Summary

Go Set a Watchman, published in 2015, is Harper Lee's controversial second novel and an early draft of her Pulitzer Prize-winning classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Set in the 1950s, it follows an adult Scout Finch as she returns to her Alabama hometown and grapples with changing views of her father Atticus. The book became an instant bestseller and sparked intense debate over its portrayal of beloved characters. Go Set a Watchman provides insight into Lee's writing process and explores complex themes of racism and disillusionment in the American South. The audiobook is narrated by acclaimed actor Reese Witherspoon.

Plot

Go Set a Watchman follows 26-year-old Jean Louise “Scout” Finch as she returns to her hometown of Maycomb, Alabama from New York City. Set in the 1950s against the backdrop of civil rights tensions, Jean Louise's homecoming becomes bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her family and community. She discovers her father Atticus, whom she has long idolized, attending a Citizens' Council meeting where racist views are expressed. This revelation throws Jean Louise into turmoil as she struggles to reconcile her childhood memories with the realities of the present.

As Jean Louise grapples with her disillusionment, she clashes with both her father and her longtime sweetheart Henry Clinton over their views on race relations. She also has a tense encounter with Calpurnia, her family's former black housekeeper whom she had viewed as a mother figure. Through conversations with her Uncle Jack, Jean Louise is forced to confront the complexities of Southern history and politics. The novel explores themes of disillusionment, independence, and the painful transition from idealism to a more nuanced worldview.

The story climaxes in heated confrontations between Jean Louise and the people closest to her, particularly Atticus. She must come to terms with seeing her father as a flawed human being rather than a moral paragon. By the end, Jean Louise begins to forge her own identity separate from her father's influence, while also finding a way to accept the imperfections of her loved ones and her hometown. The novel concludes with Jean Louise cautiously reconciling with both Atticus and Henry as she gains a more mature perspective on Maycomb and its inhabitants.

Themes

• Loss of innocence and disillusionment
• Racial prejudice and civil rights
• Father-daughter relationships
• Coming of age and identity formation
• Moral complexity and ethical dilemmas
• Southern culture and small-town life
• Social change and resistance to progress

Setting

Set in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman takes place against the backdrop of the burgeoning civil rights movement in the American South. The story unfolds during this tumultuous period, marked by racial tensions, political turmoil, and social upheaval as the region grapples with desegregation and changing attitudes towards race relations.

The novel is primarily set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama - the same setting as Lee's iconic To Kill a Mockingbird. Maycomb serves as a microcosm of the larger struggles playing out across the South, with its deeply entrenched traditions and social hierarchies being challenged by calls for racial equality and integration.

Key locations within Maycomb include the Finch family home, the local courthouse, and various other landmarks that would be familiar to readers of Mockingbird. The story also briefly shifts to New York City, where the protagonist Jean Louise Finch has been living, providing a stark contrast between the progressive Northern metropolis and her traditional Southern hometown. This juxtaposition of settings underscores the cultural and ideological divisions of the era.

Characters

• Jean Louise “Scout” Finch: The 26-year-old protagonist, returning to her hometown of Maycomb from New York City. She grapples with disillusionment upon discovering her father's racist views.
• Atticus Finch: Jean Louise's father, a lawyer and former state legislator. His racist attitudes shock and disappoint his daughter.
• Henry “Hank” Clinton: Jean Louise's childhood friend and potential love interest who works for Atticus.
• Dr. Jack Finch: Jean Louise's uncle and mentor, a retired doctor who tries to help her understand the complexities of Southern society.
• Alexandra Finch: Atticus' sister who has moved in to help care for him.
• Calpurnia: The Finches' former housekeeper, whom Jean Louise viewed as a mother figure. Their relationship has grown strained.
• Jeremy “Jem” Finch: Jean Louise's brother, who has died prior to the events of the novel.
• Mr. Stone: The local minister who quotes the Bible verse that gives the novel its title.

Quick facts

• It was actually written before To Kill a Mockingbird, serving as a first draft for Lee's famous novel.
• The manuscript was thought to be lost for decades before being rediscovered in 2011.
• It was published in 2015, 55 years after To Kill a Mockingbird was released.
• The audiobook version is narrated by actress Reese Witherspoon.
• It became the fastest selling book in HarperCollins' history.
• The novel portrays Atticus Finch as a racist, which shocked many readers.
• It was originally promoted as a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird before being revealed as an early draft.
• The title comes from the Book of Isaiah in the Bible.
• There was controversy over whether Lee, who was 89 at the time, had actually consented to its publication.
• It won the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction in 2015 despite mixed critical reviews.

About the author

Harper Lee, born in 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama, was an American novelist best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird. After studying law at the University of Alabama, Lee moved to New York City in 1949 to pursue a writing career. Her literary ambitions were supported by close friend Truman Capote, whom she later assisted with research for his book *In Cold Blood8.

To Kill a Mockingbird, published in 1960, became an immediate critical and commercial success. The novel, which deals with racial injustice in the American South, is considered a classic of modern American literature. Its characters and plot were loosely based on Lee's observations of her family and neighbors, as well as an event that occurred near her hometown when she was young.

Despite the novel's success, Lee largely retreated from public life after its publication. She granted few interviews and made rare public appearances over the following decades. In 2015, controversy arose when a second novel by Lee, Go Set a Watchman, was published. Originally written in the 1950s, it was promoted as a sequel to Mockingbird but is considered by many to be an early draft of the famous novel.

Throughout her life, Lee received numerous accolades for her contribution to literature, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007. She spent her later years living in her hometown of Monroeville until her death in 2016 at the age of 89, leaving behind a complex legacy as one of America's most beloved yet enigmatic authors.