The small-town life in Maycomb can be compared to a classroom. Scout describes the Radleys as loner group. “The Radleys, welcome anywhere in town, kept to themselves, a predilection unforgiveable in Maycomb.” This gives the reader the impression that everyone in the town is close together in friendship, and receives each other well. This is implied again when Scout states that the shutters of the Radley house are closed on Sundays, foreign to the town’s ways. In the novel, the Radleys are the friendless students always in the corner of the classroom. Dill is an innocent boy who befriends Jem and Scout over the summer, disappearing shortly. He represents the child who comes to class on an irregular basis, with a desire only to have fun. Miss Stephanie Crawford, a neighbourhood socialite provides the majority of the information about the Radley family. She can be seen as the gossiping girls whispering throughout the classes. The constant in the classroom is Miss Maudie Atkinson, a solid, good friend to Jem and Scout. Thinking about the characters in comparison to a classroom gives a better understanding of the community dynamics.
