Inherit the Wind
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Act 1, Scene 1 Act 1, Scene 2 Act 2, Scene 1 Act 2, Scene 2 Act 3, Scene 1
Themes
All Themes Science vs. Religion David vs. Goliath Oratory, Performance, and Public Speaking Morality, Justice, and Truth Open-Mindedness vs. Closed-Mindedness
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Bertram Cates Rachel Brown Matthew Harrison Brady E. K. Hornbeck Henry Drummond Howard Reverend Jeremiah Brown The Judge George Sillers Tommy Stebbins
Symbols
All Symbols The Wind Monkeys
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Inherit the Wind
by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
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Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis Summary
  • Act 1, Scene 1
  • Act 1, Scene 2
  • Act 2, Scene 1
  • Act 2, Scene 2
  • Act 3, Scene 1
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Science vs. Religion Theme Icon
    Science vs. Religion
  • David vs. Goliath Theme Icon
    David vs. Goliath
  • Oratory, Performance, and Public Speaking Theme Icon
    Oratory, Performance, and Public Speaking
  • Morality, Justice, and Truth Theme Icon
    Morality, Justice, and Truth
  • Open-Mindedness vs. Closed-Mindedness Theme Icon
    Open-Mindedness vs. Closed-Mindedness
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Bertram Cates
  • Rachel Brown
  • Matthew Harrison Brady
  • E. K. Hornbeck
  • Henry Drummond
  • Howard
  • Reverend Jeremiah Brown
  • The Judge
  • George Sillers
  • Tommy Stebbins
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • The Wind Symbol Icon
    The Wind
  • Monkeys Symbol Icon
    Monkeys
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
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Tommy Stebbins

Inherit the Wind Symbols

Next
The Wind

The Wind

As the play’s title indicates, the wind is a central symbol of Lawrence and Lee’s work. The line from Proverbs, quoted by Brady and then, after Brady’s death, by Drummond, goes as follows: “He… read analysis of The Wind

The Wind Symbol Icon

Monkeys

The Hillsboro Trial, like the Scopes Trial on which it is based, is called, in the press, a “monkey trial.” This derives from the teaching of evolution, and the misbegotten, popular notion of evolution, that… read analysis of Monkeys

Monkeys Symbol Icon
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Tommy Stebbins
Previous
Tommy Stebbins
Next
The Wind
Next
The Wind
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