Introduction

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”
– Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a small town in Alabama during the 1930s. Setting is an integral part of the novel, upon which most of the narrative rests. To truly understand the story and the characters, a reader must understand the forces at play in the 1930s. In this interactive lesson, you will explore the importance of setting in the novel and gain a deeper understanding of how setting influences the characters.

• How can setting provide an opportunity, as suggested by Atticus Finch in the novel, to “climb into [a character’s skin] and walk around in it?”
• How can setting strengthen empathy, or understanding of someone else’s feelings and experiences, for the characters in the story?