LORENA NIEUWENHOVEN, NIKKI MATTOS, ALEXIS ABITBOL, ANTONIO BRAGA, ISABELA SOUZA, GABRIEL ZLATKIN.

HARPER LEE

Basic Information

Nelle Harper Lee, who was born on April 28th, 1926, is an American novelist that is internationally known for writing the book, “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

This book dealt with different issues of racism, which she observed growing up in her hometown, Monroeville, Alabama.

“To Kill a Mockingbird,” was first published in 1960 and has become one of the classics of modern American literature.

Harper Lee has gained many extremely important prizes, like the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the 1962 Pulitzer Prize. Although TKAMB is her only published book, she has become a very important and influential writer due to the book’s huge success.

She currently is 86 years old and live in between New York City and her hometown.

Before “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Harper Lee grew up during the Great Depression in Monroeville, Alabama.

Lee went to the University of Alabama from 1945-1949. She even transferred to Oxford, but 6 months before graduating she dropped out and went to New York to start her literary career.

Key Fact

Lee was the daughter of a respected small-town attorney. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee talks about how the character Atticus Finch tries to defend a black man that was being charged for raping a white woman. Her father tried to give the man a fair trial and good representation; however, he was not successful. This trial is similar to a trial Harper’s father was working on when she was a child. Amasa Coleman Lee (her father) tried to defend a black man and his son who were accused of murdering a white storekeeper. Unfortunately, Amasa failed and both his clients were hanged.

During “To Kill a Mockingbird”

A lot of Harper Lee’s childhood reflects on the book. She grew up during the Great Depression and used her memory of it to write her book.

During the Great Depression there was a lot of racism in Alabama due to the fact that there were a variety of more African Americans.

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ shows a lot of racism and the bad outcomes of racist thoughts. Lee’s childhood really reflects on her book, since it was something she lived very closely with.

Many of the characters in the book are actually based on people Lee knew from her childhood. For example, the character Dill is based on Truman Capote, Lee’s childhood friend and neighbor. The main character of the book, Scout, is based on Harper herself.

After “To Kill a Mockingbird”

After TKAMB Harper Lee went to Kansas to assist Capote on an article of a murderer of a small family. Later on Capote expanded the article and it became a best seller in 1966 " In Cold Blooded".

After that Harper Lee wasn't seen in public much and since then hadn't published anything. However she did work on an unfinished book called "The Long Goodbye".

After

On 2011 she was interviewed, she said she was wheelchair bound, suffering from memory loss and old age. She also told the interviewer why she never would write again: "Two reasons: one, I wouldn't go through the pressure and publicity I went through with To Kill A Mockingbird for any amount of money. Second, I have said what I wanted to say and I will not say it again."

Extra Facts

On 1962 the adaption of TKAMB has become one of the best book to film ever made.

In Virginia they tried to ban TKAMB from school for "immoral literature".

On 1983 when Lee went to Alabama History and Heritage Festival she presented an essay called "Romance and High Adventure"

May 7, 2006 was the day in which Lee wrote a letter to Oprah which was later published on Oprah's magazine

Cites Used

http://www.biography.com/people/harper-lee-9377021

http://www.harperlee.com/