Inherit the Wind Response- Zora Kesich
Inherit the Wind Response
I found Inherit the Wind to be an entertaining read. I really enjoy the genre of ‘courtroom drama’ both in film and television shows, and this play certainly encapsulates much of what makes this topic so captivating to watch.
I thought it was noteworthy that more than once, it is mentioned that it is as if the town of Hillsboro itself is on trial. This is what I find so enthralling about the most interesting trials– they do not simply involve those on the stand but they involve everyone in some capacity. In this case, the whole town is affected because the issues being addressed so directly relate to their lives. Many of the citizens of Hillsboro attend church services regularly and have strong roots in fundamental Christianity. Because the town is small, I would assume that many if not all of the young children attend the school where Cates taught. Thus, the citizens of Hillsboro have a strong investment in the subject matter being taught at the school that their children attend. I think that interesting trials, that lend themselves to on-screen or dramatic portrayals, involve issues like this– ones that many people feel they have a direct stake in. This issues can be ones of race, class, gender, police brutality, a combination of those listed, etc. What they have in common though, is that someone who does not directly know anyone involved in the trial feels that the outcome is important and that it will say something significant about society as a whole.
For me, the most interesting character to watch evolve (no pun intended) throughout the play was Rachel. It is easy for the reader or viewer to understand her internal conflict. She has been raised to believe one way and the man whom she loves is challenging these conventions. This is perhaps, as it would appear by her actions, the first time her belief system has been challenged in a way that causes her distress. This is understandable, as she is from a small town and has not been exposed to many diverse ways of thinking. The reader or viewer can see how difficult it is for Rachel to testify against Cates, whom she deeply loves. By the end of the play, she is in a place where she may not accept the concept of evolution as truth, but she understands why the freedom to think what one thinks and say what they wish to say is so important. This is a vast turnaround from her attitude in the opening scenes of the play, where she tells Cates that everyone knows what he has done is wrong and he should simply admit he has made a mistake in order to receive a lesser punishment. I like that the play is not written in a way that Rachel completely revises her attitude on evolution in the end, entirely subscribing to Cates’ school of thought. Instead, her ability to maintain her own views but develop an understanding of why it is acceptable to have opposing views, speaks far better to the meaning of the play.
I think that I would like to see this play performed live some day because the drama of the court scenes seems to lend itself well to a live performance. Specifically, the character of Brady would be entertaining to watch, loudly attempting to get his views across.