To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee: The Book That Defined An Author

Kate Kelsall

When To Kill a Mockingbird was first published in 1960, its depiction of racism in Alabama was highly controversial and touched a tender nerve for white America. Over 50 years on, Harper Lee’s first (and for a while, only) novel is still resonant and absorbing. We discuss the impact of this pivotal work and its elusive author.

Harper Lee, like her fictional creation, the misunderstood Boo Radley, was famed for being a recluse, rarely leaving her home town of Monroeville and hardly ever giving interviews or appearing in public to accept her many awards and honors. When asked why she never wrote another novel, she replied that she had nothing more to say.

In spring of 2011, readers the world over had their expectations raised as a biographical memoir by Marja Mills entitled The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee was said to be awaiting publication with Lee’s approval. However Lee denied any involvement in the biography and stated that it came with her explicit disapproval, furthering the mystery and intrigue surrounding her persona. In 2015, her only official second work Go Set a Watchman was published, known to be a first draft of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Despite the mystery surrounding Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird is widely read the world over and features prominently on school curricula. It is considered to be one of the most important novels of the 20th century, and its themes of racial inequality, the failures of the criminal justice system and provincial narrow mindedness are sadly still as pertinent today as they were in the 1960s.

A bildungsroman told through the eyes of Scout, the lovable tomboy looking back on her childhood, the story charts the loss of innocence as she and her brother witness their lawyer father defend an innocent black man in a rape case. The parallel perspective of Scout recalling her impressions as a child and the hindsight she is able to employ as an adult, gives a complexity and freshness to the handling of the strongly moral issues at the heart of the book.

As well as elucidating the nature of intolerance and hatred, To Kill a Mockingbird speaks resonantly of the human spirit in adversity. The character of Atticus Finch, Scout’s lawyer father and the unlikely hero of the story, is one of the most loved in all of literature. On the surface Atticus is nothing to write home about – he is quiet, old-fashioned and his children are embarrassed of him. As the novel develops, both his children and the reader see him in a different guise as he ultimately presents an endearing portrait of bravery in the face of intolerance and bigotry.
Harper Lee passed away on 19 February 2016, aged 89.

culture trip left arrow
 culture trip brand logo

Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip

meet our Local Insider

Hanna

women sitting on iceberg

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?

2 years.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?

It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.

WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?

I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!

culture trip logo letter c
group posing for picture on iceberg
group posing for picture on iceberg

Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.

map of volcanic iceland trip destination points
culture trip brand logo
culture trip right arrow
landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.