Essay
To Kill a Mockingbird vs Go Set a Watchman

To Kill a Mockingbird is a film directed by Robert Mulligan. The film depicts heart-warming humanity and heart-breaking cruelty in a world dominated by evil that adults do in the presence of innocent children (Brown and Schulten). The film demonstrates a model of masculine decency through Atticus Finch, a lawyer who protected a black man accused of raping a white lady. In addition, it also touches much on social questions including racism in the Southern states in the mid-1930s. On the other hand, Go Set a Watchman is a book by Harper Lee that demonstrates hatred and prejudice in the 1930s. As such, the novel is a companion piece of the movie as it depicts same themes and characters. For instance, Atticus is portrayed as a racist in both the film and the novel. The paper explains how Grand Jurys infamous decision on the murder of a black boy by a white cop caused violent protest, the writing process, and the aging of scout reflect the racism depicted in both Go Set a Watchman movie and To Kill a Mockingbird novel.

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One of the recent event in Ferguson that reflects the racism depicted in the movie and the novel is the killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old boy. After the incident, Grand Jury held a series of hearings to decide whether the white cop, Darren Wilson was responsible for shooting Brown. In particular, he decided that there was no enough evidence to indicate that the white cop shot the black boy. As a result, the decision triggered violent protests in Ferguson for a night. This event is reflected in the film To Kill a Mockingbird when Atticus Finch defends the black man alleged of rape. The event is also reflected in the novel Go Set a Watchman in that Fergusons resident found consolation in the words of the author as well as those of Atticus Finch. According to Whitaker, the event disenfranchised voices of Americans to find something in To Kill a Mockingbird. For instance, black men distress and inhabit the psyches of whites in the same way Robinson in the novel unsettled the white people of Alabama. In this context, justice for black men is in the hands of white officers.

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The writing process is another recent event in cities such as Baltimore, which reflect the legacy of racism in both in Go Set a Watchman movie and To Kill a Mockingbird novel. The first chapter of Go Set a Watchman was released ahead of its publication in The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal from To Kill a Mockingbird. As such, racism stimulated the writing process about why, how, and what of revision. For instance, Harper Lee is said to have taken her editors council to transform her work into something new. Additional, most of recent books on racism are as a result of a review of Lees masterpieces on the topic. A good example is a funny novel by Merrill Markoe, Watchman, that might amuse a reader if he or she compares the two novels (Brown and Schulten). This new publication has enlightened the readers on several aspects of racism. For instance, Jean Louise, who, like everyone, grew up reading To Kill a Mockingbird, now realizes for the first time that her father is not the same Atticus Finch that he was in that book (Brown and Schulten).

Lastly, the recent events in cities such as Baltimore reflect the legacy of racism in both Go Set a Watchman movie and To Kill a Mockingbird novel through the aging of a scout. In particular, events organized by the states governments to nature scouts talents are evident in the two masterpieces. For example, the novel completed coming-of-age arc that began in the film. In the movie, the audience watches the scout grow from a child to a mature woman who left home and came back as a classic hero adventure. Thus, recent events help us to appreciate how Lees coming of age as a distinguished writer. From my perspective, the film To Kill a Mockingbird depicts race relations through the killing of a mad dog and shooting of Robinson. In this context, Robinson is depicted as both the mad dog and the mockingbird. Atticus knew that killing a harmless black man was immoral, but legally justified. Such killings depict psychological peal that racial oppression placed upon black people (Fisher and Silber 7). This shows unequal and cruel race relations between the white and black people in the 1930s. In the novel, Go Set a Watchman race relations are depicted through Jean Louise, a 26 years Scout and a sort of a tomboy. Jean feels that she has no place in the world, because of her symbolic father. Atticus Finch was a racist and a leader of white people Council that was dominated by segregationists. In addition, her teenage boyfriend was also a member of the Council. As such, the novel depicts that racism spread to the extent that parent could not hide from an observant child such as Jean.

In conclusion, a reflection of recent events including Grand Jurys infamous decision on the murder of a black boy, writing process, and the aging of the scout in South Carolina, Baltimore, Ferguson, and elsewhere make Harper Lees themes presented in both Go Set a Watchman movie and To Kill a Mockingbird novel more relevant. In particular, the above film depicts race relations through the killing of a mad dog and shooting of Robinson while the novel does so through Jean Louise alienation.