Inherit The Wind Essay, Research Paper

Inherit the Wind

The main theme of Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee is taking a

stand. The play begins in Hillsboro, Tennessee when a man named Bertram Cates breaks the law

by teaching the forbidden Darwin s Theory. The most famous orators of the time, Matthew

Harrison Brady and Henry Drummond came to this small religious town of Hillsboro. Brady is

prosecuting against Cates and Drummond is defending him. After days of battle, the verdict is

finally decided and Bertram Cates is found guilty.

Many people take stands for different reasons. Some take stands to send a message out

that needs to be sent. That is what happened in this play. A man named Matthew Harrison Brady

did exactly that. A gray-haired man, he believes strongly in the Bible took the stand. Although

his partner Tom Davenport strongly disagreed with Brady s actions. Brady thought that this

would benefit his trial. Your Honor, this is preposterous! (page 75) said Davenport as he tries

to object to Drummond s witness (Brady). The judge believed the actions of Drummond to be

highly unorthodox and claimed to have never known a prosecuting attorney to be called as a

witness. Brady agreed replying, Your Honor, this entire trial is unorthodox. If the interests of

Right and Justice will be served, I will take the stand. (page 75) Brady, at times, can be quite

ignorant and the decision he made to take the witness stand proved it. Brady did not know how

much Drummond knew about the Bible but instead he believed all the rumors he heard about

Drummond be agnostic.

Brady thought everything in the Bible should be taken literally and Drummond knew that.

That is why he asked questions that were impossible to answer. Brady was a very self-centered

man and thought that he would shut Drummond down with his answers. He was wrong.

- 2 -

Everything he thought was wrong except for one thing: the interests of Right and Justice

was served for Bertram Cates. Many more things could have happened to Brady for taking the

stand. Some things that did happen were that people began to side with Drummond and Cates.

Brady began to have a nervous breakdown because he knew that Drummond got the better of

him. It is too bad, I thought that Drummond would have won the case. That is not what

happened though. Brady won and Bertram Cates was found guilty and fined $100.00 which was

soon to be changed to $500.00 due to Drummond and Cates actions and attitudes toward the

judge.

The trial s turning point was when Brady took the stand. I believe that was a horrible

decision because if Brady never took the stand many people would still see his side. I do not

think that what Brady did was correct. Many of his answers were horrible especially when he said

that God speaks to him and tells him what to do and what not to do. He tells him what is good

and bad. I know that it made Brady look like an absolute fool although listening to a higher

power is admirable. He should have kept these inspirations to himself because that may

sometimes have a negative effect on what people think.