It was with great sadness that we recognized the passing of Harper Lee on February 19. Known for writing the American classic “To Kill a Mockingbird” and, more recently, “Go Set a Watchman,” Lee has influenced the lives of many readers and she surely will be remembered for her writing for years to come.
Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926, in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama. She and her three older siblings endured difficult home lives under the roof of their bipolar mother and frequently absent father, who was a lawyer, a member of state legislature, and an owner of part of the local newspaper. It was during her tough childhood that she befriended and protected Truman Capote, a bullied and sensitive boy who would later write the nonfiction best-seller “In Cold Blood” with Lee’s assistance.
Despite her advanced writing skills, Harper Lee studied law at Huntingdon College in Montgomery and later at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. However, she soon discovered her calling as a writer upon becoming an editor for the “Rammer Jammer,” leading to her decision to drop out of college. Moving north to New York City, she reunited with Truman Capote, who received her help in acquiring information for an article on a quadruple murder in Kansas. From there, Capote went on to transform the article into the nonfiction best-seller “In Cold Blood.” As he worked on his novel, Lee was in the progress of completing “To Kill a Mockingbird,” which would soon spark her rise to fame.
Harper Lee was able to publish “To Kill a Mockingbird” in 1960 at the age of 34. Having a resemblance to Harper Lee’s home life, the novel’s characters and story were very much influenced by the individuals who she knew and the racial and political struggles that she witnessed in her small hometown. For example, one of the main characters, Scout, was a representation of Lee’s tomboy childhood personality while Scout’s friend Dill was based off of her friend Truman Capote. Atticus Finch, an attorney and the father of Scout, was a figure much like Lee’s own father. In the story, Atticus took part in a court case defending an African-American man who was accused of raping a young girl in town. When the accusations turned out to be false and the father of the plaintiff set out for revenge, the lives of Scout and her brother Jem were saved by a mysterious and infamous neighbor, Boo Radley. This storyline, addressing the issues in the justice system and depicting the selfless attempt of a stranger to save two children, brought the novel and author to fame. Harper’s novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, but the unexpected stress of fame influenced the humble writer to return to Alabama for the remainder of her life.
Upon returning to Monroeville, Alabama, Harper Lee continued to write but did not publish her works. In 2007, she suffered a stroke that amplified her ongoing health issues of hearing, vision, and short-term memory loss. At this point, she began living in a local assisted living facility and it was during this time that the manuscript of “Go Set a Watchman,” a story depicting Scout at 26-years-old, was discovered and sent for publication. Although it was published over 50 years after “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Lee's novel “Go Set a Watchman” was actually written first. Upon its first submission for publication in1957, Lee’s editor suggested revising the story with Scout as a child. The revision became “To Kill a Mockingbird” while the original manuscript was tucked away for the next 50 years. Upon its publication in February of 2015, “Go Set a Watchman” has served to continue Harper Lee’s legacy indefinitely.
During her long life of 89 years, Harper Lee established a lasting influence throughout the world. Her work produced a classic American novel that has been read and reread inside and out of the classroom for its literary elements, historical aspects, and emotional effect on readers. Harper Lee has been an inspiration for Truman Capote, along with numerous writers over the last 50 years, and the impact of her work is destined to continue for years to come.
