What are the implications of the case for Atticus and his family in light of the later events of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus admits that taking on the defense of Tom Robinson
was a case he had hoped he would never have to accept. Atticus did not seek to represent
Tom; instead, he was asked by Judge John Taylor to take the case, since the judge knew
that Tom would receive better representation from Atticus than from the normal public
defender. Atticus knew that many members of the town would not be happy with him
defending a black man accused of raping a white woman; he also knew that his family
might be outcast and possibly even subject to threats or other dangers from the town.
Scout had to deal with insults at school, and the children heard whispering about the
family on the streets of Maycomb. Atticus faced injury and even death on the night the
lynch mob came to take Tom from the jail. Afterward, he was subject to more scorn and
gossip (ex: the missionary circle tea). Bob Ewell made threats against Atticus and his
family, and Bob even paid a visit to Judge Taylor's house after dark. Although Atticus
tried to assure his family that they were safe, Bob's actions on the fateful Halloween
night showed just how far he would go to get revenge on Atticus.