INHERIT THE WIND           

"Ahhhh, Hillsboro-Heavenly HiIlsboro, the buckle on the bible belt"
-E.k. hornbeck

                                 Introduction

            The authors of Inherit the Wind were Jerome Lawrence and Robert Lee. This novel was written 30 years after The Scopes Monkey Trial. Although the meaning of the play is the Scopes trial, the play itself is not retelling all of the events.

        Fiction       

        Location : Hillsboro, Tennesse

          Year: 1925

        Publisher : Random House

       Genre · Courtroom drama

    Type of work · Play

                                    Characters

     Bertram Cates- Bert Cates character represents John Scopes. Cates is a quiet, 24 year old. He is a school teacher and was arrested for teaching his opinion on evolution to his sophomore class.  He is the Defendent in trail. Bert Cates suffers emotionally from how the townspeople. He lives in a town that is described as the "buckle on the bible belt" and for him to teach something what the town think is against the bible, is very different and almost unheard of.

Some Quotes by Beretram Cates

"I have been convictedof an unjust law. I will continue in the future, as I have in the past, to oppose this law in any way I can.'

Meaning: He is going to keep teaching both creation and evolution no matter what the law says.

   Matthew Harrison Brady-  Brady's character represents William Jennings Bryan.  Brady is the prosecuting attorney in the trial.  He is looked up to by the townspeople as a Colonel.  He volunteered to be the prosecuting attorney when he learns that the 'Butlar law' was being challenaged in Hillsboro. Brady’s mission is to make an example of Cates and to defend the “Living Truth of the Scriptures.”  

        Some Quotes by Matthew Harrison Brady

"During my term in the White House, I pledge to carry out my program for the betterment of the common people of this country..."

Meaning: This is Brady's speech if he were elected president. He also gave this speech as he was being carried to the doctors.

'I am more interested in the Rock of Ages, than I am in the Age of Rocks"

Meaning: Brady doesn't care how something came to be, just as long as its in the Bible.

    E.K. Hornbeck- Hornbeck's character represents M.L. Mencken.  He is a newspaper columnist for the Baltimore Herald.  Hornbecks sense of humor gives comic relief throughout the trial, freeing the tension that builds as the townspeople try to hold onto traditional beliefs. He always has something to say and is always giving his opinion, even when nobody asks.  He sees a monkey and calls it “Grandpa” and buys a hot dog instead of a Bible because he chooses to feed his stomach rather than his soul.  Hornbeck is  iconoclastic, opinionated, and shallow.

                     Some Quotes by E.K. Hornbeck 

 "Ahh Hillsboro, Heavenly Hillsboro, the Buckle on the Bible"  

Meaning: Hillsboro is the center of the religious community, it holds its together.

"I do hatefull things, for which peole love me and loveable things for which people hate me.  i am a friend of enemies, the enemy of friends. i am admired for my detestability."

Meaning: You either admire him or hate him. People have different views and opinions of him.

     Henry Drummond- Drummond's character represents Clarence Darrow. He is the criminal-defense attorney in the trial.  Drummond fights for man’s “the right to be wrong.”  He tries to put the law on trial not Cates.  Brady is referred to as “Colonel” for no apparent reason, a situation that is prejudicial to his case.  Drummond gets jealous.  Drummond turns into the towns hero at the end for proving the Brady isent as smart as the townpeople though he was.  Reverend Brown describes Drummond as the Devil.

Some quotes by Henry Drummond

'The bible is a book. A good book.  But it's not the only book"

Meaning: Their are other trueful books in the world besides the bible.

     Rachael Brown- Rachael's character represents no one from the reall Scopes Trail. She is the daughter of Reverand Brown. She is terrified of her father.  She is a normal towngirl the is in love with Bertram Cates.  Rachael tries to convince Bertram Cates to give up and admit he's wrong,  but Cates refuses to.  Towards the end Rachael becomes more confident and runs away with Bert.

    Reverand Jeremiah Brown- Reverands Brown character is obviously very Catholic.  He doesnt like Bert Cates or Henry Drummond. He is such a strict Catholic that he would let his own daughter burn in hell fire for his religion.

                              List of other main characters:

Mayor-The mayor of Hillsboro. He gives a speech welcoming Brady and bestows upon him the title of Honorary Colonel in the State Militia.

The Judge- The judge in Cates’ trial. He tries to remain impartial in spite of his religious beliefs. 

Mrs. Brady- Brady’s wife. She mothers her husband, she supports Brady when he complains that people are laughting at him

Tom Davenport-  District Attorney who assists Brady during the trial.

Meeker- The bailiff at the Hillsboro courthouse for many years. He is nonjudgmental and kind to Cates.

Photographer-  The photographerwho takes pictures of Brady, the Mayor, and Reverend Brown during the welcoming ceremony.

Climax 

 When Brady flounders under Drummond’s line of questioning, the courtroom spectators shift their support to Cates.

                                               Themes 

  Fundamentalism vs. freedom of thought.  The conflict of urban and rural attitudes
 

     Ending Facts    

• Bertam Cates was found Guilty
• Bert was fined $100
• Hornbecks newpaper company pays for Berts fine.
• Brady think the fine doesnt fit the crime.
• Brady dies at the end of a "busted belly".

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