Ek Hornbeck Inherit The Wind Analysis

E.K. Hornbeck through his language in “Inherit the Wind” (1955) tries to show the town of Hillsboro the way that their thoughts are harmful and wrong. Hornbeck backs that up by using a sarcastic tone to show them how ridiculous they are being, by using metaphors and similies to give the citizens context from the outside world that they might not always consider due to their closed mindedness, and by using syntax to prove that he is better than them and making himself and his views credible. His purpose is to get the town to change their viewpoint so they can see that they need to move forward with the time. He establishes a superior relationship with his audience of small town people with narrow viewpoints who need to learn to be more accepting.

When speaking with Rachel Hornbeck says, “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. The ordinary people played a dirty trick on Colonel Brady. They ceased to exist... Colonel Brady’s virginal small-towner has been had- by Marconi and Montgomery Ward.” This long list of comparisons serve to show Rachel that the world is moving forward while Hillsboro remains dormant. Hornbeck is showing her that things aren’t as simple as they used to be and that progress needs to be made in their small town. When Hornbeck first sees Brady he says, “Shield your eyes, monk! You’re about to meet the mightiest of your descendants. A man who wears a cathedral for a cloak, a church spire for a hat, whose head has the thunder of the legions of the Lion-Hearted!” Through this comparison Hornbeck is literally calling Brady a church, which he thinks is bad and ridiculous because through it it shows that Brady makes himself out to be a religious spearhead. Hornbeck is trying to show what Brady thinks of himself, and how it is harmful, and through his metaphors the reader is able to see how he doesn’t