The narrator in Thornton Wilder's Our Town begins his monologue by setting the stage so that his audience can picture the small town of Grover's Corners.

It has ethnic and religious diversity, a railway linking the town to the wider world, and a political center. However, Grover's Corners is more than simply a backdrop; its residents feel a sense of commonality with one another because of a long history living in close proximity and the web of social relationships that have developed as a result. The sense of community or “glue” that holds people together is what ties the story of George Gibbs and Emily Webb with that of their friends and neighbors. Living in this town affects its inhabitants' attitudes toward one another, toward the local paper and their constable, and toward serving and dying for their country. Defining Grover's Corners as their community affects how they think of their own roles, identities, and obligations, and how they view their relationships with other members of the town.