HARPER LEE
BORN APRIL 28, 1926
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
NELLE HARPER LEE WAS BORN IN MONROEVILLE, ALABAMA.
MONROEVILLE IS IN MONROE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA HALFWAY BETWEEN
MONTGOMERY AND MOBILE.
SHE IS THE YOUNGEST OF FOUR CHILDREN.
HER FATHER WAS AMASA COLEMAN LEE (1880-1962). LEE WAS A LAWYER AND MEMBER OF
THE ALABAMA STATE LEGISLATURE.
HARPER’S MOTHER WAS FRANCES FINCH LEE. NO ONE IS EXACTLY SURE WHAT YEAR SHE
WAS BORN, BUT SHE DIED IN 1951.
HARPER’S SISTER ALICE FINCH LEE IS A LAWYER IN MONROEVILLE. SHE IS ALMOST 100.
HARPER’S OTHER SISTER LOUISE LIVES IN EUFAULA.
HARPER’S BROTHER EDWIN WAS BORN IN 1920 AND DIED IN 1951 OF A CEREBRAL
HEMORRHAGE.
HARPER GREW UP AS AN AVID READER WHO IDOLIZED HER FATHER AND THE WORK HE DID
IN HIS LAW PRACTICE.
SHE WAS FIVE IN 1931 AT THE TIME OF THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS TRIAL. NINE BLACK BOYS
WERE ACCUSED OF RAPING TWO WOMEN.
HARPER ATTENDED HUNTINGTON COLLEGE IN MONTGOMERY AND STUDIED LAW AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA.
IN THE 1950’S SHE WORKED WITH EASTERN AIRLINES IN NEW YORK BUT GAVE THAT UP TO
CONCENTRATE ON HER WRITING CAREER.
IN 1957 SHE SUBMITTED HER NOVEL BUT WAS TOLD SHE HAD A SERIES OF SHORT STORIES
AND WAS ENCOURAGED TO REWRITE IT.
IN 1960 SHE PUBLISHES TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
THE NOVEL WAS AN INSTANT SUCCESS. SHE HAS WON NUMEROUS AWARDS SINCE ITS
PUBLICATION.
IN 1966 TRUMAN CAPOTE PUBLISHES HIS NOVEL IN COLD BLOOD.
HARPER RECEIVED AN HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN
1990.
SETTING OF THE NOVEL IS MAYCOMB.
TIME OF THE NOVEL SETTING IS DURING THE DEPRESSION.
NOVEL BEGINS IN THE SUMMER OF 1933 AND ENDS IN 1936.
SCOUT (JEAN LOUISE FINCH) IS THE FIRST PERSON NARRATOR.
JEM IS HER BROTHER. HE IS FOUR YEARS OLDER THAN SHE.
ATTICUS IS HER FATHER. HE IS A LAWYER AND A MEMBER OF THE ALABAMA STATE
LEGISLATURE.
CALPURNIA IS THE FINCH’S MAID.
NEIGHBORS:
MAUDIE
RACHEL
DILL (CHARLES BAKER HARRIS) COMES TO VISIT HIS AUNT RACHEL FROM MERIDIAN,
MISSISSIPPI EACH SUMMER.
MR. AVERY
MISS STEPHANIE
MRS. DUBOSE
ARTHUR “BOO”RADLEY
JOHN RADLEY- BOO’S FATHER
NATHAN RADLEY- BOO’S BROTHER
MISS CAROLINE- SCOUT’S TEACHER
WALTER CUNNINGHAM JR.
WALTER CUNNINGHAM SR.
BURRIS EWELL
ROBERT E. LEE EWELL
MAYELLA EWELL
TOM ROBINSON
SHERIFF HECK TATE
JUDGE TAYLOR
REVEREND SYKES
ZEEBO