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Malayna Fredericks

Mr. Kieler

ILT

4 September, 2018

Harper Lee

Could you ever imagine becoming instantly famous after writing one book? Harper Lee has done

so herself after publishing her well-know book, ​To Kill A Mockingbird. ​In this essay, you will learn about

Lee’s childhood, her education that led her to literature, her working experiences and accomplishments,

and finally her last few years. Harper Lee has impacted our world in a way that is very uncommon:

everyone is influenced by her work of literature. She is still remembered today and will forever be a major

part of the literary tradition. The start of it all came down to her childhood. Lee’s childhood wasn’t

anything extraordinary. She had a family that loved her and her friends to support her.

Harper Lee was born on the 28th of April in 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama. She was originally

born as Nelle Harper Lee, but later changed her name to just Harper Lee (Fine). Her father, Amasa

Coleman Lee, was a lawyer and he wanted to persuade Harper into becoming a lawyer as well. Harper’s

mother, Frances Cunningham Finch, didn’t have a job because she was mentally ill and didn’t leave the

house much. Out of three other siblings, Alice, Frances Louise, and Edwin, Harper Lee was the youngest

(“About the Author: To Kill A Mockingbird”). She grew up as a tomboy, never really caring about

makeup and dating (“Harper Lee Biography”). Her best friend was Truman Capote, who also happened to

be her neighbor in Monroeville (“About the Author: To Kill A Mockingbird”).

After high school, Lee went to the University of Alabama and studied law like her father wanted.

She spent one summer in Oxford as an exchange student, but then dropped out because she wanted to

become a writer. Instead of following her father’s dream, Lee pursued her love of literature (Fine). She
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took her own path and started her career with a little help from a friend, which led to her remembrance

today.

After Lee dropped out of college without a diploma, she went to New York City and became an

airline reservationist. Later in the year towards Christmas, she received financial aid from a friend and

was able to pursue writing full-time (Fine). Harper Lee never dated because she only wanted a friend,

where she was able to do her work with no distractions (Fine).

After writing a series of short stories, Lee created ​To Kill A Mockingbird. ​Over 30 million copies

had been sold, and the book later became a memorable film in 1962 (Fine). The main character “Atticus

Finch” was based off of Lee’s father, and “Dill” was based off of Truman Capote. After the fame from

her book died down a little, Harper Lee went back home and wrote some short “essays” that all went

together called ​Romance and High Adventures, ​but never published it (Fine)​. ​She also worked on a book

called ​The Reverend, ​but also never published it so she could have a more peaceful and private life.

Harper Lee also wrote a book called ​Go Set A Watchman, ​which was originally written before ​To

Kill A Mockingbird (​ “Harper Lee Biography”)​. Go Set A Watchman​ portrays the later lives of the main

characters in ​To Kill A Mockingbird. I​ t was submitted to a publisher in 1957, but wasn’t accepted because

they thought the main character should be a child (“Harper Lee Biography”). Instead of changing the

main character to a child, though, Lee wrote a whole new book that was based off of the main character

being a child like the publisher preferred (“Harper Lee Biography”).

It wasn’t until two years that ​To Kill A Mockingbird ​was published. A few years after it was

published, Lee helped her friend, Truman Capote, with his own soon-to-be novel, ​In Cold Blood. ​After

working together to create the book, it was published in 1966 (Harper Lee Biography”). Capote tried to

acknowledge and dedicate the book to Lee, but he failed and gave up. Later on, in May of 2013, Lee

decided to publish ​To Kill A Mockingbird ​on e-books. Quoted by Lee; “I’m still old fashioned. I love
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dusty old books and libraries. I am amazed and humbled that ​Mockingbird h​ as survived this long. This is

Mockingbird​ for a new generation” (“Harper Lee Biography”).

Two years passed and Harper Collins had found ​Go Set A Watchman ​in a safe-box. She later

announced that she would publish the book herself in July of 2015 because Lee was to the age where she

wasn’t able to do so herself. After the book was published, Lee discussed that she was very happy with

the reactions to her book (“Harper Lee Biography”).

Even though Lee received significant attention from her first book, she was never quite

comfortable with her fame because she never felt the need to be the spotlight (Myint). Lee has once

compared her fame to being “hit over the head and knocked out cold,” and she found public

encouragement frightening (Myint). According to her church and community, she was famous for

avoiding this spotlight. In her community and at her church, she would use her wealth to make

anonymous donations towards charities (“Harper Lee Biography”). Lee was very successful in pursuing

her dream and was able to influence our world with one book. With such an influential book, Lee

received some very famous awards for her accomplishments (Fine).

With ​To Kill A Mockingbird ​becoming so famous for its influential out spark, it won the Pulitzer

Prize in 1961 (Fine). Years later, Lee was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President

George W. Bush in 2007. President Bush had quoted her work as “an outstanding contribution to

America’s literary tradition…” (“Harper Lee”). He also wanted to point out that; “‘​To Kill A

Mockingbird’ ​has influenced the character our country for the better. It’s been a great gift to the entire

world. As a model of good writing and humane sensibility, this book will be read and studied forever”

(“Harper Lee”). As mentioned before, Lee’s first book became a memorable film in 1962, and it received

three Oscars. Gregory Peck was the lead role of “Atticus Finch,” and he was awarded one of the three

Oscars, “The Best Actor Award.” (“Harper Lee Biography”). Harper Lee not only won an award for her

inspiring book, but she also received a Presidential Medal of Freedom for continuing our literary tradition.
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In her later years, she started to get sick and have many health issues that challenged her ability to read

books (“Harper Lee Biography”).

It was widely discussed that mental illness may have possibly run through Lee’s family (Myint).

Lee’s mother had suffered from depression and mood swings, but it was never understood why. It has

been concluded before that Lee’s mother tried drowning Lee during her baths twice (Myint). A little after

receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Lee had a stroke and started to struggle with her health. She

then moved into an assisted living facility in Monroeville. With her health issues, she experienced hearing

loss, limited vision, and problems with short term memory (“Harper Lee Biography”). Lee’s sister, Alice

Lee, quoted to a publisher, “Books are the things she cares about.” Even though Lee was struggling with

her health, she was still able to read, but with a magnifying glass. Sadly, Nelle Harper Lee died in her

sleep at the age of 89 on the 19th of February in 2016 (“Harper Lee Biography”).

To sum up everything that has been stated, as President Bush has quoted, Harper Lee has inspired

our world for the better. Harper Lee started off just like any other child, growing up and having big

dreams and goals to achieve. She was influenced to become a lawyer like her father, then persuade her

love of writing instead. She received many awards for her famous novel, and then soon became sick and

sadly died. Harper Lee has not only influenced our world, but has influenced me on a personal level to

follow my dreams because anything is possible.

Works Cited
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“About The Author: To Kill A Mockingbird.” ​Utah Shakespeare Festival Website. ​Beverly Center for the

Arts, 2018. Web. 24 Aug, 2018.

Fine, Laura. “Harper Lee.” ​Encyclopedia Britannica. ​Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 21 Apr, 2018. Web.

24 Aug, 2018.

“Harper Lee.” ​Britannica School. ​Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 27 Nov, 2017. Web. 24 Aug, 2018.

“Harper Lee Biography.” ​The​ ​Biography.com Website. A

​ &E Television Networks, 15 Mar, 2018. Web.

26 Aug, 2018.

​ &E Television
Myint, B. “Literary Icon Harper Lee Dies at 89.” ​The Biography.com Website. A

Networks, 19 Feb, 2016. Web. 26 Aug, 2018.