A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr

“A Civil Action” by Jonathan Harr is considered to be one of the most popular movies about legal issues.

There was even film adaptation that had starred John Travolta as the protagonist lawyer. But what businessmen could learn from the story is not concerned with the legal process. The insights that this story provide is concerned with what could be the positive and negative characteristics that a businessman could have.

The protagonist of the story is the flamboyant lawyer Jan Schlichtmann. The book had expressed that over-confidence could cause an individual to be off-guarded from unexpected predicaments. But what is commendable about Schlichtmann is his strong determination and perseverance. He had managed to pull himself together through their arduous legal battles with giant companies.

What the book is suggesting to those in field of business is that confidence is essential but one must make sure they keep their feet on the ground.

The world of business is full of risk that may catch businessmen off-guard just because their focus is on their achievements and profits. But more significantly, the book teaches us the importance of determination and perseverance. It is an unfortunate reality that in the business world, failure is almost inevitable. It is important for businessmen to keep a high level of determination and perseverance until success smiles upon them permanently.

Work Cited

Harr, Jonathan. A Civil Action. New York: Random House, Vintage Books. 1964