I don’t know why you can’t. Hypocrites have just as much right to live in this world as anybody.
Harper Lee
Human Hypocrisy, Moral Complexity, Life Lessons, Hypocrisy, Rights, Life
Harper Lee’s Quotes On Topics
Darkness | Standards | Manners | Social Injustice | Individual Work | Moral Strength | Unpleasant Duty | Oppression | Southern Humor | Norms | Economic Hardship | Solitude | Nostalgic Scene | Despair | Love | Grief | Kindness Philosophy | Interest | Tradition | Childhood Understanding | More
More Harper Lee Quotes
“There are some men in this world who are born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father’s one of them.” Harper Lee
Unpleasant Duty, Sacrifice, Servitude, Duty, Sacrifice
Harper Lee Unpleasant Duty, Sacrifice, Servitude, Duty, Sacrifice“No I’m not. It might benefit you to go back and have a look at what some of our founding fathers really believed, instead of relying so much on what people these days tell you they believed.” Harper Lee
History, Beliefs, Research, Misinformation, Ideals, Principles
Harper Lee History, Beliefs, Research, Misinformation, Ideals, Principles“It’s grown people who always believe the worst.” Harper Lee
Childlike Optimism, Negative Thinking, Adult Mindsets, Optimism, Negativity, Adults
Harper Lee Childlike Optimism, Negative Thinking, Adult Mindsets, Optimism, Negativity, Adults“Havin’ a gun around’s an invitation to somebody to shoot you.” Harper Lee
Danger, Caution, Violence, Security, Responsibility, Preparedness
Harper Lee Danger, Caution, Violence, Security, Responsibility, Preparedness“Boo and I walked up the steps to the porch. His fingers found the doorknob. He gently released my hand, opened the door, enter inside, and shut the door behind him. I never saw him again.” Harper Lee
Bittersweet Farewell, Emotional Connection, Final Goodbye, Farewell, Connection, Goodbye
Harper Lee Bittersweet Farewell, Emotional Connection, Final Goodbye, Farewell, Connection, Goodbye“Well, they're Southern people, and if they know you are working at home they think nothing of walking right in for coffee. But they wouldn't dream of interrupting you at golf.” Harper Lee
Hospitality, Informality, Community, Privacy, Tradition, Leisure
Harper Lee Hospitality, Informality, Community, Privacy, Tradition, Leisure“It’s not necessary to tell all you know. It’s not ladylike – in the second place, folks don’t like to have someone around knowin’ more than they do. It aggravates them. Your not gonna change any of them by talkin’ right, they’ve got to want to learn themselves, and when they don’t want to learn there’s nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language.” Harper Lee
Conformity, Social Hierarchy, Communication, Education, Ignorance, Humility
Harper Lee Conformity, Social Hierarchy, Communication, Education, Ignorance, Humility“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Harper Lee
Justice, Innocence, Morality, Wisdom, Consequence, Legacy
Harper Lee Justice, Innocence, Morality, Wisdom, Consequence, Legacy“Prejudice, a dirty word, and faith, a clean one, have something in common: they both begin where reason ends.” Harper Lee
Prejudice Impact, Faith Comparison, Human Reasoning, Prejudice, Faith, Reason
Harper Lee Prejudice Impact, Faith Comparison, Human Reasoning, Prejudice, Faith, Reason“Before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” Harper Lee
Live With Oneself, Majority Rule, Conscience, Self-awareness, Inner Conflict, Integrity
Harper Lee Live With Oneself, Majority Rule, Conscience, Self-awareness, Inner Conflict, Integrity“The Lord never sends you more than you can bear.” Harper Lee
Strength, Faith, Endurance, Support, Resilience, Trust
Harper Lee Strength, Faith, Endurance, Support, Resilience, Trust“Now that I was compelled to think about it, reading was something that just came to me, as learning to fasten the seat of my union suit without looking around, or achieving two bows from a snarl of shoelaces.” Harper Lee
Natural Skill, Reading Instinct, Fast Learning, Life Skills, Union Suit, Bowing Challenge
Harper Lee Natural Skill, Reading Instinct, Fast Learning, Life Skills, Union Suit, Bowing Challenge“What happened after that had a dreamlike quality: in a dream I saw the jury return, moving like underwater swimmers, and Judge Taylor’s voice came from far away, and was tiny. I saw something only a lawyer’s child could be expected to see, could be expected to watch for, and it was like watching Atticus walk into the street, raise a rifle to his shoulder and pull the trigger, but watching all the time knowing that the gun was empty.” Harper Lee
Dreamlike State, Legal Drama, Unspoken Loss, Drama, Jury, Loss
Harper Lee Dreamlike State, Legal Drama, Unspoken Loss, Drama, Jury, Loss“That was the one thing that made me think, well, this may be the shadow of a beginning. That jury took a few hours. An inevitable verdict, maybe, but usually it takes ‘em just a few minutes.” Harper Lee
Beginning, Justice, Decision, Process, Inevitability, Reflection
Harper Lee Beginning, Justice, Decision, Process, Inevitability, Reflection“Atticus said it was the polite thing to talk to people about what they were interested in, not about what you were interested in. Mr. Cunningham displayed no interest in his son, so I tackled his entailment once more in a last-ditch effort to make him feel at home.” Harper Lee
Communication, Manners, Interest, Respect, Engagement, Effort
Harper Lee Communication, Manners, Interest, Respect, Engagement, Effort“All the little man on the witness stand had that made him any better than his nearest neighbours was that, if scrubbed with lye soap in very hot water, his skin was white.” Harper Lee
Racism, Justice, Social Disparity, Prejudice, Identity, Discrimination
Harper Lee Racism, Justice, Social Disparity, Prejudice, Identity, Discrimination“Integrity, humor, and patience were the three words for Atticus Finch.” Harper Lee
Character Traits, Moral Strength, Personal Virtues, Integrity, Humor, Patience
Harper Lee Character Traits, Moral Strength, Personal Virtues, Integrity, Humor, Patience“Bootleggers caused enough trouble in the Quarters, but women were worse. Again, as I had often met it in my own church, I was confronted with the Impurity of Women doctrine that seemed to preoccupy all clergymen.” Harper Lee
Bootleggers, Women Trouble, Church Doctrine, Gender Prejudice, Social Issues, Religious Influence
Harper Lee Bootleggers, Women Trouble, Church Doctrine, Gender Prejudice, Social Issues, Religious Influence“Stephanie Crawford even told me once she woke up in the middle of the night and found him looking in the window at her. I said what did you do, Stephanie, move over in the bed and make room for him? That shut her up for a while.” Harper Lee
Curiosity, Mystery, Judgment, Humor, Awkwardness, Understanding
Harper Lee Curiosity, Mystery, Judgment, Humor, Awkwardness, Understanding