The Town of Maycomb

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Welcome to the small town of Maycomb. Maycomb is a town where everyone knows everyone else. There is a certain understanding that comes inherently when being raised or living in Maycomb. Lee describes Maycomb as being an old, sleepy, humid, and laid back town. "A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County." Although in this town there is a great division caused by racial prejudice, that is strongly prevalent. Harper Lee goes into great detail describing the town of Maycomb. The portrayal of the Maycomb gives the reader the ability to visualize and imagine this town. The town of Maycomb is more than just a setting. Maycomb itself becomes its own character, or at least having the weight of one. There are certain social dynamics, education, and actions of its inhabitants that make Maycomb the town that it is. This town shapes the people, although Maycomb is shaped greatly by the events taking place with in its borders.
Maycomb is a minute town inhabited by a small amount of people. There are different classes of people separated by different values and different economic statuses. The differences in social status are explored in depth through the hierarchy of Maycomb, which constantly baffle the children. The comparatively well-off Finches stand near the top of Maycomb's social hierarchy, with most of the townspeople beneath them. Non-educated country farmers such as the Cunnighams are below the townspeople, and the Ewell's are beneath the Cunnighams. The biggest divide in Maycomb is that of color. Below the Ewell's in the hierarchy is the black community. Despite the abundance...

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... treated with no respect by whites, regardless of social status. Atticus's actions were questioning Maycomb's way of life, where prejudice was accepted fully as a part of their lifestyle. Atticus's one move confronted all of their past, present, and future actions. Atticus was trying to break the social hierarchy and strict social conduct followed by all of Maycomb. Maycomb's small town, small mob mentality turned Atticus into the villain and was seen as a wrong and awful thing to do.
Lee gives the reader and amazing description of small town life in Maycomb in so many aspects, one can not cover them all. Without a doubt by the time you are well into reading the book you can almost perfectly picture Maycomb by the details given throughout the novel. Maycomb's social ladder, lessons learned, and actions of the character's made Maycomb come to life in the novel.

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