Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

I think everyone knows this book, so I'm going to skip the synopsis and all that.

It's been almost three weeks since Go Set a Watchman came out, and I'm sure everyone is tired of reading it. I was tired of reading it before I even bought the book. With all the controversy surrounding the actual "finding" and publishing of the book, it was looking pretty doubtful that I would even read it.

And then the reviews rolled in. 

"Atticus is racist!" I saw that one on almost every book blog I visit. Not that they were lying. I mean, he does say some pretty racist things. In fact, he says some things that made me wonder what the hell I was reading.

You have to understand something. When I was a kid, I loved to read. I would grab whatever I could and read, but I tended to drift toward Baby-Sitters Club or horse books when we went to the bookstore or the library. I think we picked up To Kill a Mockingbird when I was in fourth grade. I read it in about two days and couldn't fathom that there were books out there like this. It instantly became one of my favorites and I would quote Atticus in high school and college papers, finding a reason to fit him in. I'm sure there are many other people out there in the world that feel the same way as me, because Atticus was always up there when people talked about folk heroes or those that inspired them to live better.

So I did what any rational Atticus-ite would do: I read this book as a standalone.

Um, what?

When I picked up GSAW, I decided that I would read this book the way Harper Lee had written it: as her first - and perhaps only - book. I forgot about Scout and Jem and Dill, I forgot about Atticus and his good nature toward everyone, I forgot about Calpurnia and the way she treated those children as her own. Basically, I acted like TKAM had never happened.

And I ended up really, really liking GSAW.

Look, in this particular social climate, I get that people were having a deal with some white guy spouting off racist remarks. There's no getting around it; it's really uncomfortable, even if you forget that this is Atticus Finch spouted it all. But, at the same time, Atticus needed to do it. Not that he needed to be racist, but this was the 1950s South, people. Many white Americans thought this way, in case you didn't know. Even Jean Louise - the girl that's spent years in sophisticated, forward-thinking New York! - says some pretty reprehensible things. But the whole reason he did this (and minor spoiler alert) is because he had to make Jean Louise see that he wasn't perfect, that she shouldn't idolize him, that she needs to be out in the world and make her own opinions so people don't just keep spouting the same bull over and over again. He was telling her, while saying this horrible things, that being your own person means understanding that your parents are not always right.

That's a HUGE thing.

Look, growing up, parents are a huge influence on our lives. Lucky for me, I grew up with parents that accepted people for who they were and told me not to judge someone by their cover. But not all parents are like that. Some pass their own poison down to their children and then those children, if they don't grow up and realize their parents aren't infallible, will continue to pour that poison down the generations. Atticus put a stop to that in a horrific way, but he did put a stop to it. And he was happy about it.

Besides that whole thing, and the fact this book could have used a better editor, the story was resounding, just like TKAM. Jean Louise is trying to grow up and maybe get married, even though she worries about not being able to be "wifely." I get it. I'm terrified to care for my boyfriend and myself because I can't cook worth anything, and what kind of mother would I be? But she's also worried about coming back home and being around people that are, frankly, too stupid to function. The women she reconnects with spew whatever their husbands say they read, even if it's ridiculous and terrible. 

Gosh, just like people today. 

It is interesting to see these people that Jean Louise grew up with turn into something she's not. She says, "We were both born here, we went to the same schools, we were taught the same things. I wonder what you saw and heard." Racism and being a all-around terrible person are strange things. I know some people who are so good and want to change the world for the better, and then their siblings or parents or what have you make remarks that make me wonder what era we're in. 

Jean Louise also tells Atticus, "You are using frightful means to justify ends that you think are for the good of the most people." And that really hit me because *some people* watch a certain news network that uses the same scare tactics, and then those people regurgitate whatever they heard back at me, and when I don't care, I'm suddenly the bad person. Well, no, I don't believe that five women of color dying in police custody within a month is a coincidence and, no, I don't believe that these police officers are acting in "our best interest," so how does that make me a bad person?

The line that resonated with me the most was when Uncle Jack told Jean Louise that "every man's watchman, is his conscience." 

I think many people forget that.

Before I say or do anything, I usually think to myself, would me in five minutes be okay with this? If the answer is no, I keep my mouth shut or don't do what I'm about to do. No one is standing next to me, holding my hand, telling me what is right and what is wrong. I'm the only one that's able to do that now, because I've grown up and my parents can't follow me around anymore. I try to act in a way that would make me proud a few years down the line, and that means treating everyone around me in a good way. I just don't know when that became such a difficult concept for people to grasp onto. Seriously, think about it: how hard is it to, instead of looking at someone's skin and pre-judging them, how about you get to know them? If they're a jerk, walk away. But if they're not, take a few more minutes to get to know them. You'd be surprised.

Okay, my Mr. Rodger's rant is done for the day. I don't know anyone else who has read this book, so I kind of went overboard, but seriously, read this book. Don't concentrate on Atticus being racist or the fact that this was probably published under sinister motives. Take the story as it is: be good to one another. Build a better place for everyone to live in. 

If I could steal some words from one of our greatest philosophers, Jerry Springer: Take care of yourself, and each other.

Damn right, Springer.