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Freedom Of Speech In Inherit The Wind

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Author Evelyn Beatrice Hall once said, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.” In the play Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, high school science teacher Bertram Cates is put under arrest for teaching evolution rather than the creation myth in the southern town of Hillsboro. Lawyer Henry Drummond is sent in from Chicago to defend Cates, and lawyer Matthew Harrison Brady is sent in as prosecutor, to defend Hillsboro’s religious rights. The town’s religious leader Reverend Brown greatly endorses the town’s strong Christian beliefs. This play teaches many critical lessons. The biggest lesson the play teaches is the importance of intellectual freedom because outside of Hillsboro, there is rarely a single answer to all of life’s questions. Henry Drummond introduces the idea …show more content…

This is taught in three parts. One, through the importance of open-mindedness and awareness of other views. Two, through embracing knowledge. And three, by bringing together clashing views and recognizing that one belief is not more important than another. The freedom of speech itself is written in the first amendment of the United States Constitution. This essential right is protected by law, and listed immediately in the text. This truly highlights just how important it is to be able to speak, write, and share ideas freely. Information should not be denied based off of one group’s views. Our founding fathers stood up for this right, one that does not include censorship of any kind. To have a law that goes against this principle invalidates the law itself. Throughout Hillsboro, America, and the world, multitudes of different opinions exist, and they deserve to be protected. It all boils down to the importance of respecting and recognizing different viewpoints as they

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Inherit the Wind: Granting the Right to be Wrong While the practice of limiting a man’s ideas may now be seen as archaic, Inherit the Wind brings to light this very injustice, prevalent in an era not yet shrouded by time. In this final scene of the play, Drummond poignantly summarizes the beauty of free thought. The following passage highlights the central theme of Inherit the Wind: theological and scientific beliefs can co-exist, on the condition that an individual has the right to believe whatever he or she deems fit: DRUMMOND. Say - you forgot - (But Rachel and Cates are out of earshot.

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Congress’s power to limit freedom of speech in any way is not included in the enumerated powers listed in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution (20-21). The states, if anyone, are the only governments that might posses the power to limit free speech (21). Government officials, however, obviously have no regard for the Constitution or freedom of speech and are acting upon their own desires and values (21). Many examples of freedom of speech infringement are given throughout this book, and the author shows how these kinds of laws are enacted throughout history.

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People have the tendency to take the First Amendment for granted, but some tend to use it to their favor. Stanley Fish presents his main argument about how people misuse this amendment for all their conflicts involving from racial issues to current political affairs in his article, Free-Speech Follies. His article involves those who misinterpret the First Amendment as their own works or constantly use it as an excuse to express their attitudes and desires about a certain subject matter. He expresses his personal opinions against those who consistently use the First Amendment as a weapon to defend themselves from harm of criticism.

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Characterization in Inherit the Wind ​Written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, the play Inherit the Wind is a fictitious spin off of the historical Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925, which hotly debated the concept of evolutionism vs. creationism and, in general, a person’s right to think. In the play, a young man by the name of Bert Cates is prosecuted for teaching evolution in school and breaking the state’s “creation-only” law. His case is taken to court where he fights against the highly exalted paragon of religious devotion, Matthew Harrison Brady. Henry Drummond, an almighty but rather infamous attorney, stands by and defends Cates throughout the whole trial. In the midst of this all, Cates’ lover, Rachel Brown, is torn between her love

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