Harper Lee’s new book is today’s perfect parable
Those who lament what they see as betrayal in Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman” miss the entire point of the story. Yes, Atticus Finch is depicted as a segregationist, but then he always was. Read “To Kill a Mockingbird” again. Case closed.
More importantly, as “To Kill a Mockingbird” explored 1930s racism at the time of the Civil Rights era, “Go Set a Watchman” is the perfect parable for the intolerance of this age.
Too many people today, like Jean Louise Finch, are convinced that they are so morally right, so certain, they don’t have to listen to or even try to understand different views. The most immature and closed-minded people, the real bigots, in Dr. John Finch’s words, are those who demand tolerance and respect from others, but never practice it themselves.
How well that describes countless numbers on both sides of the political divide nowadays, so perhaps Ms. Lee was right in having this message published now instead of 60 years ago. Tolerance and self-respect emerge when adversaries acknowledge, “Let us agree to disagree.” As for the critics who don’t like Mr. Finch as a real human being, warts and all, they need to grow up.
Larry Parmeter, Fresno
This story was originally published July 22, 2015 at 7:07 AM with the headline "Harper Lee’s new book is today’s perfect parable."