What is the mood of the story?

The mood in the story fluctuates throughout. For the most part, the mood is humorous and light hearted. It's difficult to read through Scout's memories of those early times with her brother, their time with Dill, and the scads of trouble the children seemed to find daily without smiling. None-the-less, the mood does fluctuate, particularly during Atticus' defense of Tom Robinson, Tom's subsequent death and further threats against Atticus and the children by Bob Ewell. During this part of the narration the mood is somber, illustrating the issues being dealt with within the community.