The
novel The
Client by John Grisham is filled with evil and sleaziness; but in the end, good triumphs. The main character experiences many hardships, but finds consolation in his
lawyer and the importance of trust. Mark, an eleven-year old, lives in an abusive household with an eight-year old brother, Ricky. Mark smokes regularly, and Ricky thinks he is cool. His father is an alcoholic who beats both boys and their mother. These hardships
help Mark to triumph in the end because of his maturity and his experience with tough situations. The setting begins in the busy city of Memphis, Tennessee, and, as the story progresses, moves to New Orleans, Louisiana. The novel begins in the woods behind their trailer as Mark and Ricky are walking down the path to smoke cigarettes. Then, a black, shiny Lincoln creeps towards them. Mark and Ricky hide, only to see a prominent lawyer, Jerome "Romey" Clifford, commit suicide. Ricky goes into shock and is taken to a hospital. Romey is the lawyer for Barry "The Blade" Muldanno, a member of the mob who has killed U.S. Senator Boyd Boyette. The mob finds out about Romey''s death and Mark, who had briefly chatted with the deceased lawyer. The boy then goes on a
quest to find Boyette''s hidden body. The novel is written in third person point of view. John Grisham uses characterization to make you love or hate the
people. The plot is uplifting because despite the hardships Mark may face, he always finds a way to overcome them. Grisham wrote this novel to entertain, but also to express his feelings about the American legal system. The setting is not extremely important, but is close to John Grisham''s childhood home, so he knows the area. He also describes the characters'' inner and outer traits and their backgrounds. The title of this novel is very significant. Throughout the novel, Grisham portrays the companionship of a lawyer and their client. For example, Mark''s lawyer, Reggie Love, breaks laws in order to help the eleven-year old succeed in his quest to find the dead senator''s body. I believe Grisham is proving that no matter how many bad people and lawyers there are, there are always good people and lawyers that will overcome and win. The bad ones just win every once in a while. The Client''s theme is unquestionably important as Mark and Reggie become closer as they get further along in their quest. The theme is about life''s difficulties and problems, and how a good friend or advisor can help. I believe that Grisham is trying to state that no matter how big a conflict may become, that a true friend will come through for you. In conclusion, I enjoyed this novel very much because of Grisham''s talented methods of keeping the reader interested throughout the novel. I consider Grisham to be an excellent writer with a great knowledge of the legal system and a grasp of interpersonal relationships. The book, although law-related, is easy to read because of his writing style. Now nationally known, John Grisham stands out as one of the most famous Mississippi writers.
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