Inherit the wind annotations
Mauricio Hernandez
Explanatory Notes
Title: Inherit The Wind
Author(s): Jerome Lawrence and Robert E.
Lee
Jerome Lawrence: (1915-2004) American
playwright and author.
Robert E Lee: (1918-1994) American
playwright and lyricist.
Def: Inherit- to come into possession of or
receive especially as a right or divine portion.
Orator- a person with the skill of public
speaking.
Aghast- struck with terror or amazement.
Proverb- He that troubleth his own house
Shall inherit the wind (Proverbs 11:29)
Paraphrase- The individual who decides to
start trouble will suffer the consequences in
the end.
Act 1 scene 1
Setting- July
Place- Hillsboro Courthouse
Characters:
Howard Blair- poor 13 year old boy, talks
with a southern accent,
Melinda- 12 year old girl,
Rachel Brown- 22 year old girl, daughter of
The Reverend, wants Bert to lie and say that
his way of teaching was only a joke so he can
nd
get out of jail. 2 grade teacher.
Mr. Meeker-courthouse/jail guard
The Reverend Jeremiah Brown- Rachels
father
Bert Cates (Cates) - is in jail for some reason,
Critical Commentary
(pred) just by looking at the title and the
cover as it shows some sort of court case, I
predict that some characters guardian has
died and the family are having conflicts on
who gets to inherit some of the dead
persons belongings.
(con) I remember hearing that in church about
3 weeks ago and the pastor translated it to us
as: the individual who decides to start trouble
will suffer the consequences in the end.
(con) I remember learning about the Scopes
trial in APUSH which was about a teacher
who taught the concept of evolution to his
students and the Christian community
frowned upon him.
(Inf) since Melinda had said thats sinful
talk! Im gonna tell my pa I can infer that
either her father is a pastor or that that the
society has a strong religious influence in this
era and that is a common use in the language.
(inf) since Bert is in jail and is a school
teacher I can infer that he is most likely the
teacher who has been teaching evolution. I
also infer that since Rachel was crying and is
worried that her father might know that she is
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school teacher, 24 years old. Not a religious visiting Bert, she may have feelings for Bert.
(pred) if Rachel does have feelings for Bert
man.
Main Plot- Bert is jailed for teaching and her father is a religious man, then I

evolution and is going to be testified against predict that there will be some conflict

the Government in a battle of ideologies. between her and her father because being
Mathew Harrison Brady (Brady) - sounds like
religious, he may not approve evolution and
some big government figure. Lawyer?
may want Rachel to stay away from Bert.
Governor. Popular, slob, enjoys attention. (synthesis) as Thoreau would say, Cates is
Place- Hillsboro
Storekeeper- hence the name using an act of civil disobedience of breaking
Mts. Krebs- townsfolk
Corkin- worker the law by teaching evolution, and the unjust
Cooper- worker
Bannister- townsfolk law is suppressing the right to teach evolution
Platt-townsfolk
Bollinger-Townsfolk, Musician because it is a very difficult argument to
Mrs. McClain-
Mrs. Blair- Howards mom prove if the Divine or the theory Evolution is
Hawker- hotdog sales man.
Elijah- religious man, homeless? valid or not.
E. K. Hornbeck- newspaper man, 30 years (inf) it makes sense that Rachel would

old, rude personality, believes in evolution disagree with Bert when she says why cant
Def: Obliging- helpful
Gaunt- really thin you be on the right side of things? because
Privy- private
Haughty- disdainfully proud. being the child of a pastor, she learned her
-The monkey that is with the organ grinder is
morals from both her father and in religion.
used as an example of evolution.
Mayor- leader of Hillsboro Berts reply your fathers side has pointed
Mrs. Brady- wife of Brady.
-people are chanting religious things. out that growing up with the reverend has
Tom Davenport- district attorney
Henry Drummond- agnostic taught her to believe in what is right and what
2 great orators- Henry Drummond and Brady.
Paraphrase: I may be rancid butter, but Im is wrong based off the Bible.
(Observation) the banner that says Read your
on your side of the bread I may not be
Bible sums up that Hillsboros type of
trusted very well but Im on your side.
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Hornbeck-is in the middle of the situation, he
is on neither side.
Scene 2
Bannister cant read but goes to church.
Dunlap- farmer and cabinet maker.
Drummond points out the wrong in Bradys
popularity and misuse of his rank.
George Sillers- worker at the feed store
Drummond points out that most of the
townspeople are religious due to conformity.
Drummond makes fun of the trial.
Summary: people go to the trial. Brady and
Drummond chose people to ask questions and
Drummond concludes that people are
religious because they conform. At the end of
the day Drummond questions Rachels
beliefs. And Rachel argues that they should
give up the trial. Bert tries to get Rachel to
defend him.
Act 2 scene 1
Brady and Drummond were once friends.
Plot: people go to the prayer meeting.
Brown is trying to curse Rachel for
supporting Bert.
Brady cares for Rachel.
Summary- people go to church and the
sermon gets intense. Brown is cursing on all
supporters of Bert even including his own
daughter. Brady protects Rachel by warning
Brown that he is over doing it and is supposed
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government revolves around religion.
(que) why are the people so excited to have
Brady come to their town? I understand that
he is a big figure of politics, but why does he
have such an impact on the people?
(inf) the people of Hillsboro are pretty strict
about religion they seem to frown upon
people who do not agree with their aspect on
religion such as Elijah was disturbed that
Hornbeck had bought a hotdog instead of a
bible.
(pred) I predict that Drummond will be the
lawyer for Bert since that they are both
agnostic.
(que) how can some religious people be so
negative to those who dont agree with their
ideas? I thought they were morally good
people and oppressing those who think
differently does not seem moral.
(inf) ironically Brady being a religious
person, eats a lot and seems to care about the
people liking him and his actions show the
sins of pride and gluttony.
(inf) when Hornbeck says that Brady was the
water boy for the great unwashed I think he
is calling him a brain washer because he
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to be forgiving people rather than punishing
them.
Act 2 scene 2
Howard explains what Bert taught them.
Drummond is protecting the right to think.
Both creationists and evolutionists believe
these 2 separate ideas from books.
Bert had quit the church for their cruelty
against non-religious people.
Brown had damned the boy who drowned for
not being baptized.
Drummond brings a zoologist to the court.
Court objects the zoologist.
Drummond summons philosopher.
Major plot point- Drummond calls up Brady
to testify and regard the Bible.
Pagan- one who has little or no religion.
Perdition- utter destruction.
Scrutinize- to examine closely.
Drummond questions the religious feats in the bible holds.
bible.
Beget- to produce as an effect or outgrowth. because they conform to Brady who is a
Brady is losing support from the townspeople.
Drummond is gaining support from the
people now.
Act 3
Drummond is being interviewed for a radio
broadcast.
Bert is still considered guilty.
Bert is fined for $100.
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refers Brady as a plumber who plumbs the
peoples brains as they have inside plumbing
in their heads (Hornbeck).
Scene 2
(que) could it be that the reason some believe
in religion is because they are illiterate and
they are surrounded by the common idea of
religion? I think so because bannister cant
read but he attends church so in a religious
society he would listen to what the reverend
has to say but not know what is in the bible.
Therefore he cannot have an original idea of
his own if he does not know what ideas the
(inf) I infer that people only are religious
popular and arrogant man.
(Con) when Bert says Theyll crucify me! it
is ironic because the same thing happened to
Jesus because the Church did not approve
with his ideas and they punished him for that
and in the play the townspeople are punishing
Bert for having a different idea.
Act 2 scene 1
(que) when Brady says the beginning proverb
to Brown, what is the trouble that Brown is
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stirring up? I think the trouble is that Brown

is trying to cast out Rachel for supporting

Bert.
Act 2 scene 2
(con) when Drummond calls out the Bible

saying that everything is a sin, I can relate this

to the real world because continuously people

use the Bible as a source for debate saying

what is bad and what it does not say is bad.

(pred) I predict that Brady is not going to

know much about the bible since he mostly

cares about popularity and that he is very

arrogant.
(Judgement) Brady is very ignorant because

even though that the bible still has some

mysteries that Drummond is questioning

Brady is still saying that the bible which is his

only source, satisfies him.

(inf) throughout the trial the people have been

watching the trial as if it were some sort of

entertainment by the way every remark that is

said there is some reaction such as laughter.

(Observation) its ironic that in the beginning

people chanted Bradys name because they

follow him, but at the end of the trial

Drummond chants his name as well but in

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mockery.
(synthesis) in the end Brady as never

successful as Brucker would say because

Brady was all about fancy objects, parades

and people (Brucker) and after being

humiliated in the trial, he had no respect

gained from the townspeople.

Act 3
(que) throughout the book the heat was

mentioned a lot, why? I think it could have

been an emphasis on the intensity of the trial

drama.
(inf) when Drummond says look behind the

paint I infer that he is referring to the church

of Hillsboro because their religion is based on

embracing people but really the church is a

cruel society for curding those who do not

share the same ideas.

(synthesis) Thoreau would agree with Bert

when he says oppose this law in any way I

can because Thoreau advises that people

should break unjust laws immediately and

people should live their lives standing up

against an unjust governments unfair laws.