Chapter 1 Summary

Scout, the narrator, begins to bring the reader into her childhood world. The main characters in her life include: her father Atticus Finch, her older brother Jem, their housekeeper Calpurnia and a young boy who is visiting a neighbor for the summer who is named Dill.

The Finches call Maycomb, Alabama their home. Through the years, their ancestors made a name for themselves within the small community. For many years, the family lived at Finch's Landing and made money from cotton. Atticus turns his back on that lifestyle and becomes an attorney, while he younger brother became a doctor.

After law school, Atticus returns to Maycomb and sets up his law practice. Scout describes their small town in the thirties. One of her most vivid descriptions is contained early in the book. "A day was twenty-four hours but seemed longer. There was no...