To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. The main character Scout Finch, who is loosely based on the author Harper Lee, narrates the story as an adult looking back on her childhood. Some key characters like Atticus Finch and Dill are based on people in Lee's life. The book addresses themes of prejudice, courage, and growing up through a coming-of-age story told with Southern Gothic details of the time period.