house been located on another street of Maycomb, a great deal of the plot would have been different.

One of the most significant differences that would have resulted from a change in location would be the inability of Arthur "Boo" Radley to watch the Scout and Jem from his home's front window.  Had Boo been unable to observe the Finch children and, thus, to develop a relationship with them (at least in his mind), the children would have fallen prey to Bob Ewell's attack.  In fact, the children probably would not have been as fascinated with the mystery of Boo Radley, which would have greatly impacted many events within the novel.

Had the Finch household been located elsewhere, Mrs. Dubose, Miss Maudie, Miss Stephanie, and most other important characters would have played very insignificant roles in the story.  Their relative proximity to the Finch family enabled them to be considered important and influential, whether good or bad.  In addition, events such as the wanderings of the rabid Tim Johnson and the revelation of Atticus Finch's prowess as a sharpshooter would not have warranted as much attention as they received had they taken place in a less prominent location.  Of course, there are many other events that would have been influenced or negated by a change in setting.

In order to answer this question, I encourage you to consider how much of the story revolves around the neighborhood.  Speculating how the story would change by changing the location of the Finch house is easier to do by thinking of the things that would not have happened, rather than would could have happened in another part of Maycomb.

One approach to answering this question is to go back to the text and create a list of all of the important events in the story which would not have taken place if the characters lived in another neighborhood.  Here are a few to help you get started:

• Children's curiosity sparked by the Radley house: Mr. Nathan Radley was seen walking back and forth to work in town.
• The day of the trial in court: the children observe what looks similar to a parade of people walking right down their street to the courthouse.
• Relationships with other characters in the neighborhood are close because "in town" the houses are physically closer together than they would be "in the country."  Consider the vast experiences and lessons Jem and Scout receive simply as a result of neighborhood connections; Miss Maudie's fire, meeting Dill in Miss Rachel's yard, interactions with Mrs. Dubose, the Radley house (again).
• The night of the mob scene: The children's ability to follow Atticus to the jail that night.
• Distance and direction to and from school: the climax of the novel (the attack by Bob Ewell) would have been far different (possibly worse) if the Finches lived somewhere else.
• Finally, the idea that where a family lived was also associated with the family's position in society.  Consider that another neighborhood would likely mean another profession for Atticus and a completely different social structure for the main characters.

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird would be drastically different if the Finches did not live on the main street of Maycomb. Many of the memorable moments and important scenes take place in proximity to the Finches' home and include their neighbors, which are also important characters throughout the novel. Miss Rachel Haverford is Dill Harris' aunt who lives next door to the Finches. If the Finches' home was not located next to Miss Rachel's home, Scout and Jem might not have met their fascinating, imaginative friend. The memorable character, Miss Maudie, who lives across the street from the Finches, might not have interacted with Scout had she not been her neighbor. Maudie provides insight into the true nature of Boo Radley and describes other characters throughout the community. If the Finches did not live on the main road, Jem and Scout would never have walked passed Mrs. Dubose's front yard to be insulted, and Jem would have never destroyed her camellia bush. The significant lesson in true courage would have never taken place had they not interacted with their neighbor, Mrs. Dubose. When Tim Johnson walked down the main road, Jem would not have seen him, and the children would still think Atticus is talentless and boring. Most significantly, if the Finches were to live off of the main road, the children would not have known who Boo Radley was, and the entire plot would be altered. It is important to remember that Jem and Scout are only children. Children can only travel within a proximity of their home, which makes the location of Finches' residence significant and their neighbors important characters. Most of Scout and Jem's experiences take place in their yard, on their neighbors' porches, or a little ways down the road.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, the main street location of the Finch family home is strategic in many ways. Of particular importance is the relative location of the Radley family home next door. Throughout the novel, the Finch children and Dill develop a friendship with Arthur “Boo” Radley. This relationship played a key role in his intervention when Bob Ewell attacked Jem and Scout. Radley could be described using a simile, a comparison of unlike things for effect using “like” or “as.” In saving them, Radley was like their guardian angel.

The location of the courthouse and jail is also important in relation to the Finches’ house. One night Atticus leaves without telling his children his destination. When they follow him, they find him sitting with a lamp outside the jail, talking to a group of men. Scout’s intervention in conversing with Walter Cunningham’s father removes the tension in the atmosphere. The men leave without accomplishing their goal, which had been to remove Tom Robinson from the jail and almost certainly to lynch him. Later the children quiz their father on the men’s behavior. Atticus uses a metaphor, a direct comparison of unlike things for effect, to describe this mob. He calls them “a gang of wild animals.”