I have to write a page essay on this scene using these points.
*it's nightime/dark/the setting
*the danger Atticus and the children are in/ the plot
*the use of short sentences and questions in the scene
It is dark and ordinarily the kids would be indoors. There is a single light over Atticus that illuminates his vulnerability in front of the jail-house.
There are no other people with him except Tom Robinson in the jail. The mob of men that show up are the danger to Atticus, the children, and Tom Robinson. They want to lynch Tom even at the cost of hurting their friends and neighbors. The Mob brings the aura of blind violence in the air.
The short sentences and questions in the scene illustrate the tension on both sides. In tense emotionally charged situations, people usually do not use long sentences. Things are short and to the point.
