Civil Rights and Civil Wrongs in To Kill a Mockingbird In Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the author uses the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, as a forum for diverse opinions on civil rights. On a smaller scale, Lee uses the relationship between Scout, her aunt, her father, and her housekeeper, to show how racism affects everything. The issue of civil rights develops not only through the trial of Tom Robinson, but also through the daily interaction between the Finch family and their housekeeper Calpurnia. In the process of growing up, Scout must choose where she fits into the entire racial scheme, and her relationship with her governess plays a crucial role in deciding this. Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, focuses on the maturation of a brother and sister. in the "tired old town (Lee 3)" of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s. Maycomb, a classic Southern town full of gossip, tradition and burdened by a legacy of racism, seems like an odd place to stage a drama that encourages equal treatment and non-prejudice. However, the narrator's new perspective on the sleepy town provides the reader with a multitude of perspectives on civil rights. Maycomb's traditional Southern racism is seen through the eyes of our young narrator, Scout Finch. Scout's innocent perspective forces her to ask questions about why white people treat black people the way they do. These questions are crucial in Scout's search for her own identity. Scout must deal with the racism in her town and how it affects the people in her life. He has to find his position and what role he will play in the whole racial game. A number of people greatly influence Scout. The two main role models in her life, her aunt Alexandria and her father Atticus, pull Scout in two opposite directions. Through their relationships with Calpurnia, the Finches' black housekeeper, both the reader and Scout are able to discern which path each individual wants Scout to follow. Brought into the Finch family to teach and act as a female role model for the young Scout, Aunt Alexandra begins by demonstrating the inferior position to Scout Calpurnia. For Aunt Alexandra, Calpurnia will not be a role model for Scout. From the beginning, Aunt Alexandra shows Scout who has the power. “Put my bag in the front bedroom, Calpurnia,” was the first thing Aunt Alexandra said (Lee 127).