Bertram Cates Inherit The Wind

The play Inherit the Wind has many problems that arise throughout; based off of the Scopes Trial, the play is a battle between creationism and Darwinism. However, even with the abundance of educational, legal, and social issues, the bias in the courtroom was one of the legal issues found in the play, by creating a court that is filled with members who have a clear bias towards one side of the argument, the other side is misjudged and has a lesser chance of winning. At the beginning of the play, when they introduced the issue of a teacher named Bertram Cates teaching evolution in a public school, Cates was on his way to be prosecuted for breaking the state law. During the process of selecting members of the jury for the trial the selection

Or else I want another one put up—just as big, just as big letters—saying “Read Your Darwin!”” (Lawrence, Lee 22), with the Judge responding with, “That’s preposterous” (Lawrence, Lee 22). The judge thinks that advertisements about Darwinism are ludicrous and unthinkable meanwhile, in a similar manner, advertisements related to the Bible are fine to him, indicating his bias towards it. Also when Drummond is questioning the witness about their thoughts on Darwinism, Davenport reacts,“ Objection, Your Honor. The defense is asking that a thirteen-year-old boy hand down an opinion on a question of morality.” (Lawrence, Lee 71). Brady also adds on to Davenport’s comment, “Ask him if his Holy Faith in the scriptures has been shattered” (Lawrence, Lee 71). When discussing the topic of Darwinism, the prosecution objected claiming that the defense was asking a child on their opinion of morality, meanwhile when Brady asked about religion, no one, except for Drummond, pointed him out on it. The court showed a clear belief towards one side which in turn impacts their final