To Kill a Mockingbird

Setting

What are the three elements that contribute to setting?

What are the three elements that contribute to setting? PLACE TIME CONTEXT

The setting of a narrative is the PHYSICAL and TEMPORAL backdrop in which the story takes place. Setting involves not only geography but also characteristics such as political climate, social mores, weather, proximity to historical events, occupation of the characters etc. Authors often use the setting of a work to create, heighten, or further illustrate the main conflict of the story.

An author who uses a setting that is or was true to a specific time and place uses VERISIMILITUDE. This allows the story to appear real

The setting of To Kill a Mockingbird is a big factor in the story, for the action never leaves the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. While fictional, Maycomb is based on many similar small towns from place and time making it seem very real

Maycomb is described variously as "an old town," "an ancient town," and "a tired old town," suggesting a conservative place that is steeped in tradition and convention.

The time of the novel is also significant, for the years 1933 to 1935 were in the midst of the Great Depression. Finally, contextually many of the real social issues that belonged to Alabama during this time period are central to the stories plot and themes.