The Root of Sin: An Analysis on the Social and Economic Situation Reflected from To Kill a Mockingbird

Abstract

The birthplace of Nelle Harper Lee was Monroeville, which was a small, ordinary and quiet town in Alabama. In a number of respects, the town of Monroeville and the town of Maycomb, backdrop of To Kill a Mockingbird were much alike. Apart from the backdrop, she also found inspiration from the people around her, for instance, her father, a lawyer, was considered as the prototype of the fictional character Atticus Finch, who was also a lawyer; and her childhood friend Truman Capote who was a writer was also thought to be a source of inspiration for the character named Dill. Despite these details, Lee holds the view that To Kill a Mockingbird was not a description of her childhood; instead, it‘s just a typical Southern town.