Talk with Harper Lee

Harper Lee, born as Nelle Harper Lee on April 28, 1926, was an American novelist best known for her 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird", which deals with the issues of racism that she observed as a child in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. She was a key figure in US literature during her lifetime. Despite being a relatively private person, she was awarded several high-profile honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contribution to literature. Lee passed away in her sleep on the morning of February 19, 2016.

Harper Lee was not directly involved in the creation or production of the 1962 movie adaptation of "To Kill a Mockingbird." However, she had an interesting connection to the film. She was close friends with Gregory Peck, who played the role of Atticus Finch in the film. In fact, she gave him her father's pocket watch as a gift, and Peck wore that watch during the film's production. Despite her personal connection to the film, she did not officially contribute to its screenplay, direction, or production. The film was directed by Robert Mulligan with a screenplay by Horton Foote.

Harper Lee was a very private person and seldom shared explicit insights into her personal philosophy of life. However, her writings and sparse comments in interviews provide some insights.

In terms of life, it could be inferred that she had a strong belief in morality, respect for others, equality, social justice, and the importance of empathy. These themes are clearly directed in her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "To Kill a Mockingbird". Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, Harper Lee explores themes of racial injustice, moral complexity, good and evil, and the need to truly understand someone by "climbing into his skin and walking around in it."

As for her writing philosophy, Harper Lee was known to have a meticulous and painstaking approach. She once shared that she would take several years to write a story. This careful, slow rhythm of writing may reflect her consideration for the quality of work over the quantity.

She also believed that fiction should be grounded in reality, and she drew heavily from her own life experiences in her writing. The small-town Southern life she experienced growing up in Alabama was vividly represented in her work.

Lastly, Harper Lee had spoken about the function of a writer to be 'the recorder of the people', holding a mirror to society. This was clearly exhibited in "To Kill a Mockingbird" where she exposed the racial prejudices and injustices present in the mid-20th century American society.

Harper Lee's upbringing had a profound influence on her writing, particularly her most famous work, "To Kill a Mockingbird." Lee grew up in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama during the Great Depression era. The racial tensions, social hierarchies, and moral complexities of this time and place would later become central themes in her work.

While growing up, Lee was a close friend of the future novelist Truman Capote, and their adolescent adventures and shared love of reading informed much of the dynamic between Scout and Dill in "To Kill a Mockingbird." Lee's father, Amasa Coleman Lee was a lawyer and served in the Alabama State Legislature, and he served as the primary inspiration for the character of Atticus Finch, the respected lawyer and morally upright protagonist of the book.

The event of a series of racial injustices, including the Scottsboro Boys' trial in Alabama, profoundly impacted her. These real-life events influenced Lee's depiction of the unjust trial and ultimate conviction of Tom Robinson in her novel.

In conclusion, Harper Lee’s upbringing was an integral part of her writing by providing her with real-life experiences and insights into human behaviour, prejudices, and moral complexities during that time.

Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama. Her full name was Nelle Harper Lee. Her parents were Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Cunningham Finch Lee. Her father, Amasa, was a former newspaper editor and proprietor, and later practiced law and served in the Alabama State Legislature from 1926 to 1938. He was also one of the minority of white Alabamians who championed racial equality.

Harper Lee was the youngest of four children. Her siblings were Alice Finch Lee, who became an attorney; Louise Lee Conner; and Edwin Hale Lee.

One of the most important figures in her childhood was her next-door neighbor and friend, Truman Capote, who later became a famous writer himself. Their friendship was depicted in many ways in her novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird", where the character Dill was based on Truman Capote.

Harper Lee's family, especially her father, heavily influenced her and were instrumental in molding her perspectives, which are well reflected in her writings.

Harper Lee has published two books in her lifetime, "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Go Set a Watchman".

"To Kill a Mockingbird" was published on July 11, 1960, by J. B. Lippincott & Co. Originally titled "Atticus", it centers on the moral upbringing of a young girl, Scout, and delves deep into themes of racial inequality and innocence. The book was instantly popular and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. It has since become a classic in modern American literature.

The second book, "Go Set a Watchman", was published later, on July 14, 2015, by HarperCollins, a good while after Harper Lee had largely withdrawn from the public eye. There's a good deal of controversy surrounding the book, which is essentially described as a first draft of "To Kill a Mockingbird". The novel, set two decades after the events of "To Kill a Mockingbird", presents an adult Scout who returns to her hometown and grapples with issues of political and personal importance.

Apart from these two novels, Harper Lee assisted Truman Capote in researching for his non-fiction novel "In Cold Blood" but it wasn't her work. Also, several articles she had written were posthumously published in book form titled "Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird: New Essays" in 2018.

Harper Lee wrote "To Kill a Mockingbird" as a way to examine the nature of human behavior, particularly the concept of innocence and moral goodness against the backdrop of racial prejudices that were rampant in the Southern United States at the time.

Drawing from her own experiences growing up in Monroeville, Alabama, Harper Lee brought forth the realities of racism, class, and moral consciousness she witnessed growing up. The novel is a reflection of the racism and the struggle for justice that she observed firsthand.

The book also served as a tribute to her father, Amasa Coleman Lee, who was an attorney and a lawmaker like the character Atticus Finch in the story. Harper Lee admired her father's strong sense of morality and justice, and this greatly influenced her writing.

However, unlike some authors, Harper Lee didn't explicitly state her reasons or motivations for writing the novel. As such, our understanding is largely based on educated speculation, analysis of her work, and what we know about her life and the era in which she lived.

Harper Lee authored two books in her lifetime. Her first novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird", was published in 1960. After nearly half a century, her second novel "Go Set a Watchman" was published in 2015. "Go Set a Watchman" was actually written before "To Kill a Mockingbird" and is considered a first draft of the latter, despite being published later.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee explores a variety of themes, exhibiting the complexity of life and society itself. Here are a few of them:

1. Racial Injustice: Harper Lee leverages the novel to expose the racial disparities and prejudices faced by African-Americans in the South. The wrongful accusation and conviction of the character Tom Robinson, a black man, is a prime example of racial injustice.

2. Loss of Innocence: Through the perspective of young Scout Finch, we experience the loss of innocence as she encounters the harsh realities of societal norms, prejudice and hatred.

3. Moral Education: Atticus Finch, Scout and Jem's father, serves as a moral compass throughout the story, highlighting the importance of empathy. It's his teachings to his children about understanding other people by imagining oneself in their shoes that marks this theme.

4. Goodness Amidst Evil: Just as the mockingbird is an innocent creature that makes music for others to enjoy, characters in the book like Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, represent goodness amidst an environment marked by evil and prejudice.

5. Class Snobbery: It's not just racial, but even class disparity is explored in the book. Maycomb's inhabitants are distinctly divided by their financial and social positions, leading to discrimination within their own community.

6. Courage: Various forms of courage are depicted in the novel. Atticus shows moral courage in defending Tom Robinson while Scout and Jem display physical courage when dealing with the dangers in their small town.

In essence, "To Kill a Mockingbird" pushes readers to scrutinize societal norms and inspires them to uphold fairness, empathy, and understanding in the face of injustice.

Harper Lee herself did not remove "To Kill a Mockingbird" from schools. However, the book has been removed from some schools or school reading lists over time due to its sensitive subject matter. Some parents and educators have felt uncomfortable with its frank discussion of racial injustice and the use of racially offensive language, which is used to accurately depict the historical and social context of the age in which it was set. Additionally, some individuals have taken issue with the book's depictions of violence, rape, and other mature themes, despite their role in highlighting the social issues Lee aimed to address. Despite this, "To Kill a Mockingbird" remains a commonly taught text in schools worldwide due to its important exploration of inequality and the moral growth of its characters.

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