Harper Lee

Who Was Harper Lee?

Harper Lee, born in 1926, was an acclaimed American novelist best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece To Kill a Mockingbird. Published in 1960, the novel explored themes of racial injustice, empathy, and moral growth, becoming one of the most beloved books in American literature. In addition to her own work, Lee played a significant role in the development of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, assisting her friend in crafting an article for The New Yorker that would later evolve into Capote’s groundbreaking nonfiction work.

In 2015, Lee published her second novel, Go Set a Watchman. This manuscript, written before To Kill a Mockingbird, revisits the characters from her earlier novel, offering a more mature perspective on their lives and the changing social landscape of the American South.

Early Life

Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama, as the youngest of four children. Growing up in the small town, she was known for her tomboyish nature, which set her apart from her peers. Lee’s father, A.C. Lee, was a lawyer, a member of the Alabama state legislature, and part-owner of the local newspaper. Her mother, Frances Lee, struggled with mental illness throughout most of Lee’s life, reportedly suffering from a condition that may have been bipolar disorder.

Education

Lee’s early interest in literature became evident during her high school years. After graduating in 1944, she enrolled at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, where she continued to immerse herself in her studies, particularly English literature. Lee did not conform to the typical social expectations of her peers, showing little interest in fashion, makeup, or dating. Instead, she focused on her academic pursuits and joined the literary honor society and the glee club.

Lee transferred to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where she became known as an individualist and a solitary figure. Although she briefly joined a sorority in an attempt to engage more socially, her focus remained on writing. At the university, she contributed to the school newspaper and humor magazine, The Rammer Jammer, eventually becoming editor.

In her junior year, Lee was accepted into the University of Alabama’s law school, which allowed students to pursue law degrees while completing their undergraduate studies. However, the demands of the program led Lee to reconsider her career path. After her first year, she decided to follow her true passion for writing. During the summer, she studied at the University of Oxford in England as an exchange student. Upon returning to Alabama, Lee withdrew from law school and moved north to New York City, where she fully committed to her writing career.

Early Writing Career

In 1949, at the age of 23, Harper Lee moved to New York City, where she faced initial struggles in her career, working as a ticket agent for Eastern Airlines and the British Overseas Air Corp (BOAC). During her time in the city, Lee formed a friendship with Broadway composer and lyricist Michael Martin Brown and his wife, Joy. In 1956, the Browns generously offered Lee financial support for a year, allowing her to focus on writing full time. Lee quit her job and dedicated herself to her craft.

The Browns also helped her secure an agent, Maurice Crain, who connected her with publisher J.B. Lippincott Company. With the guidance of editor Tay Hohoff, Lee began working on a manuscript set in a small Alabama town, which would eventually become her iconic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Friendship with Truman Capote

Harper Lee’s friendship with Truman Capote, another future literary figure, began in their childhood in Monroeville, Alabama. While the two were very different in temperament, they shared a bond over their difficult home lives. Capote, who was often picked on for his sensitivity and non-conformity, found a protector in Lee, who was known for her toughness and loyalty.

In the 1950s, Lee reunited with Capote in New York, where he had become a rising star in the literary world. In 1956, Lee joined Capote as his research assistant for an article he was writing for The New Yorker about the murder of the Clutter family in Kansas. Lee traveled to Kansas with Capote, conducting interviews with locals and helping him gather material for his article, which would later evolve into the book In Cold Blood.

Lee’s role in assisting Capote with his research was significant, though she did not receive full acknowledgment for her contributions when the book was published in 1966. Despite this, Lee and Capote maintained a complicated but enduring friendship until Capote’s death.

Books

Lee published two novels during her lifetime: To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) and Go Set a Watchman (2015). She also contributed to Capote’s In Cold Blood, though her involvement remained largely uncredited.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Published in July 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird became an instant classic. The novel was picked up by the Book-of-the-Month Club and the Literary Guild and was condensed for Reader’s Digest. In 1961, it won the Pulitzer Prize and several other literary honors. The novel, which has been translated into over 40 languages, continues to sell more than a million copies each year.

Set in the racially segregated South, the novel follows Scout Finch, a young girl growing up in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. Through the perspective of Scout and her family, the novel explores themes of racial injustice, courage, and moral growth. The character of Atticus Finch, Scout’s father and a principled lawyer, has become a symbol of integrity and fairness.

Go Set a Watchman

Lee’s second novel, Go Set a Watchman, was published in 2015, almost 55 years after To Kill a Mockingbird. Originally written in 1957, it was rejected by publishers and later revised to create To Kill a Mockingbird. The manuscript was rediscovered in 2014 and was published by HarperCollins in 2015.

Go Set a Watchman features Scout as an adult, returning to Maycomb from New York City. The novel controversially presents Atticus Finch as a racist with ties to the Ku Klux Klan, a stark departure from the moral hero depicted in To Kill a Mockingbird. The publication of Go Set a Watchman sparked significant debate, with many questioning whether Lee had been coerced into releasing the manuscript due to her declining health. Nonetheless, it broke pre-sale records and became a bestseller, contributing further to Lee’s literary legacy.

To Kill a Mockingbird Movie

In 1962, a film adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird was released, with a screenplay written by Horton Foote. The film, starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, earned eight Academy Award nominations and won three Oscars, including Best Actor for Peck. Lee was supportive of the adaptation, visiting the set and doing interviews in promotion of the film. Peck’s portrayal of Finch remains one of the most iconic performances in cinema history.

Later Years

In the 1960s, Lee retreated from the public eye, living a quiet life with her sister, Alice Lee, in Monroeville and New York City. Despite this, she continued to work on various writing projects, including a nonfiction book about an Alabama serial killer, titled The Reverend, which was never published. Lee remained active in her community and church, often avoiding the celebrity that came with her literary success.

In 2007, Lee was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contributions to American literature by President George W. Bush. She continued to read and write despite health challenges in her later years, including macular degeneration.

Lawsuits and E-Publishing Deal

In 2013, Lee filed a lawsuit against her former literary agent, Samuel Pinkus, accusing him of fraudulently acquiring the rights to To Kill a Mockingbird. The case was settled later that year. Additionally, Lee took legal action against the Monroe County Heritage Museum for selling unauthorized merchandise related to the novel. In 2014, she signed a deal with HarperCollins to release To Kill a Mockingbird as an e-book, making the novel available to a new generation of readers.

Death

Harper Lee passed away on February 19, 2016, at the age of 89. She had suffered a stroke in 2007 and experienced a range of health issues in her later years. Lee died peacefully in her sleep in her hometown of Monroeville.

In the wake of her death, there was renewed interest in her work, particularly in the stage adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird by Aaron Sorkin. Lee’s estate filed a lawsuit over Sorkin’s portrayal of Atticus Finch, which presented a more complex and less idealized version of the character. Despite this, the production went on to debut on Broadway in 2018, showcasing the lasting impact of Lee’s work on contemporary culture.