How Does Lee Use Dialogue In To Kill A Mockingbird

Imagine listening in on a conversation during the early 1930’s in a small Alabama town. What would the dialogue sound like? Would it be proper English? Would it be broken English mixed with small town terms? In Harper Lee’s novel, the dialogue between the characters helps to develop the overall setting of a small town in Alabama. In the text, a mad dog is seen down the road from the kids and Calpurnia calls Atticus and the Sheriff to come handle the situation. When Heck Tate arrives on the scene with Atticus, Heck tells Atticus to take the shot at the dog. This is to the amazement of Jem and Scout who have never seen him with a gun. After he makes the shot, Mrs. Maudie and the neighbors begin to fill the kids with images of Atticus when he …show more content…
If he was proud of it, he’da told us” (Lee 130). The dialogue used between the children shows southern terms and the sentence structure of the early 1930s. The use of these terms helps Lee to develop the small farming town feel of the setting of the novel. This specific conversation was included to develop the southern background of the Finch family. Guns were seen to be a rural object and being able to shoot one well was seen as a small town male role. The next quote that develops the setting discusses the importance of school aged children's knowledge of cattle and farming that was very prevalent in Maycomb. In the scene, Jem is telling Scout that the new teacher has a reason behind her curriculum and that learning about things such as cows is important, much to Scout’s disapproval, “Sure you do. You hafta know about cows, they’re a big part of life in Maycomb County” (Lee 24). This quote shows an example of improper grammar that would be heard a lot during the time period and location of the setting. By including the quote, Lee not only develops the setting, she also provides insight into the importance of farming in