To Kill A Mockingbird // Conflict • Setting • Theme

Conflict • Setting • Theme

I have just started my second novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. It is difficult to find the overall conflict of the story because I have just started it, but from what I have read so far the conflict is Man vs. Man. Scout is struggling with her first year of school due to teachers, other classmates, and even her brother. Scout speaks her mind, but doesn't know that it's wrong to do that now. Scout doesn't get along with all of her classmates, because she is more mature than them in ways. Lastly, Scout is struggling with the fact that her brother doesn't want to have anything to do with her during the school day.
The setting takes place in the 1930's in a town called Maycomb, Alabama. So far the setting of the book has always taken place in Maycomb either at the Finch's home, the school, or by the Radley residence.
The overall theme of the novel that I see so far is accepting the reality of growing up. Scout is finally faced with her first year of school and already sees many changes in her life. The changes in her life so far consist of Dill leaving at the end of the summer, going to school, realizing her brother is growing up which is changing him too, how Calpurnia treats her, how her peers treat her, and her relationship with her teacher. Scout realizes that since school has started she has seen Calpurnia change the way she acts toward Scout due to her going to school:

"For some reason, my first year of school had wrought a great change in our relationship: Calpurnia's tyranny, unfairness, and meddling in my business had faded to gentle grumblings of general disapproval. On my part, I went to much trouble, sometimes, not to provoke her." (34)