Saturday, April 21, 2007

BOOKS | She Just Wanted To Be Comfortable In Her Own Skin

It took a while to get to know Nelle Lee, but those who did realized something about her. She just wanted to be comfortable in her own skin. Her cussing was unconscious; the clothes she wore appealed to her because they were practical; she laughed when one of her teasing remarks drew a comeback delivered with equal zest. But she would not stop to seek others' approval. The notion that she should never seeme to enter her head. Her right to live as she pleased was not up for negotiation, even if it ran against the grain of the milieu at Huntingdon. It was nobody's business. "That was an era when you did the proper thing," said Catherine Helms. "And your mother was horrified if you didn't. That was never part of Nelle's persona ― she didn't care! It must have taken a colossal amount of courage to be different."

~ from Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee, by Charles J. Shields

3 comments:

jenclair said...

She was a unique character, wasn't she? Hope you are enjoying it!

Carl V. Anderson said...

Such a great book! I really like the Gregory Peck film as well.

darkorpheus said...

Jenclair: I like it that she's quite an individualist -- although I don't think it was easy for her, growing up. I'm about one-third through the book. Quite enjoyable.

Carl: I like the film too. Gregory Peck has that square-jaw and broad-shoulders of an American hero type.