What is the importance in the mob episode in 'To Kill A Mocking Bird'

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What is the importance in the mob episode? Atticus has been receiving threats and warnings for defending Tom Robinson in this section of the novel. In this scene, a heated disagreement is introduced and part of the town's true feelings and prejudices is exposed. In chapter 15, the children, Jem and Scout, go up to the jail and see Atticus sitting outside Macomb jail, where Tom Robinson is at the time, and he is reading a newspaper. Jem, Scout and Dill all sneak out of the house and follow Atticus to the town center where the Maycomb jail is. At that moment,
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four cars drive into Maycomb and park near the jail. A group of men get out of the cars, and demand that Atticus move away from the jail door so that they can get to Tom Robinson. Atticus refuses, so Scout comes running over, trying to help her father, followed by Jem and Dill. Atticus thinks that the children are no help in the situation and doesn’t want them to be hurt, so tries to get them to go home. One of the men tells Atticus that he has fifteen seconds to get his children to leave before a fight ...

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