Horton Foote and to Kill a Mockingbird
Horton Foote and "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Some aspects of a literary work are often revealed through the author's biography. Horton Foote is no exception, as his biography reveals a thoughtful Southern writer who could brilliantly capture life's conflicts, triumphs and defeats. Both honored and criticized, Foote remained a considerate chronicler of humanity whose work is still admired decades after publication and whose life is an inspiration.
The film of To Kill a Mockingbird, with adaptation written by Horton Foote, faithfully represents Harper Lee's remembrance of small-town southern life, with its slow movement, gentility and darker forces of xenophobia and racism. Initially reluctant to write an adaptation, Horton Foote was persuaded to write it by reading the book at his wife's urging and by meeting the young, previously unknown writer, Harper Lee. The themes are enduring and masterfully presented through the eyes of a child who is initially innocent and blissfully ignorant but gradually confronts some difficult issues of 1930's southern life.
Human Geography by 1970, Newark,
By 1970, Newark, New Jersey was already a city in decline. The city, which had been built on a diverse industrial base, had been prosperous through the middle of the 20th century. By 1970, however, the city was poor.