The iconic novel To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, continues to have a monumental impact on high school students across America. Harper Lee’s legacy will continue despite her passing on February 19th of this year. Lee was 89 when she died, and her long life was full of experiences that inspired her insightful novel based on racist attitudes in her hometown, Monroeville, Alabama.

Lee’s work teaches students valuable lessons of empathy and justice. The main character, Atticus Finch, teaches his beloved children by example as they grow up in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. Another novel, Go Set a Watchman, was written in the mid-1950s and published in July of 2015 as the sequel, but it was later confirmed to be the first draft of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Scituate High School’s own English Department Chairperson, Ryan Beattie, a notable fan of Lee’s work, spoke on the effect of this event on American literature and society. He said, “It’s a very sad day; however, I think just like her novel, her message and what she stood for will stand the test of time.” Many students and teachers mourn the loss of the brilliant author of To Kill a Mockingbird.  A staple of Scituate High School and American literature, Lee’s writing will be prevalent for generations to come.