How does the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird play a character in the story?

The setting of a story can become a “symbolic” character when the time and place of the setting influences events in the book as well as actions and beliefs of characters. It is as if the setting is a force of its own, and because of that, the setting will “interact” with and guide not only the characters and plot in the novel but also the readers.  

In the case of To Kill a Mockingbird, the setting is very important to understanding the events and characters.  Because it is set in the South in the 1930’s, we understand how the historical legacy of racism during this time period affected the town’s citizens.  The South was still deeply rooted in racist ideas, and Maycomb preserved the Jim Crow laws* seen throughout the novel.  In addition, because the book took place during the Great Depression, the economy affected the lives of various characters as well. 

We see the racist values of the South played out through the lynch mob and Bob Ewell’s charges against Tom Robinson.  Mrs. Dubose, a symbol of the old South, infuriated Jem when she harassed Jem about Atticus defending Tom.  The entire town was awash with the values and beliefs of a racist society. 

The fact that it took place during the Depression was another way the setting affected the events and people of Maycomb.  At the beginning of the novel, Scout described Maycomb as a “dusty old town” where there was “nothing to buy and no money to buy it with.”  We witnessed the deep and depressing poverty of the time and how it affected Walter Cunningham by not having a lunch at school and how the horrible living conditions aided in Mayella Ewell's actions. 

Most pieces of literature are dependent on the historical period in which they take place to get across major themes and ideas.  To Kill a Mockingbird is one such artifact, and it shows how the setting can also play a role as a character that directs and manipulates the events and fate of characters.

*Jim Crow laws are socially imposed laws that discriminate and oppress blacks during this time.  An example of a Jim Crow law in the book is that it was not proper for Tom Robinson to help Mayella Ewell by going in her house.  It would mean lynching to kiss her, and when he said he felt sorry for Mayella at the trial, he broke a code of conduct meant to keep blacks “in their place.”