the black characters, including Calpurnia, always had an immense amount of respect for the whites, especially the Finches. Go Set a Watchman takes a controversial course in respect to,

In To Kill a Mockingbird, despite the tensions during the time of the case concerning Tom Robinson, the blacks still managed to show respect towards the whites in Maycomb County. In To Kill a Mockingbird the reader is exposed to a vast amount of respect shown to the whites from the blacks, “Tom Robinson’s forehead relaxed. “She’d (Mayella Ewell) call me in…(Atticus speaking) “Were you paid for your services?” “(Tom) No suh…I was glad to do it,” (191, To Kill a Mockingbird), and “I (Tom) tried to ‘thout bein’ ugly to her (Mayella). I didn’t want to be ugly, I didn’t wanta push her or nothin’,” (195, To Kill a Mockingbird). Meanwhile, in Go Set a Watchman, the reader is exposed to a rawer, less sugarcoated version of the blacks attitude towards the whites, even the reputable white family, the Finches. In Go Set a Watchman the protocol of respect expected by the blacks towards the whites still stood, but there is sense of resentment during their encounters. One event when resentment is expressed in Go Set a Watchmen is during Jean Louise’s visit to Calpurnia, “She (Jean Louise) look into the old woman’s face (Calpurnia)…in Calpurnia’s eyes was no hint of compassion.” (160, Go Set a Watchman). Through this quote we can see the loving respect the blacks held towards some whites in To Kill a Mockingbird may have been sugarcoated and inaccurate. Meanwhile in

To Kill a Mockingbird tells the story of an admirable man, Atticus, who serves as the model for all that is right and just, while Go Set a Watchman left many lovers of Atticus with the taste of bitter medicine as their guide for morality was shown with all his imperfections. The attitudes of the blacks in To Kill a Mockingbird may have also been inaccurately reflected portraying a sense of respect and possibly even love towards particular white people, while in Go Set a Watchman the attitudes of the blacks towards the white undoubtedly illustrates a sense of resentment from the blacks towards the whites, which accurately reflects the times. Although Go Set a Watchman may have left many To Kill a Mockingbird lovers with a bittersweet feeling it is a more factual and an accurate reflection of the early to mid