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Essay on Inspirations Behind Harper Lee's Book, To Kill A Mockingbird

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Nelle Harper Lee is a very well-known author, who earned fame from her book, To Kill a Mockingbird. This book was so well-written that she won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. To Kill a Mockingbird is admired by many people, so it is reasonable to think that the book was inspired by life experiences. To make a book of such strong emotion, Harper Lee must have experienced some of that emotion herself. Harper Lee’s early life must have inspired her to write To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee grew up in Monroeville, Alabama, very similar to Maycomb, Alabama, which is the setting of her book. Scout and Harper Lee lived in southern Alabama country, so Harper Lee would know firsthand how life was in a town like Maycomb. As a child, it is …show more content…

Even with the odds stacked against the women, who made bogus accusations, people still let prejudice get in the way of a fair trial with no bias. In the book, Atticus Finch had absolutely no prejudice against black people. He even defended Tom Robinson, despite the fact that gossip would make its way around Maycomb. Atticus was an attorney, similar to Amasa Lee, Harper Lee’s father. Amasa Lee was also an attorney, and he served on the legislature of Alabama as a state senator. In a trial involving the murder of a white storekeeper, Amasa Lee defended the black father and son accused. Considering the fact that Harper Lee’s father defended black men, Harper Lee must have personally gone through everything that Jem and Scout went through. As written in To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem and Scout faced difficult situations, because Atticus was defending a black man. Harper Lee undoubtedly faced rumors, gossip, and judgment as her father defended two black men himself. Atticus’s views were very similar to Amasa’s views, and, upon filming the To Kill a Mockingbird movie, Gregory Peck, who starred as Atticus, personally went to Alabama to meet the very man who inspired his character. Atticus is portrayed very wise, accepting, and kind, and it is rational to think Amasa Lee has the same characteristics. Truman Capote, one of Harper Lee’s closest friends, can be very

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