Dear Harper Lee,
Thank you for contributing so much to the world of literature. Your words have so much power in them that you were able to impact so many lives with just one novel. The phrase “quality over quantity” has never been so accurately applied before. You didn’t need a fleet of boats to make waves, you had a tsunami.
Thank you for creating one of the most important novels of my academic career. I cannot even begin to count the amount of times I have referenced To Kill a Mockingbird in some way, shape, or form in an essay. The themes and countless motifs are timeless, and will be refrenced for years to come. Social inequality and the presence of complicated social hierarchy is just as evident in our society today as it was in small-town Maycomb. Not to mention the constant struggle between good and evil that we all experience to at least some degree.
Thank you for the characters you brought to life that taught me the importance of being a good and understanding person. Scout, Atticus, and Tom Robinson all together taught me how to be sympathetic, and supportive despite other people’s wrongful judgements. Just because the majority may think one way, does not always mean it is the right way.
Thank you for showing me the importance of standing up for my beliefs, since that is what truly shows the kind of person I am. You taught me that in a world, or even small community, polluted by backwards and hateful ideals, there are still people who believe in the goodness of others. You showed me what a decent human being looks, and acts like.
You touched and influenced so many lives, and it is an absolute shame you had to leave us all. I will be forever grateful for your accomplishments, and for the comfort and the perception they brought me. You may not be here any longer, but your words are, and they will live on forever. Thank you for everything.
Sincerely,
Sydney
P.S. Extra thanks for Atticus Finch, he is my dream literary boyfriend. #BaeGoals