Introduction
Harper Lee was an American writer best known for her work “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In it, she considered the critical social issues of the time that were reflected in society and how unfair and prejudicial people could treat each other. The origins of writing the work were taken mainly from the personality of the author and those motives that reflected internal crises in relation to a society that was filled with intolerance and marginalization. The moral growth of the characters and racial injustice has become the main aspects that are revealed in the novel. At the same time, Harper Lee’s personal observations and life story became the basis for the acute social topics covered in the book.
The Life and Legacy of the Author of To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee was an American writer who grew up in a small town with racial segregation, which at that time was deeply rooted in the traditions of the South. The city in which she grew up had a significant impact on how the author began to perceive people and the social relations between them (Al-Mamoory & Witwit, 2021). Thus, constantly seeing how people treat others unfairly and spread racism, she wanted to eliminate this category.
After college, Lee moved to New York City and started working there while trying to learn how to write as well as possible in order to begin her writing career. This led to Harper Lee publishing her first novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, in 1960, which brought the author commercial success and was praised by critics as highly successful (Al-Mamoory & Witwit, 2021). This was confirmed by the fact that Lee later received the Pulitzer Prize for her work. The motivation of the writer and the desire for equality in society was the motive for writing a work that reflects her personal principles and views.
Reflections of Harper Lee’s Life in To Kill a Mockingbird
The life of Harper Lee is strongly reflected in her work. This can be seen in the example of a setting that implies a southern city in which people treat Black people with prejudice and racism. Racial tensions and social hierarchy became the central motifs of the book, which were conveyed clearly enough because Lee could see all these elements in her childhood (Sastrawijaya, 2021). A significant aspect of Lee’s personality in her book is the protagonist, Jean Louise, who goes a long way to realizing that mistreatment of people is happening everywhere and that it shouldn’t be. The father figure became another link as Atticus Finch’s character and Harper Lee’s father were in the same business.
The connection between the novel of the writer and her life can be traced to the fact that, according to the plot of the work, a black man was accused of raping a white woman. At the same time, all people initially treat him with prejudice and think that he is guilty. This case echoes the Scottsboro Boys of the 1930 case in which nine black teenagers were arrested on suspicion of rape (Asha & Rahman, 2022).
At the same time, the court completely violated the course of the case, and the jury did not listen to the conclusion of the doctor, who, having examined the girls, decided that there was no rape. Because of the unfair trial and constant proceedings after the acquittal, the lives of nine innocent people were destroyed. These events took place when Li was a child, however, she could learn about the case later due to its great resonance. The spread of racial prejudice in the judicial system she thereon displayed in her work.
The author’s study of the nature of the society in which she lived and in which she grew up resulted in what she later describes in her book. Thus, the creation of one of the main characters of her book – Atticus Finch, stemmed from the image of her father, who worked as a lawyer and he had to protect blacks (Asha & Rahman, 2022). In addition, Lee’s society during her childhood is evident in the way she later described the neighborhood in her book. The main character Jean Louise is a reflection of how the author interacted with her environment and did not accept the social order of that time. The mind and curiosity of the main character of the book were projected from the behavior that provoked the moral growth of the author, thus highlighting the vices of society.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the writing of “To Kill a Mockingbird” came at a time when social issues of equality and the struggle for black rights were gaining momentum. In this regard, society resonated with Lee’s creation by interpreting it as a reality in which many people could not receive equal treatment, not only in court but also in everyday life. The life and childhood of Harper Lee directly influenced the way she later displayed her emotions and experiences. The father’s profession played a crucial role in setting the book’s plot, as Leigh created Atticus as a figure who stands up for justice. Principles and ethics are so much the same values that Harper Lee has carried over from her life into the book.
References
Al-Mamoory, S., & Witwit, M. A. (2021). Critical Discourse Analysis of Opression in”To Kill a Mockingbird”. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research, 9(02), 11-24. Web.
Asha, A. J., & Rahman, F. R. (2022). Social condition of Southern America in the 1930s as reflected in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird (1960). Journal of Advanced Education and Sciences, 2(2), 04-08. Web.
Sastrawijaya, M. D. (2021). The Character and Moral Values in “to Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. Inference: Journal of English Language Teaching, 3(1), 81-87. Web.