Literature serves as a mirror that reflects the complexities of human behaviour and offers insight into diverse perspectives that resonate across generations. Harper Lee’s southern gothic novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ (TKAM) was written during the 1930’s. Through TKAM, Lee addresses an ominous perspective of the American Dream, which was prevalent during the 1930’s. Through characterization and setting of the novel, Lee is able to reflect the unattainability of the American dream.
The use of the setting portrayed through TKAM offers audiences an understanding that the American dream was a social construct and truly relied on circumstance. Lee explores the flawed nature of the fictional town of Maycomb County through her use of personification
