Sparring Partners

Jake Brigance is the protagonist of “Homecoming,” and a recurring character in the works of John Grisham. Jake first appeared in the 1989 novel A Time to Kill, and has since appeared in Sycamore Row (2013) and A Time for Mercy (2020). Grisham has stated that the character was originally an author stand-in.

In “Homecoming,” Jake is a criminal attorney living and practicing law in the fictional town of Clanton, Mississippi. His law practice is successful but not lucrative: The cases he takes are “always mundane and rarely profitable” (3). Jake is 38 years old, married, and the father of two young children, Hanna and Luke.

Although, in other stories, Jake is characterized by his dedication to upholding the law and defending the innocent, in this story, he is characterized by his loyalty to his friends, especially Mack Stafford, despite legal troubles. At one point, Jake deliberately misleads FBI agents to protect Mack and derail the investigation against him. Jake’s complicated relationship with the law is balanced by depictions of his family life: Unlike the other characters in this story, Jake is a faithful and loving husband and father.