Not only did Bertram Cates set an example for others to follow, but he also bravely defended his opinion. Cates is the most important character in the play because he had the courage to challenge his town’s views on religion. The fact that Bertram Cates knew that he would suffer consequences for teaching his students about evolution, proves how brave he was. Without Cates’ boldness, the opinions of many people in his town would not have been heard. For that reason, Cates did not care if he would suffer and did not back down. Rachel tried to persuade him to give in by saying: “ Bert, it’s still not too late. Why can’t you admit you’re wrong? If the biggest man in the country--next to the President, maybe-- if Matthew Harrison Brady comes here to tell the whole world how wrong you are…” (Lawrence and Lee 8). …show more content…
Rachel was reverend Brown’s daughter she too disagreed with Cates’ actions. When she tried to scare Cates into backing down, he resisted. Cates then continued to sacrificed himself in order to bring justice to the one-sided town of Hillsboro. On the contrary, Rachel was another brave character in the play Inherit The Wind. Rachel was the daughter of Reverend Brown, who brainwashed the people of the town to radically believe that God must come before anything else. In simpler terms, anyone who dared to speak against that concept, would be hated by the people of Hillsboro. Because of this, Rachel felt pressured to follow her father’s rules. If she failed to do so, she would be an embarrassment to him. Rachel’s love for Cates was stronger than the fear she had of her father. In order to prove her love, Rachel finally stood up to her father’s harsh