The description on page one of this lesson situates Maycomb in the reader’s mind as a sleepy Southern town; the book’s narrator, Scout, even calls it “tired.” It also provides important clues about the story’s historical setting: in addition to now-outdated elements such as mule-driven Hoover carts and dirt roads, it also points to the town’s widespread poverty, implying that Maycomb is in the midst of the Great Depression. This setting—the time, place, and social conditions in which the story takes place—is as well-developed and important as any other character in the novel. Lee uses the setting to help the reader realize how ignorance and poverty bred the prejudice that motivates many in the town—and how the education and enlightenment of other characters contribute to taking the “small steps” toward changing Maycomb for the better.