The Amazing Journeys of Harper Lee
Have you ever heard of the story, To Kill a Mockingbird? The amazing author behind this classic American novel is Harper Lee. She is famous for her one and only published novel. Other than the one novel, Lee chose to live a relatively normal life mostly in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama. Her birth, her youth, her short writing career, and her present day lifestyle can summarize her life.
Before Harper Lee could become a famous author, she had to be brought into this world. Lee’s father, Amasa Coleman Lee, who called himself A.C., was a successful lawyer (Shields, 3). Lee’s mother, Frances Cunningham Finch, was mentally ill and rarely left her house. It was believed that she might have had bipolar disorder
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She could care less about fashion, make-up, and boys (Shields, 2). Lee grew up beside her next-door neighbor, Truman Persons. He was often picked on for being a sissy and for wearing “fancy” clothes. Harper would intervene in the situation and beat up the boys who were making fun of him (“Nelle Harper Lee” biography.com). The two’s personalities complemented each other very well, which was a good thing because the two would later go on to write with each other. Harper first showed interest in writing at the age of seven (“Harper Lee”, galegroup.com). Harper attended Elementary through High School in Monroeville (Harper Lee, famousauthors.org). After High School, Lee attended Huntington All-girls College in Montgomery, Alabama until 1945. She was a member of the Literary Honor Society there (“(Nelle) Harper Lee.” galegroup.com). She then transferred to the University of Alabama and went there until 1949. During her time at the University, she was the editor of the school’s humor magazine, the Rammer Jammer (“Nelle Harper Lee” biography.com). Also during this time, Truman Persons, now called Truman Capote, published a novel titled Other Voices, Other Rooms, which has a rough ‘n’ tough character named Isabel who is based off of Harper Lee. After that, she attended Oxford University in England as an exchange student to pursue a career in law. It only took Lee one semester …show more content…
The themes of guilt, innocence, prejudice, and tolerance are closely related throughout the novel. The mockingbird is understood to stand for joy and innocence (“Harper Lee” galegroup.com). Lee’s famous novel has been transferred into over 40 languages. It has been confirmed that she worked on a second novel as well; it remains unknown as to why that novel never appeared (Shields, 175). At one time during the writing of the second novel, Lee quoted, “All I want to be is the Jane Austen of South Alabama” (Shields, 178). In 1961, Harper Lee became the only author to win the Pulitzer Prize with her first novel. She also won many other awards that year including the Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the Alabama Library Association Award (“Harper Lee” famousauthors.org). Horton Foote wrote a screenplay based off of Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird novel in 1962. The film went on to win eight Academy Award nominations; it also won four awards including Best Actor played by Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch (“Nelle Harper Lee” biography.com). In 1962, her book won the Bestsellers Paperback of the Year award (“Harper Lee” famousauthors.org). Capote asked Lee to work with him in the continuation of the article that they had previously published in The New Yorker because he wanted to turn it into a novel. He named
60.00% of people in the United States were greatly affected by the Great Depression. Experiencing some of the most painful years in history. Harper Lee learned to live through this since she was young . Her novel is connected to real on goings in the 1930s. Lee was seemingly influenced by the misfortunate events such as, the murder of Emmett Till this has caused much reflection and guidance in her writing through particularly one character. Not only was Lee very profound in the Emmett Till murder, but also in the Expectations of women in the South and Scottsboro Trials.
About nine years before Lee passed away, she had a stroke which brought on numerous health issues including limited vision and the loss of her hearing. She was moved to an assisted living facility where her sister told the staff that books were one of the most important things in her life, so Lee was given a magnifying glass and was able to continue to
Harper Lee’s only book, To Kill a Mockingbird, is the stereotypical tale of childhood and innocence, yet it successfully incorporates mature themes, like the racism in the South at the time, to create a masterpiece of a work that has enraptured people’s minds and hearts for generations. According to esteemed novelist Wally Lamb, “It was the first time in my life that a book had sort of captured me. That was exciting; I didn’t realize that literature could do that” (111). Scout’s witty narration and brash actions make her the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for, and the events that take place in Maycomb County are small-scale versions of the dilemmas that face our world today. Mockingbird is a fantastically written novel that belongs on the shelves for classic literature that everyone should take the time to read and appreciate for their execution of style and the importance of their content.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most influential books of all times. It has been argued that this book is an autobiography contrary to most beliefs the book is not. Although the book was strongly influenced by her childhood. Harper Lee’s mother was Frances Cunningham Finch. Lee uses all three of her mother’s names for characters in To Kill a Mockingbird. When Lee was in nursery, she met a boy called Truman Streckfus. They got very close and the two bonded instantly. Lee based her character of Dill, the oddly articulate kid, on her good friend Truman. ("To Kill A," 1962).
Harper Lee was the youngest of four children, a situation that often made her feel it was necessary to act out: “As a child, Harper Lee was an unruly tomboy. She fought on the playground. She talked back to teachers. She was bored with school and resisted any sort of conformity” (Stark). Her sister, Alice, who was fifteen years older, agreed with this description, admitting that Harper “isn’t much of a conformist” (Shields 2). In fact, Harper tried her best to be incongruous and not blend in with the other kids. She was often thought of as a social outcast to people who didn’t know her. Countless would agree that she often acted impetuously and without thought. She had not the restraint and self control as a child should, and often caused harm t...
Published in 1960 and won Pulitzer Prize later, To Kill a Mockingbird is a semi-autobiographical book by Nelle Harper Lee and a classic in American literature. An extraordinary work and probably the most widely read book about racism, it represents the battle of justice and prejudice, goodness and evilness which prevails in humanity from a little girl’s point of view. It covers a span of three years during which both Maycomb, the small town, and people there, especially Scout Finch and her brother Jem underwent significant changes.
To Kill A Mockingbird is a cultural and classic novel wrote by Harper Lee. A connection people believe is that the novel is based off of Harper Lee’s childhood. There are reasons to believe that there is a connection between the book and the author's life.
Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, tells the story of how a young girl matures over time. The girl lives in Maycomb, Alabama and is faced with people different than herself; such as those of different ethnicities and those who have different personality types. At first the girl, named Scout Finch, is unempathetic towards others because she cannot interpret their feelings and life situations, but over time she develops the mature feelings of empathy. Scout’s further development of compassion enables her to be more empathetic towards others, and strengthens her new and previous relationships. Thus, throughout the novel, Harper Lee, establishes Scout Finch as a dynamic character to emphasize that when
“To Kill A Mockingbird”, a story by Harper Lee, tells the tale of a young girl named Scout. She lives with her father Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer, and her older brother Jem in Maycomb, Alabama. This story follows Scout through the journey of growing up over the time period of a few years, and also shows us her learning some very crucial life lessons.
Nelle Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird has been considered one of the classic works of American literature. To Kill A Mockingbird is the work ever published by Nelle Harper Lee, and it brought her great fame. However, Nelle Harper Lee has published several other articles in popular magazines. Nelle Harper Lee is not an individual who desires to be in the light and little is known about her personal life. At the time it is believed she is possible working on her memoirs. The fictional work of To Kill A Mockingbird plots many elements close to real events in America’s struggle over civil rights.
Nelle Harper Lee, an American writer, has become an international bookseller for her first and only book, To Kill a Mockingbird. She was born in Monroeville, Alabama on April 28, 1926. Harper enjoyed many friendships in her small southwestern town. She had one older sibling, Alice Lee. Harper’s mother, Frances Cunningham Finch Lee, was a homemaker. She was intellectually brilliant and attended a private school for girls. But, she also suffered from a “nervous disorder.” This made Frances not a big part of Harper’s life due to mental illness. Because of this, Harper’s father, Amasa Coleman (A.C.) Lee, became the one Harper looked up to and adored. A.C. Lee was greatly devoted to helping others in his lifetime. He had numerous careers including a country school teacher, bookkeeper, and newspaper editor, but his main job was a lawyer. Before he became a lawyer, he defended two African American men who were accused of murdering a white. They lost the case and the two men were punished with death. Harper was greatly influenced by her father and wanted to pursue his career as a ...
The 1930’s were a time in which blacks faced many hardships. It was a time in which the Ku Klux Klan had its peak. However, most importantly, it was the time when Nelle Harper Lee, the writer of To Kill A Mockingbird, was being raised. She was raised in a world where “niggers'; were the bottom class in one of the most powerful countries in the world. She was also being raised during the Great Depression, a time when the attacks on blacks were intensified, as they were the scapegoats of the immense downfall of the US economy. However, she was only a small, innocent child who believed in equality for all. Thus, Harper Lee expressed her disapproval over the treatment of blacks in her Award-Winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, through the eyes of a fictional character called Jean Louise Finch, better known as “Scout';.
"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy” (Lee 94). American writer Harper Lee definitely worked her way up to giving people joy with her book To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee was born on April, 28th, 1926 and grew up in Monroeville, Alabama. Her father was a former newspaper editor, who had served as a state senator and studied law in Monroeville, Alabama. As a lawyer's daughter, Harper Lee certainly was aware of the cases that demonstrated the inequities of the South before the Civil-Rights movement. Her Father was a part of these trials throughout her life, including the very famous Scottsboro Trial. Lee studied law at the University of Alabama for four years, and spent a year as an exchange student in Oxford Un...
The book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel. It is set in the 1930s, a time when racism was very prominent. Harper Lee emphasizes the themes of prejudice and tolerance in her novel through the use of her characters and their interactions within the Maycomb community. The narrator of the story, Scout, comes across many people and situations with prejudice and tolerance, as her father defends a black man.
Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. She is the youngest of four children, which is why she says she has a knack for writing. She devoted her life to writing and even gave up other jobs that she loved like working for the airline company and going to college. Her first attempt at writing “To Kill a Mocking Bird” was declined by every publisher, because she only wrote a series of short stories. Upon revising the book, she made it into one of the best selling novels around. She was even congratulated by those publishers that said she would never be able to write books well enough. That was all the motivation that she needed.