I wrote about Harper Lee and the 50th year anniversary of To Kill A Mockingbird in a previous post. This weekend I read a great article in Garden and Gun magazine about Miss Lee's correspondence with author Alice Randall, who wrote The Wind Done Gone, her version of Gone With the Wind, as told by one of Tara's slaves. The author and publisher were sued by Margaret Mitchell's estate for copyright infringement. Harper Lee and many other Southern writers came to Ms. Randall's defense.
Here is an excerpt from the article:
She was proud of her part in the victory and she said so. “I am reminded of the ordeal you underwent and its triumphant outcome, and I am filled with pride that I played even just a small part in it.” I was stunned by both the generosity and the humility of the woman. And I was struck by the Southernness of the letter. The mix of fine manners and politics, classical allusions and familial references, was true Dixie.
There are so many ways to read and admire To Kill A Mockingbird. One approach is sometimes overlooked: Mockingbird functions as an etiquette book. And manners matter in the South. Down here Harper Lee is a great Southern lady, and down here we know that being a Southern lady is a high and particular calling. Lee is someone who cannot be ignored—a polite, quiet, and intelligent call to consciousness. So much of what she has to say about brothers and summer and Lane cake makes so much sense that you know that what she has to say about black people and courthouses makes sense too.You may read the complete article for yourself here.
4 comments:
What a great post, B. So glad you shared the article.
I grew up on plantation land along the Mississippi River near New Orleans, and your post strikes so many happy chords for me! Harper Lee's masterpiece is one for so many reasons, not the least of which is its capture of the endearing sights, smells, and sounds of the Old South. The history of the South is not always pretty, but it is always real; and it is that quality of being genuine that is unforgettable, at least to my mind. Thank you for a fine post.
Dear Wendy,
This comment is rather late as I could not get the comment box to work properly. But thank you for your sweet comment and reference to the post on your own blog.
I wasn't familiar with Alice Randall's work, so finding the article was special. I'm sure if she were to try your Lane cake, you'd be fast friends.
Dear Kindred Spirit,
You are very gracious, and thank you. I, too, appreciated her ability to recognize the dark and light that is life in the South. It is, in many good ways, like nowhere on Earth.
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