Friday, April 24, 2009

Characterization- Scout Finch by Chris Cinturati

Characterization means a description of qualities or peculiarities.

Scout Finch is the main character in the book, who also is the narrator. the story is told through her perspective and it feels like you're experiencing the events in the book as one of the characters. Scout is a young girl who saw alot of problems in the world. she sees racism because this book is based in the 1930's. Scout is a young kid who likes to do whatever her brother Jem does even if that means doing something they're not suppossed to be doing. She's a very smart young kid and is often ridiculed for being that smart by her teacher. No one really expects a girl to be that smart during that time in history.

Plot by Chris Cinturati

The main plot in the story doesnt occur until the middle of the book. What happens is a African American man is blamed for raping a white women. the case goes to court and Atticus has to defend the African American man named Tom Robinson. What happened in the first place was Tom was fixing the womens house when she came on to him. He didnt want to get involved with her so she accused him of raping her. Of course Tom was accused because he was African American. Theres another significant event that happens at the end of the book but I'm not going to ruin it for the people reading this.

Structure by Chris Cinturati

The book is basically written with a lot of memories from the characters and alot of dialogue. Theres alot of characters introduced into the story. Theres at least a dozen or so per chapter. Most of them are only there to tell how the story got to this point in the story and some of the characters that were introduced dont appear in the book often. Most of them aren't involved with the main problem in the story. This book uses a lot of dialogue that was used during the time when the book was published. It gives you a real southern feel because the dialogue in this book is the same as they would talk in the south.

Theme by Chris Cinturati

The main theme in this story is Racism. You dont really see this theme much until the whole situation with Tom Robinson and the court case. During this period of time there was alot of racism in the south. Alot of African Americans would be blamed for crimes that they did or didnt do. If Tom Robinson was white then not that many people will care as much that he raped someone. There was a lot of evidence that showed Tom was innocent but since he was Black he was found guilty. Even the women who accused Tom of raping her, her dad saw the whole thing, and he helped blame Tom because of the color of his skin.

Setting by Chris Cinturati



The book is based in a fictional town in Alabama called Maycomb. The story wouldnt make as much sence if it was based in the North because if he was accussed of raping the women and they had a lot of eveidence that shows hes innocent he probably wouldnt have gotten convicted. The south wasnt as fair as the north when it comes to dealing with African Americans. This story is loosley based on the authors life and if they used a different setting for the book it wouldnt be as good. It wouldnt make any sense to use a different setting in a book that has to do with her life in the south

Motif by Brianna Hungerford

Motif:

In any novel, a motif coincides the general theme of the storyline which sets the tone and gives you a hint on the main or central idea. It is important because these details remind you of the theme and make you think how all of the information given to you in the story line can tie in with the theme that the author has provided.

In
To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses literary elements like vivid details and an "out-of-the-ordinary" setting to back up her theme and make sure the reader stays interested. Lee uses haunting settings and odd occurances to make the plot seem interesting and relevant. The odd events include Scout and Jem's suspicions about "Boo" Radley, the random snow that eventually falls after Maycomb County had not seem snowfall in years and the strange fire that comletely destroys Miss Maudie's home.

For the setting, Harper Lee uses a small town called Maycomb County to really set the mood for the storyline. Maycomb County is a small little town with friendly people; all except the Radleys. The legends that go about town make individuals percieve the Radleys as evil and weird people so the reader wants to stick around to see if the Radleys are really all they're cracked up to be.

Spark Notes.
To Kill A Mockingbird. Sparknotes.com. Spark Notes LLC. Copyright 2009. www.sparknotes.com/lit/mocking/theme.html

Dialogue by Brianna Hungerford

Dialogue:

Dialogue is a conversation between two or more people and in a novel or story, most conversations are worth paying attention to because they reveal important and relevant information that may be needed to help the audience somewhat attempt to figure out the story.

Seeing as the story takes places in the mid-1900s, the language is much different. Calpurnia is of African-American descent so her English isn't the same as Scout, Jem and Atticus'. Calpurnia speaks with very improper English, but it is obviously clear enough so anyone could understand her. Scout and Jem speak like normal children of that day, but it is still rather improper compared to the 21st century. When a character speaks, Harper Lee allows you to try to picture the character's voice in your head and it helps you to consider everything each character has to say.

Symbolism by Brianna Hungerford

Symbolism:

In a story, symbolism is when there is an object or person that stands for something or greater purpose. It could be a person symbolizing respect or an animal smbolizing pride.

In the novel
To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem and Scout both recieve air riffles for Christmas from an uncle. When Jem wishes to go outside to try it out, Atticus requires him to only shoot at cans and not at Mockingbirds. When Miss Maudie heard of this, she explained to the children that the Mockingbirds were innocent creatures and did nothing for us but make beautiful music. In this scenario and according to Miss Maudie, the bird represents innocence and beauty. As well, in Tom Robinson's case, he was an innocent man who did nothing but hard work but he was still marked as guilty and was eventually shot and killed even though he was an innocent man.

Structure by Brianna Hungerford

Structure:

In a novel, the structure is also very important. Structure is the way a story is organized and written in order to make it seem like it all comes together in order for the reader to easily comprehend it. Structure could be paragraphs, word phrasing, chapters or any of he events that occur such as flashbacks.

The structure in
To Kill A Mockingbird isn't very much different from any other story line. It contains a beginning, middle and end. But what most readers don't realize is that the first sentence: "When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow," is very important. For in this sentence recalls the entire clima for the story. In the beginning, Scout is a little girl who enjoys her brother's company, but towards the end of the story, Scout begins to realize the "real world" and starts developing into more of a lady.

Studying To Kill A Mockingbird. Andrew Moore, 2001
. www.teachit.co.uk/armoore/prose/tokillamockingbird.htm#15

Point Of View by Brianna Hungerford

Point of View:

In a novel, point of view plays a really big role in the precipitation of the story. The point of view determines how the reader is going to analyze and understand the text. Point of view could be in first person (I), second person (you), third person (they), etc.

In the book
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the point of view that is taken on is first person. Harper Lee uses and older version of the main character Scout Finch to explain and perceive the events that occur throughout the novel. This is important because in using this type of a narrator, the tone that it sets leaves a lasting impression and makes you ponder the rest of the plot. As well, since the main character is now older, she can recollect her past experiences and be able to get a deeper understanding of them since she is so much older now.

Spark Notes.
To Kill A Mockingbird. Sparknotes.com. Spark Notes LLC. Copyright 2009. www.sparknotes.com/lit/mocking/facts.html

Diction: Marc

!Important! This post may have spoilers !
At first, diction is not a word that I see or hear everyday. So it was off the the good old dictionary were I found out that diction is the authors word choice. I feel that the choice of words that an author uses in a book is very important because this is how us readers ether connect or don't connect to the book. The author is in total control. In To Kill a Mocking Bird Scout is your narrator and though she could be descriptive at times, she can also tell very little and really leave you guessing. This just goes to show how important diction is.

Irony: Marc

!Important! This post may have spoilers !
In To Kill a Mocking Bird irony is what helps to keep the book entering. For example, one of them was when Bob Ewell is called up at the trial. To call him up, the people of the court call him by his full name: Robert E. Lee Ewell. After a short time researching this name, I figured out that this character is based on Robert E. Lee, the confederate civil war general. This is ironic because they are both racists and both of them ultimately fail in the end.

Tone: Marc

!Important! This post may have spoilers !
The tone in To kill a Mocking bird is very child like. This is because the two main characters are children. The story also takes on a very innocent feel as what the children do makes me think that they act like they are innocent, but in the end they are really hiding something. Another tone that the author uses is progression. This is used so that there is not too much information given out in any one part of the book. This keeps you guessing and into the book.

Allegory: Marc

!Important! This post may have spoilers !
Allegory by definition means an object has some sort of spiritual meaning. In To kill a mocking bird there were some. One allegory that is used in the book is when Jem and Scout build a snowman. Because they run out of snow, Jem uses dirt to finish it. Scout seams suprised as she says something that I am not going to say here because of language. But I can say is that she finds that the snowman is weird. This allegory shows you that as the snowman turns white, that maybe raceism will end and we can all become one.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Foreshadowing: Marc

!Important! This post may have spoilers !
In the book, foreshadowing plays and important part. While I was reading the book, foreshadowing help me figure out what was going to happen. For example, Burris Ewell's appearance in school foreshadows the nastiness of Bob Ewel. Another example is when Aunt Alexandra's stays at the house. This part of the book foreshadows the trial that is to come. So as you can see, the author uses foreshadowing in the book to help you understand what is to come.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Helpful links

Here are some helpful links to better your understanding of To Kill a mockinbird...

  • A Character analysis
  • Explanation of Theme, Motifs, and symbols
  • A Plot Overview
  • Important quotations explained 
  • Key facts about the book

  • A short explanation of point of view, theme, symbolism, style, theme, and the plot.

  • A detailed explanation of allegory and symbolism in this book

  • Books than can be purchased to help understand To kill a Mocking bird, the movie, the soundtrack, and To kill a mockingbird.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Conflict Donna Wylie

Conflict: Donna Wylie


Conflict in a novel is the necessary literary element that is the problem. The conflict is often in the forms of Man vs. self, nature, society, nature, supernatural, etc.

In To kill a mockingbird there are four major conflicts, two

in man vs. man and two in man vs. society. In the conflict Boo Radley vs. Society Boo is seen as the town freak, with many untrue myths confirming Maycomb’s fear of him. Children stay

away from him, and parents fear their children ever becoming like him, unaware that he will become a very important hero in the end.

In the conflict of Robinson vs. White Society Robinson id wrongly convicted of raping Mayella Ewell and loses his life due to the racism in Maycomb. Even though it is obvious to every person in the jury that Robinson is innocent in every way, that he is a har

d working, religious, respectable man, he is still accused of rape, mostly because of his race. In the man vs. man conflicts it is usually about revenge.

In the Bob Ewell vs. Tom Robinson conflict between the Ewells and Tom Robinson, the Mr. Bob Ewell isn’t going against Tom necessarily because he is black but because

SPOILER ALERT!!

he is trying to cover up the fact that he is the one who raped and beat Mayella. Tom is also a convenient and convincing "rapist" because he was at the house frequently and because he is black.













Tom Robinson (pictured left) Mayella Ewell (above)


The last man vs. man conflict in To kill a mocking bird is The Ewells vs. Atticus Finch. During the trial, Atticus was the lawyer for Tom. He proved through many examples and forms of evidence that Bob was guilty, and he also embarrasses Bob by making him write with his left hand, showing that he could have beat Mayella. Because of this he hated Atticus and sought revenge.

SPOILER ALERT!!

Since Bob couldn’t get revenge on Atticus himself he went after Jem and Scout, trying to kill them with him knife. If it wasn’t for Boo Radley to be there they both would have been killed.


http://www.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us/mockingbird.html



Citation: For the green blog posts (Donna Wylie)






Dialouge Donna Wylie


Dialogue:      Donna Wylie


          Dialogue is a conversation, or speech between characters in a novel. How a character talks can sometimes tell the reader more than is actually said. In To kill a mockingbird, there is a certain point in this book Calpurnia takes Jem and Scout to First purchase, and all African American church. When Calpurnia is there she talks improper English by dropping the ‘ing’ at the end of words or saying “Chillun” instead of children, whereas when she is at the Finch house her diction is a proper as any other white person in Maycomb, that is except for the Ewells. 

          Scout describes Calpurnia as leading some sort of double life, she also asks Calpurnia why she talks like that at First purchase when she knows it’s wrong but then changes her speech when she is with her and Jem.

Calpurnia tells Scout that it isn’t polite to showcase your knowledge to others. When Calpurnia is at First Purchase she is also addressed by a woman, Lula, who asks Cal why she brought Jem and Scout, being white, to a ‘Nigger’ church.

          The switch Calpurnia goes through represents acceptance and role playing. Calpurnia talks like she does when she is with the Finch’s or white people, partly because she knows proper English, and partly because if she talked how she did at First Purchase she would give white people in Maycomb the chance to say she is just a typical ‘Nigger’. 

          Calpurnia talks like she does at First purchase because she wants to assimilate with them, and to not look she is trying to be better than the others, she is also playing the part of how a typical African American spoke in Maycomb back then, and she wouldn’t fit in if she spoke otherwise.

                                                      

                                         Calpurnia


Symbolism Donna Wylie

Symbolism:      Donna Wylie


          Symbolism in a novel is when symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

          “Mockingbirds don't do one thing but . . . sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Said by Miss Maudie to Scout. The mockingbird in this book represents innocence, concluded from what Miss Maudie said. The mockingbird is used to represent many different things in this book, like Tom Robinson for example, was innocent, but was eventually shot and died. Mr. Underwood compares his death to ‘the senseless slaughter of songbirds.’ on page 241. Just like Miss Maudie said mockingbirds only sing their hearts out for. Tom Robinson also was an innocent man and only worked. For example when he was pleading his case in court he explained that even though he worked for Mr. Link Deas, and had chores of his own at his house, he still helped Mayella Ewell with the chores she asks him to do.



A mockingbird


          Boo Radley is also another important symbol of a mockingbird in this book. Boo is an innocent person that hasn’t fulfilled any of the myths that go around Maycomb about him. As a child he was subjected to his father, Nathan Radley, who is said to be one the meanest men ever reported to Dill by Jem. Other than Boo being a symbol of innocence he is also a symbol of the good in people. Despite all the rumors Boo has to face and the cruelty from his father,

SPOILER ALERT!!

he has the courage to come out of his house and save Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell, even though they tormented him for years by peeking in his windows, daring each other to touch his house, etc. He is also the one who puts a blanket around Scout’s shoulder during that cold night when Miss Maudie’s house burnt down. Also when Jem went into his yard he ripped his pants and they got stuck there, too afraid to get them he left them there. He later went back that night to find then sewed up and neatly folded on the fence by Boo. 

          Also at the end of the book Scout relates Book Radley to a mockingbird by saying that hurting Boo was like “shootin' a mockingbird.” After she realizes he is harmless and wouldn’t hurt anybody.

          In the middle of the book there is a “Mad dog” named Tim Johnson that is seen by Jem and Scout and he is thought to be extremely dangerous, the same ‘dead or alive’ Atticus tells Jem and Scout. Just as the mockingbird represents innocence so does the mad dog. When Atticus “saves the neighborhood” from this “dangerous” mad dog, just as the town needs to be protected or saved from Tom Robinson.

SPOILER ALERT!!

          Both Tom Robinson and Tim Johnson are innocent but are still shot in the end of the book. It is also a coincidence that these similar characters names are similar also.

          When it snows for the first time in Maycomb since 1885 Jem and Scout are determined to make a snowman, but since there was only a light layer and snow Jem and Scout had o find other things to make it out of. Using “earth” they build a snowman which on page 94 Scout calls it a “nigger snowman” and covered it with the little snow they had. This collaboration between soil and snow, or black and white represents the idea that a society cannot work together if it’d races don’t collaborate. Without the soil Jem and Scout would only have a puny pile of snow, and without the snow the snowman wouldn’t be considered a “real” snowman.


SPOILER ALERT!!

          Bob Ewell attacked the children because of Atticus’ actions in court. Jem's broken arm at the end of the story is a symbol that he will be wounded for ever by the trial and what he has experienced. It was said by Heck Tate that "this thing probably saved her life" referring to Scout’s Ham costume. The Ham costume represents humor, and therefore Scout will not be haunted or harmed by the trial.

          At the end of the book when the children are returning home from the Halloween pageant Bob Ewell tries to attack the children. As a result Jem has a badly broken, which Scout describes in the beginning of the book as his left arm being shorter than his right; caused by the injury. 


Boo Radley looking at Jem after he saved him and Scout

http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=4211

 

Possible questions for discussion
:

  •       Do you think the gifts Jem and Scout received from Boo Radley, (the soap dolls, the spelling bee medal, the two Indian pennies, etc.) have any symbolic meaning?
  •    If so, why do you think Harper Lee chose these specific items?
  •    Take events/objects/people from this book that are not necessarily thought of as direct symbols, and explain what they mean or their potential meaning. Some examples can be the fire, Aunt Alexandra coming to visit, the ‘mixed children’, Mrs. Dubose’s morphine addiction and the alarm clock ringing later every day, etc.
  •   Analyze the cover of this book. Do you think this picture can represent the knot hole with the gifts, and the mockingbird flying away meaning innocence is leaving? But what would the moon represent?
  • Do you think Harper Lee meant intentionally for Finch to be their last name? (Finch is another small bird like the mockingbird)

Tom Robinson and Atticus testifying in court


Boo Radley  


Point of view Donna Wylie

Quote #1 chapter 1, page 6, paragraph 2 Donna Wylie

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop . . . [s]omehow it was hotter then . . . bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum. . . . There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people: Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself.


Scout Finch

Point of view:     


          The point of view in a novel is the perspective from which a story is told. It can be in first person, where a character in a book talks of events using I, my, me, mine, etc. or third person. Third person had three types, objective, where the narrator in the story is an outsider who can only report what he or she sees or hears. Third person limited is when the narrator focus’ on one character and lastly, third person omniscient is when the narrator is an all knowing character or outsider that can enter the minds of many characters. In To kill a mockingbird the point of view is in first person.

          To kill a mockingbird is told in the perspective of the older Scout Finch, recollecting her childhood memories, as Scout speaks in the past tense. By paying close attention one can realize that Scout’s point of view is present from the beginning of the novel. For example Scout states in chapter one with, ‘When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.’ Then starts the second paragraph with, ‘When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them…’ Scout eventually makes her way to her earlier childhood when she was almost six and Jem was almost ten. As Scout does this she is talking with a child’s voice, and sees things through a child’s eyes.

          Even though Scout speaks with a child’s voice, when she refers to her childhood, like on page 102, paragraph five, her diction changes from that of a child’s to a women’s. Scout uses terms like ‘as had I’ rather that words like ‘nome’ which is short for no ma’am.

If Scout’s mature point of view is not noticed at the start of the book (I only realized at the ending of chapter nine when Scout says I never figured out how Atticus knew I was listening, and it was not until many years later that I realized he wanted me to hear every word he said.’) You can look for references like, ‘In my later years’ (Page 102, paragraph five.)

Harper Lee’s style of point of view in To kill a mockingbird is very effectice because it allows the reader to look into Scout’s childhood with occasional explanations by the older Scout commenting on the events. Also if the point of view was from Scout as a child there would be too many events going on that would be hard for a child to understand and explain.


Possible questions for discussion:


  • How would your take on To kill a mockingbird differ if Jem told the story? Or if it was still in Scouts point of view but third person objective?
  • Did you notice this style of point of view? If so, how?
  • On page 30 Atticus told Scout you can’t really understand a person, “-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Has that changed how Scout perceives things? If so, how?
  • Discuss the beginning of chapter 7 in correlation to this quote.
  • Re-read the first page of chapter 30 if you had already. What do you think Scout was feeling/thinking when she said, ‘Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.
                      
Scout eacting breakfast before the first day of school

Setting/Time Donna Wylie

Use the following quote for this blogpost and the next one titled, "Point of view"

Quote #1 chapter 1, page 6, paragraph 2


Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop . . . [s]omehow it was hotter then . . . bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum. . . . There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people: Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself.


http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h272/krauterweiblein/4-1.jpg

Maycomb county


Setting/Time:                                                                                                                             Donna Wylie

          The setting in a novel is the time, place and circumstance in which the plot of the novel takes place. The setting of this book greatly affects the plot, and events that occur. Had the setting been in Alabama in 2009, several things would not fit into the book, and the story would be changed completely.

The setting of To kill a mockingbird takes place in the fictional town of Maycomb located in the deep south of Alabama. This novel also takes place during the depression, specifically in 1935, which is mentioned on page 205, paragraph one, line five, the sentence is spoken by Atticus to the jury before they come about their decision; it reads, "there is a tendency in this year of grace, 1935, for certain people used to use this phrase out of context, to satisfy all conditions."

          The time being 1935, the depression was occurring but had little affect on Maycomb, while it is affecting various parts of the United States in different ways, it was nothing new to Maycomb, children walking around barefoot, and having ringworm was the norm, and many citizens rode horses as a mode of transportation. There are several clues throughout the book that give away the time other than the most obvious one on page 205.

Quote one which is shown above mentions Hoover carts, when scout says, bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. President Hoover was president during the great depression, and the Hoover administration announced that there would be cars in every garage, being nobody could afford them. Many people would take two tires from their cars, built a car on top of the wheels and attach a mule.

          The last line of quote one reads, But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people: Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself. “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” is a famous quote said by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his first inaugural speech, made after the 1932 presidential election. This is a clue that states the book starts off sometime around 1932, or 1932, because Scout adds, recently.



The Finch house


          Hoover carts are mentioned again at the beginning of chapter fourteen, Scout is mimicking things people say about her and Jem as they pass by, lines seven to ten reads,

..."yonder's some Finches." Turning to face our accusers, we would see only a couple of farmers studying the enema bags in the Maycomb drugstore window. Or two dumpy country wimen in straw hats sitting in a Hoover cart.

          References to horses and mules were mentioned again on page 158 when Scout and Jem talks about Mr. Dolphus Raymond. Mr. Dolphus Raymond lurched by on his thoroughbred. “Don’t see how he stays in the saddle,” murmured Jem.

          “Look at all those folks- you’d think William Jennings Bryan was speakin’.” This was said by Miss Stephanie Crawford on page 160, and Is another historical clue to the time. William Jennings Bryan was the U.S. secretary of State, and lived until he was 65, in 1925. This gives away that the time was around this era.

Towards the end of the book the setting is clear and clues are mentioned many more times like the depression, the current president, and the actual year is said. The setting in this book is effective described in chapter one. Scout describes it in quote, and on pages five through six one as a slow town, "A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer."


Possible questions for discussion:

  • Keeping the setting and time in mind, pretend that Tom Robinson was white, and the Ewells black, but were respected, not how they were presented in the book, as white trash. How do you think the events would have turned out?
  • Compare situations and events in this book with it’s time; examples can be, but are not limited to, the mad dog incident, the school pageant, summers in Maycomb. Take each event chosen and describe how they would change if the book had taken place in 1895, 1915, 1950, and 1970, that is if they would occur.
  • Do you think tom Robinson would be proven innocent if Maycomb was a big city like New York? Explain.



Harper Lee Biography: Marc

Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama. The youngest of four children, she grew up as a tomboy in a small town. Her father was a lawyer, a member of the Alabama state legislature, and also owned part of the local newspaper.

For most of Lee’s life, her mother suffered from mental illness, rarely leaving the house. It is believed that she may have had bipolar disorder. In high school, Lee developed an interest in English literature. After graduating in 1944, she went to the all-female Huntingdon College in Montgomery. In July 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird was published and picked up by the Book-of-the-Month Club and the Literary Guild.

A condensed version of the story appeared in Reader’s Digest magazine. The work’s central character, a young girl nicknamed Scout, was not unlike Lee in her youth. In one of the book’s major plotlines, Scout and her brother Jem and their friend Dill explore their fascination with a mysterious and somewhat infamous neighborhood character named Boo Radley. But the work was more than a coming-of-age story, however. Another part of the novel reflected racial prejudices in the South.

Their attorney father, Atticus Finch, tries to help a black man who has been charged with raping a white woman to get a fair trial and to prevent him from being lynched by angry whites in a small town. During the 1970s and 1980s, Lee largely retreated from public life.

She spent some of her time on a nonfiction book project about an Alabama serial killer, which had the working title The Reverend. But the work was never published.

Lee continues to live a quiet, private life in New York City and Monroeville. Active in her church and community, she usually avoids anything to do with her still popular novel.

Source

"Harper Lee Biography". April 22, 2009 .