Till first 142 pages of the book,
that I have finished so far..part III..chapter 8..100th page..
Well, for me, the book really
begins with its 100th page when the element, being debated day in and day out,
around the world, is introduced - that gives us first indication that Atticus
Finch has 'turned' racial.
The book's central protagonist is
Jean Louise Finch or Scout Finch, daughter of Atticus Finch - and the book is
basically about her struggle on these revelations - that her father, the man for
all seasons in her life, and his best man whom she contemplates to get marry
are 'segregationists' - with 'segregation' being an act on racial lines against
the black people. The first 142 pages tell us so.
That is the crux of all expert
analyses and reviews on the most awaited book of this century. But the book,
till its 100th page, doesn't indicate that this one is going to be the central
plot. In my opinion, the book fills first 100 pages in telling us the plot
elements that are so routine - especially when you read 'Go Set A Watchman'
after reading and watching 'To Kill A Mockingbird'.
There are pages in the book that
I have read so far, 142 pages of it, that readers can scan and pass. Yes, a
book requires pages to set its theme, to introduce the plot elements, but 100
pages for it are too long for a 278 page book the version that I have - or for
any book. (William Heinemann: London)
Even for many fans of 'To Kill A
Mockingbird', this is like 'questionable' jump, from one plot theme to the
unexpected next. Because, till 100 pages, the author doesn't give us even a
hint about racial preferences and thoughts of a grown-up Jean Louise Finch.
And then there she is - in words
that begin to weave something from 100th page.
For me the book begins there - at
100 page.
Let's see what is in store with
next 136 pages.
I have read and watched 'To Kill
A Mockingbird' - certainly a work of its own kind - a book and a movie on it
that have become timeless classics - a work that is a historical event in
awareness against racial profiling.
There will be many who have just
watched the movie. There will be many more who know about the work but haven't read
the book or seen the movie. They, too, will be tempted to have the book based
on intense reviews and word of mouth publicity around it.