I had a feeling that I shouldn’t be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn’t care who knew it, but he was fascinating. I had never encountered a being who deliberately perpetrated fraud against himself. But why had he entrusted us with his deepest secret? I asked him why. ‘Because you’re children and you can understand it,’ he said.
Harper Lee
Moral Complexity, Childlike Understanding, Fascinating Characters, Complexity, Understanding, Characters
Harper Lee’s Quotes On Topics
Innocence | Unpleasant Duty | Observation | Progress | Simple Living | Lack Of Understanding | Dangerous Matches | Simple Tributes | Togetherness | Oral History | Adventure | Haunting | Emotional Wisdom | Sensitivity | Collective Actions | Church Doctrine | Self-confidence | Reassuring Words | Serenity | Creative Thinking | More
More Harper Lee Quotes
“With him, life was routine; without him, life was unbearable.” Harper Lee
Emotional Dependence, Routine Comfort, Deep Loss, Dependence, Comfort, Loss
Harper Lee Emotional Dependence, Routine Comfort, Deep Loss, Dependence, Comfort, Loss“Never, never, never, on cross-examination ask a witness a question you don’t already know the answer to.” Harper Lee
Law, Strategy, Preparation, Interrogation, Truth, Manipulation
Harper Lee Law, Strategy, Preparation, Interrogation, Truth, Manipulation“Atticus had said it was the polite thing to talk to people about what they were interested in, not about what you were interested in.” Harper Lee
Politeness, Communication, Empathy, Understanding, Respect, Social Dynamics
Harper Lee Politeness, Communication, Empathy, Understanding, Respect, Social Dynamics“When you’re at the top, there’s only one way to go.” Harper Lee
Success, Decline, Journey Downward, Ambition, Humility, Transformation
Harper Lee Success, Decline, Journey Downward, Ambition, Humility, Transformation“Until comparatively recently in its history, Maycomb County was so cut off from the rest of the nation that some of its citizens, unaware of the South’s political predilections over the past ninety years, still voted Republican.” Harper Lee
History, Isolation, Politics, Tradition, Ignorance, Change
Harper Lee History, Isolation, Politics, Tradition, Ignorance, Change“He is an incredible man, she thought. A chapter of his life comes to a close, Atticus tears down the old house and builds a new one in a new section of town. I couldn’t do it. They built an ice cream parlor where the old one was. Wonder who runs it?” Harper Lee
Life Transition, Atticus Journey, New Beginnings, Transition, Journey, Beginnings
Harper Lee Life Transition, Atticus Journey, New Beginnings, Transition, Journey, Beginnings“Herbert Jemson was Methodist of the whole cloth: he was notoriously short on theology and a mile long on good works.” Harper Lee
Generosity, Faith, Charity, Simplicity, Community, Humility
Harper Lee Generosity, Faith, Charity, Simplicity, Community, Humility“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“Dill was a villain’s villain: he could get into any character part assigned him, and appear tall if height was part of the devilry required.” Harper Lee
Imagination, Creativity, Versatility, Performance, Confidence, Role
Harper Lee Imagination, Creativity, Versatility, Performance, Confidence, Role“Ladies bathed before noon, after their three o’clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.” Harper Lee
Tradition, Domestic Life, Gender Roles, Time, Appearance, Expectation
Harper Lee Tradition, Domestic Life, Gender Roles, Time, Appearance, Expectation“We Finches don’t marry the children of rednecked white trash.” Harper Lee
Family Pride, Social Commentary, Direct Statements, Pride, Social, Statements
Harper Lee Family Pride, Social Commentary, Direct Statements, Pride, Social, Statements“Matches were dangerous, but cards were fatal.” Harper Lee
Dangerous Matches, Fatal Cards, Gambling Risk, Risky Games, Careless Actions, Destructive Outcomes
Harper Lee Dangerous Matches, Fatal Cards, Gambling Risk, Risky Games, Careless Actions, Destructive Outcomes“Remember this also: it’s always easy to look back and see what we were, yesterday, ten years ago. It is hard to see what we are. If you can master that trick, you’ll get along.” Harper Lee
Reflection, Growth, Self-awareness, Insight, Progress, Perspective
Harper Lee Reflection, Growth, Self-awareness, Insight, Progress, Perspective“Being Southerners, it was a source of shame to some members of the family that we had no recorded ancestors on either side of the Battle of Hastings.” Harper Lee
Heritage, Tradition, Ancestry, Shame, Identity, Family History
Harper Lee Heritage, Tradition, Ancestry, Shame, Identity, Family History“One must lie under certain circumstances and at all times when one can’t do anything about them.” Harper Lee
Moral Dilemmas, Ethical Questions, Necessary Lies, Ethics, Lies, Circumstances
Harper Lee Moral Dilemmas, Ethical Questions, Necessary Lies, Ethics, Lies, Circumstances“It’s not time to worry yet.” Harper Lee
Calm Assurance, Patience Reminder, Life Timing, Patience, Timing, Calm
Harper Lee Calm Assurance, Patience Reminder, Life Timing, Patience, Timing, Calm“The easy way out of this would be to marry Hank and let him labor for her. After a few years, when the children were waist-high, the man would come along whom she should have married in the first place. There would be searchings of hearts, fevers and frets, long looks at each other on the post office steps, and misery for everybody.” Harper Lee
Marriage, Expectations, Independence, Choice, Life, Regret
Harper Lee Marriage, Expectations, Independence, Choice, Life, Regret“Adevaratul curaj este sa stii ca esti invins de la bun inceput, dar sa nu renunti totusi la lupta.” Harper Lee
Curaj, Perseverență, Determinare, înfrângere, Luptă, Speranță
Harper Lee Curaj, Perseverență, Determinare, înfrângere, Luptă, Speranță