They show that the worst part of the train ride may be over. ... In this excerpt, the author shows how terrible conditions can cause people to be unsympathetic to the pain of others.
Atticus accounts him by the court to help Tom Robinson, a man who has been blamed of raping a woman, Mayella Ewell. Even though many of Maycomb's people disapprove, Atticus says yes to help Tom to the best of his ability.
Atticus is helping Tom Robinson because it's the correct thing to do and he knew he was telling the truth, Atticus is not harmful and like other people in his town.
The judge says yes to Atticus because he is the only one who would be saying yes to take his problems and failure, to the judge, is inevitable.
