Note: There are several different aspects to consider in studying this play. First, there is the play itself. Then there is the actual Scopes trial, which took place in 1925. Then, there is the screenplay of which several films have been made. All three are important to your study of Inherit the Wind, but all three are different in many respects. Don't mix them up.

Introductory Pages

What is the Time and Place of the play, according to the authors?

Why does it have to be set in a small town?

What do Lawrence and Lee say about the play in the preface right before Act I?

Act I scene i

1. What is the setting?

3. Who is Meeker?

4. Describe Rachel.

What is her occupation? Who is her father? What is her relationship to Bert Cates?

5. What is Cates's occupation?

6. What does Rachel want Bert to do?

Why does she think he must be wrong? (p. 8)

7. What does Bert say to this? What does he say he was trying to teach his students from Darwin's research?

8. Who is Matthew Harrison Brady?

9. How do people feel about Brady's coming?

10. What is the trial like for them? How are they "preparing" for it?

11. How important is religion to the people of Hillsboro? How do you know

12. Describe E.K. Hornbeck.

Where is he from?

13. What attitude does Hornbeck seem to have towards the town?

14. What do the townspeople do when Brady arrives?

15. What does Brady say about Cates (though he doesn't mention his name) in his first speech? According to him, why is he in Hillsboro? (p. 20)

16. What title does the Mayor give Brady? (p. 22)

17. What has Brady done at least three times in the past?

18. Describe the conversation between Rachel and Brady.

19. Who is Davenport? (p. 23)

20. Who is Drummond? For what is he best known to these people? (pp. 26-28)

Explain why Brown doesn't like what Drummond did in Ohio. Did Drummond do the right thing in that case? Explain.

21. How does Brown describe Drummond on p. 28?

22. How does Brady feel about Drummond's coming?

23. What does Rachel think of what Hornbeck has written so far about Bert Cates? (pp. 32-33)

24. According to Rachel, what should a teacher do? (p. 33)

Did Bert do anything very different from this? What book was he using? (Careful: the screenplay and the stage script differ greatly on this!)

24. Describe what Hornbeck tells Rachel on pp. 34-35 regarding Brady and American society.

25. Who arrives at the end of the scene?

Act I scene ii

1. What is the setting?

2. What process is taking place?

3. What type questions are asked of the prospective jurors?

4. What does Drummond say about Brady's title of "colonel"? What does the judge do?

5. What do Brady and Drummond argue about on p. 47? What does Drummond say Brady wants to do to the jury?

6. What does Drummond say he wants to accomplish by defending Bert? (p. 47). QUOTE him.

7. What does the judge announce? (p. 48) What is Drummond's reaction?

8. What does Drummond a say about the banner?

9. According to Drummond, why is town so angry with Cates? (p. 50)

10. What conditions does Drummond give Cates for changing his plea?

11. What does Brady want Rachel to do? What does Cates say about this? (pp. 53-54)

12. How does Rachel feel about her father?

Act II scene i

1. What is the setting? What is going on?

2. Describe what the prayer meeting is like.

3. What disagreement arises at the end of the meeting, between Brown and Brady?

4. What does Drummond mean by his remark to Brady on p. 67?

Act II scene ii

1. What is going on now?

2. What does Howard describe in his testimony?

3. What does Drummond say throughout the trial about thinking and the human mind?

4. What does Rachel describe in her testimony?

5. What remarks does Cates interrupt the trial with?

6. How does the judge ruin Drummond's case?

7. What does Drummond do to Brady by putting him on the witness stand?

8. What does Drummond say on p. 98 he is trying to accomplish?

Why is his goal a very important one to accomplish in a constitutional republic such as the United States?

What is the problem with having a state law against the teaching of any idea, discovery, hypothesis, etc. in public schools?

Should people be allowed to send their children only to schools that teach, say, only creationism, or ban the mention of some ideas? Explain.

Act III

1. What is everyone waiting for?

2. What does Drummond use his "Golden Dancer" story as an analogy for?

3. What statement does Cates make after being found guilty?

4. Why does the judge go easy on Cates in sentencing him? (p. 110 & p. 115)

5. In what ways did Drummond and Bert "lose"?

In what ways did they "win"?

What will their next step be?

6. What happens to Brady, and what is this symbolic of?

7. What has Rachel decided if to do? What does she say about thought?

8. About what do Hornbeck and Drummond disagree? Who do you think is right?