Go Set A Watchman By Harper Lee: Literary Analysis

In several pieces of literature, the author develops a theme throughout the plot. The theme is the main idea the author is trying to convey throughout the piece. A theme in works of literature can be similar to other themes in other novels, movies, songs, poems, and so on. In the novel Go Set A Watchman, by Harper Lee, Lee develops the theme of accepting that the past is the past, and moving on from it throughout the story. This theme is also comparable to the theme developed by Ben Sherwood, in his book Charlie St. Cloud. Both novels have a main character that needs to face reality after events that occur and realize that things are not going to be how they were in the past. In the novel Go Set A Watchman, Harper Lee addresses the life
Atticus and Hank later leave to go to the Courthouse for a meeting , at first this does not seem out of the ordinary to Jean Louise. Shortly after their departure, Jean Louise finds a very racist pamphlet in her father's papers entitled “The Black Plague”. After confronting her Aunt about this pamphlet, Jean Louise finds out that the pamphlet came from the “Maycomb County Citizens’ Council”. At this council the group of men talk very poorly about African Americans. To even more of a surprise Jean Louise finds out that Atticus and Hank are both members of this council. This upsets Jean Louise very much because she looked up to her father very much because of his openness and acceptingness towards all people, of all races, especially African Americans. Jean Louise reflects on how she grew up with an African American cook, Calpurnia, as her women and mother figure due to the death of her mother. Atticus also took a case of an African American when he was accused of rape. This action is remarkable because it was very rare for white men to defend African Americans. Jean Louise questions what made Atticus change this way,