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How Does Maycomb Change in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

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To KIll a Mockingbird by Harper Lee uses the town of Maycomb changing throughout the story ultimately affecting the ending. Lee represents society as an ever changing factor to people life. There are a few things that attribute to this change including the case against Tom Robinson as well as the mob that confronts Atticus wanting to get at Tom Robinson. Characters such as Atticus Finch have seen this change in Maycomb and are personally affected by it. In the beginning of the book Scout describes Maycomb in the following, “Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square”.(Lee 6) This description …show more content…

He tries to teach the trait of not judging people by their social class to Scout and Jem, his young children.. This is shown when Scout is told not to criticize the cunningham boy for not eating the way she does. It can also be seen in atticus volunteering to defend people outside of his social class even if they may have trouble paying him. He accepts payment from the cunninghams in the form of hickory nuts. He defends Tom Robinson despite the fact that he knows that the odds of him winning the case are extremely slim because he is trying to defend a black man against a white woman. Atticus continues to remain optimistic although, he hopes that the jury will change and look past the racial difference. Atticus sees how the town of Maycomb has changed due to the great depression saying “Cunninghams are country folks, farmers, and the crash hit them the hardest”. (Lee 33) Having a character such as Mr. Finch is important to the plot, someone who can see the town of Maycomb for how it truly is. When Boo Radley saves Jem and Scout from Mr. Ewell it begins a new relationship between Atticus and another outcast, Boo Radley. This may foreshadow a future relationship between the families and ultimately showing the community that everyone is capable of being friendly to each

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