"Inherit the Wind"
Introduction
Now that we have studied the issues and personalities in the famous
Scopes case, we will view a dramatization of this trial. As in the
Scopes case the defendant (Bert Cates) is arrested for violating the
state law that made it a crime to teach any theory that contradicts
the Bible. The defendant is represented by a famous trial lawyer
(Henry Drummond) from Chicago, a religious agnostic. Another of the
defense supporters is a journalist (E.V. Hornbeck), who does not take
the trial seriously at all. The minister's daughter (Rachel Brown), who
is the defendant's fiancee, is called as a prosecution witness in the
trial by the prosecution attorney (Matthew Harrison Brady). Brady is
a former candidate for President, a Bible expert and a supporter of
conservative views and the "common man."
Discussion Questions
As we view the film, be prepared to discuss the following:
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1.The journalist Hornbeck describes the trial as the "Persecution of
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the educated." What do you think he meant by this statement? Do
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you agree or disagree with his opinion?
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2.What role did the media play in the trial (both newspapers and
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radio). Compare this to the role of the media (tv included) in recent
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trials or Congressional hearings. Why was this trial a "media event"?
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3.Comment on the statement made by the defense lawyer
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Drummond, "Right has no meaning to me whatsoever. Truth has
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meaning as a direction." What does he mean by this difference?
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4.What is the meaning of the Bible verse which has provided the
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film's title, found in Proverbs 11:29? "He that troubleth his own
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house shall inherit the wind; and the fool shall be servant to the wise
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of heart." How can it be applied to the dramatic events?
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5.How is the word "evolution" used in explaining change?
Worksheet--Page 2
Observation Questions
The authors of the play, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, insist
their play "is not history." Try to correct the fictious parts of the
play as you remember them from your study of the Scopes trial.
Complete the chart below (add others):
Fiction:Fact:
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1. Bert Cates is arrested and drag-
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ged from his classroom, led by the minister and the mayor.
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2. Henry Drummond stands alone in his defense of Bert Cates.
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3. E.V. Hornbeck's newspaper, the Baltimore Herald, arranges for
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Henry Drummond to defend Cates and pay all legal fees.
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4. Testimony by all scientific experts is completely ignored by
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the judge.
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5. Other observations you may have noticed:
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THOUGHT QUESTION: Why change the facts at all? What purposes
might the authors have in mind in altering the historical facts of the
case?
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