Nell Harper Lee Research Paper

Harper Lee is a famous author who wrote the award winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird. She grew up in the heart of Alabama and tied in many aspects of her southern childhood into the novel. There are historical and biological influences in the book To Kill a Mockingbird that reflect Lee’s life and the society around her during the 1930s.

Harper Lee is well known for her great contributions towards modern society through her astounding book, To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel is read world-wide, in high schools and colleges because of its in-depth look at the social classes in the south during the 1930's. The book was influenced by society, in particular the social order of the south during her childhood. Lee grew up during this time of controversy which is why she writes so passionately about the topic. Lee wrote the novel to make a point about race while basing much of the plot off a trial from her young age, her own father, and the society she grew up in.

A writer, who’s famous for an award winning book that created a reaction throughout the nation. Harper Lee is famous for writing the book ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, which is now renowned for being a classic of modern American literature. Lee had grown up in Alabama to Frances Finch and Amasa Lee, along with her siblings Edwin, Alice, and Louise. As Lee grew up, she had been introduced at a young age to racial injustice through her father, who as a Southern lawyer, would have to either defend or oppose African Americans in different cases. Due to this, she tried to make social and political statements throughout her book, such as how whites were prejudice and bias towards African Americans and how anyone who either defends or likes a black is hated. Harper Lee tried to build connections between her childhood and her novel, while also connecting important events that were connected to The Civil Rights Movement.

Nelle Harper Lee, born April 28, 1926 was named after her grandmother, Ellen. Her mother was Francis Cunningham Finch, born August 14, 1888, and her father was Amass Coleman Lee, born in 1880. Mr. Lee grew up as a farmer in Florida before moving to Alabama and settling down with Francis. They had three children before Nelle. The oldest was Alice Finch Lee (1911) and she was fifteen when Nelle was born. The second oldest was Louise Lee Finch (1916) who was ten years Nelle’s senior. The second youngest child, and only son of the Lee family, was Edwin Lee (1920). Because of the mere six year age difference Edwin and Nelle were very close growing up.

Harper Lee is considered one of America’s most enigmatic and influential writers of the twentieth century. Lee’s popular novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, offers readers deep insight into the dynamics of an unconventional family and Southern lifestyle in the1930s. Harper Lee was born Nelle Harper Lee on April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama (Sparknotes.com). According to the author’s official website, Harper Lee was a descendant of famous Civil War general, Robert E. Lee, and daughter to a former newspaper editor turned state senator and practicing attorney.

Throughout the early 1900’s, segregation and other racial hostilities were executed on African Americans due to the color of their skin, therefore, such ignominies were part of the public’s everyday lifestyle; however, Harper Lee did not agree with such ideologies presented on her daily environment.

Nelle Harper Lee, youngest of four, was born in Monroeville, Alabama, on April 28, 1926, to mother, Amasa Coleman Lee, and father, Francis Cunningham Finch Lee. It was said that Lee’s mother Amasa suffered from bipolar disorder throughout life (“Harper Lee”). Although her parents wanted her to act like a proper lady, Lee wore too small of overalls and often would be harsh on other kids for not standing up for themselves. Many of the kids would call her a bully, though she recognized it as a compliment. Nelle was not a complete boy like she was on the playground, her behavior was actually quite normal. She was polite and respectful to adults and remembered to use her manners by saying “sir” or “ma’am” when spoken to (Shields, 38). In grade school,

Harper Lee's reaction to the success of "To Kill a Mockingbird" was a strange one. She said she didn't expect it to be such a success. She was hoping someone would like it, and give her a chance. In 1957, Lee met with editor Tay Hohoff in a meeting to discuss her novel. They were in New York at the time. Nelle was an airline reservation agent for 8 years to support herself while writing the manuscript "Atticus." It was about a girl named Scout Finch and her father Atticus Finch, who was a lawyer. Atticus was given a case to represent a black male accused of rape. This was during the 1930's, when racism and segregation was very alive. It shows us what the blacks had to endure while living in the south. The book has a strong meaning about racism and stereotyping.

It's the 1930s and racism, classism, sexism is prominent and the Great Depression is happening. In 1930, Harper Lee was 4 years of age. 1930, is the time period that her book, To Kill a Mockingbird, takes place. Due to growing up in the 1930s, Harper Lee has experienced all of the issues above, which provided her with material for themes and purposes in her book. Harper Lee uses imagery, metaphors, and characterization to show the theme of overcoming fear.

Born on April 28th 1926 Nelle Harper Lee grew up in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama. Nelle did not act as a normal girl was expected to during her younger years. She ran around acting tomboyish and only did what she wanted to do. Harper had four older siblings, a mother who was a homemaker and mentally ill, and a father who was a lawyer. During her time in high school, Nelle found a love of writing and went to the Huntingdon College. Although she studied law at the University of Alabama before this, she loved writing more and went to New York to expand her writing skills. Then, in 1960 Nelle published To Kill a Mockingbird but she was not a fan of all the reporters and the fame. After publishing To Kill a Mockingbird, Nelle Harper Lee

He offered to aid her financially for one year so she could quit her job and put all her effort into writing, a generous and golden opportunity for Lee. In this year Harper Lee wrote what would eventually become To Kill a Mockingbird. The initial draft was titled Go Set a Watchman, she sent this draft to a publishing company where it sparked the interest of Tay Hohoff, an editor. Hohoff suggested that Lee polish and complete the novel fully as it could not be published yet. They communicated back and forth with suggestions and

Lee grew up in the south in the early nineteen-hundreds. The people around her felt blacks were beneath whites and gave them many difficulties to put up with. This injustice was especially prominent in court cases, like the one Lee depicts in her novel. Though Harper Lee accepts that there is racism in the community, she reminds us all her own thoughts by giving advice to Scout that all the readers can take something away from: “‘As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it— whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash’”(Lee 224). Clearly, dealing with the injustices of trials at home inspired Lee to write her book and point out the problems we are turning a blind eye to in our own country. Using her personal background in the oppression of the south, Harper Lee shed light on the issue by depicting the issue in her remarkably well-written

The book Go Set A Watchman, by Harper Lee, was written in the late 1950’s when gender, class and race played a crucial role in the southern lives. Back in the late 1950’s when the societal/cultural, gender expectations, and racial segregation/bias all played significant roles to advance the plot of the story. Gender stereotypes played a vital role not only in the book, but also in the late 1950’s.

In To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee and the editors chose to white wash the subject, while Go Set a Watchman deals with the realism of how racism was handled and the segregation groups that prevented integration. In Go Set a Watchman Jean Louise and Atticus’ views on racism are on opposite sides of the spectrum pitting them against each other. Where as in To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus’ views are Scout’s views and Harper Lee fantasizes the way a southern man handled the topic. Jean Louise discovers a number of clues leading to the true Atticus. Randall Kennedy emphasized that he didn’t change his views on racism but just in the behavior he handled the problem.

On April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama, Nelle Harper Lee was born to Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Finch Lee. Along with her siblings, Alice, Louise, and Edwin, Harper was educated in Monroeville Public Schools before going on to attend Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. After a year at Huntingdon, Lee decided to follow in the footsteps of her father and began studying law at the University of Alabama in 1945 [2]. She left there to study abroad at Oxford University, Wellington Court in England [4]. After returning to the United States, she continued her education at the University of Alabama. However, in 1950, six months prior to completing her law degree, Lee moved to New York hoping to begin