I don't have the book so I can't give a line of evidence but Atticus was all about teaching Jem and Scout those little life lessons without them even noticing so this instance was one of those little lessons he gives them. Hope this helps :)
I,II, and III
Hope this helped:)
He uses the allusion of shadrach meshack and abednego to show that sometimes it is ok to go to jail for breaking an unjust rule. shadrach meshack and abendago were 3 people in the bible who did not want to bow down to an idol so the king threw them in a firey furnace but an angel saved them
That would be personification