Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama, to Amasa Lee and Frances Finch. As the youngest of four children, Lee grew up as a tomboy in a small town. His father was a lawyer and owned part of the local newspaper. Her mother suffered from mental illness and spent most of her days at home; some people thought she suffered from bipolar disorder. One of Lee's closest friends was Truman Capote, who was also a future writer. Lee was Capote's protector at school because he was criticized for being sensitive and wearing fancy clothes. In high school, Lee discovered a passion for English literature and writing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay After graduating in 1944, she went to the all-female Huntingdon College in Montgomery. She didn't really like fashion, makeup and dating, she focused on her writing. She was also a member of the literary honor society and the Glee Club. When she transferred to the University of Alabama, she was known to be a loner, although she joined a sorority there for a time. Continuing his love of writing, Lee was part of the school newspaper and its humor magazine The Rammer Jammer, eventually becoming the publication's editor-in-chief. During her junior year, Lee was accepted into the university's law school. She took advantage of it, but as she continued her studies, she had to leave her position as editor of The Rammer Jammer. After his first year in the program, Lee began to express that writing was his true calling and not law. She went to Oxford University in England on an exchange student that summer. Upon her return, she dropped out of law school and moved North to pursue her writing career. Lee moved to New York in 1949. She struggled for several years working as a flying agent. While living in New York, she met Truman Capote, an emerging author at the time. She had also become friends with Michael Martin Brown and his wife Joy. Mr. Brown was a Broadway composer and lyricist. In 1956, the Browns gave Lee an impressive Christmas present. They were going to support her for a year just so she could launch herself as a writer. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper now from our expert writers. Get Custom Essay Lee immediately quit his job and started writing. The Browns also helped her find an agent, Maurice Crain. Lee working with editor Tay Hohoff, they were able to begin a manuscript that eventually became Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.