Prep-Work for the ground-breaking, 1951 play, Inherit the Wind, by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee—
For each item download a picture, glue to notebook and write a couple sentences, dates, explanations for each aspect of.
- Look up “Bible Belt”
- Look up Scopes “Monkey” Trials
- William Jennings Bryan
- Clarence Darrow
- H.L. Mencken
- Organ grinder
- Hurdy-gurdy
- Yellow Journalism
- Et tu Brute
- “Inherit the Wind” (Biblical excerpt)
Inherit the Wind, by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee—Character Descriptions:
Bertram Cates (M, mid-20s)—A young schoolteacher who is on trial for violating a state law.
Matthew Harrison Brady (M, 60- 65-ish)—Famous national political figure (the character is loosely based on William Jennings Bryan), gifted orator and self-proclaimed authority.
Henry Drummond (M, 60-65-ish) —A talented lawyer who defends Cates and views the law as a search for the truth. Loosely based on Clarence Darrow, the character has a quick mind; humorous, charming and folksy in court, but can be feisty and confrontational when setting a trap.
E.K. Hornbeck (M, 35-45) —Brilliant newspaper columnist and critic who covers the trial (loosely based on H.L. Mencken). He is contemptuous of the bigotry and ignorance that exists in the south and mocks them.
Rachel Brown (W, early-20s) — Daughter of Hillsboro minister, she is conflicted and torn between her feelings for Cates and duty to her father.
Rev. Jeremiah Brown (M, 45-55) — Hillsboro minister who takes the word of God as truth and regards all deviations from that as blasphemous.
Judge (M, 45-60) —Attempts to conduct the trial impartially, despite his personal beliefs.
Meeker (M, 40-60) — Court Bailiff who oversees the courtroom. Has an easy-going style.
Mayor (M, 40-55) — Epitomizes the small town mayor and politician. He is filled with self-importance and always considers how his actions will be viewed by his constituents.
Tom Davenport (M, 35-45) — Ambitious District Attorney who, along with Brady, prosecutes Cates.
Melinda (W, 10-13) — Young Hillsboro girl
Elijah (M, 40-60) —An illiterate Hillsboro local who considers himself a prophet and comes to town preaching his beliefs and selling Bibles.
Townspeople, Trial Spectators, Reporters, Jurors (M & W, various ages) - A variety of stylized and humorous character roles. —http://lcplayers.com/Shows/InheritTheWind/InheritTheWind.html
Inherit the Wind, Vocabulary and Focus Questions
As you read, make a Flow Chart of the Action
- Draw a large Flow Chart similar to the one below and add instead:
- beginning = rising action, characters, setting and developing conflict(s)
- middle (CLIMAX, which usually comes near the end of the story, play, movie, novel, is represented here as the highest point of action)
- the denouement – falling action
- end – or wrapping up all loose ends
Along the outside and inside of Flow Chart, write important event along graph.
Beginning Middle End
1. Describe Meeker, Melinda, Rachel and Bert Cates
2. Why is Cates so adamant about returning to the jail (cell)?
3. Describe the Atmosphere of these first seven pages. How does it make you feel? Why?
4. There are two moments of Foreshadowing throughout the play—see if you can spot them—how do authors lead readers to infer outcomes?
5. Why does Drummond accept Mr. Stillers, the Feed Store owner?
6. Explain how Voice of Reason shifts from pages 30-44
Vocabulary
1. haberdasher—pg 13—(n)— a retail dealer in men's furnishings, as shirts, ties, gloves, socks, and hats.
Mr. Allen’s kids went to the haberdasher to by him some new ties and shirts for Father’s Day.
2. extradite —(pg 11)—(v)— to give up (an alleged fugitive or criminal) to another state, nation, or authority.
Many wish to extradite Gaddafi so justice will truly be meted out.
syn—apprehend, surrender, deliver
PAGE 15 vocab =
3. Bible Belt—(n)
4. Unctuously—adv— hypocritically smooth and suave
Many haughty politicians unctuously assail President Obama for failing to fix the country faster. Still, surprisingly, Obama remains undaunted.
5. Undaunted—(adj)— not dismayed or discouraged
Undaunted by the huge haughty,(adj) Cyclops, Homer killed him with his paraphernalia.
6. (An) infidel —n—a person who has no religious faith
Many infidels are haughtily assailed for being non-conformists.
7. (an) evolutionist—n—a person who believes that all living things have acquired their present forms through successive generations
Millions of people believe it's a daunting (v) task assailing and disproving evolutionists's theories.
The great evolutionist, Charles Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change."
PAGE pg16 VOCAB
8. haughtily—(adj)— disdainfully proud; snobbish; scornfully arrogant;
syn—supercilious,
9. organ grinder—(n)
10. hurdy-gurdy—(adj) or (n)—
PAGE 17
11. Yellow Journalism—(n)
12. pith helmet-(n) a softer, dome-shaped helmet used in African Safaris
The explorers dived into the underbrush, praying their pith helmets and other paraphernalia would protect them from stampeding giraffes.
13. patriarch-(n)-the male head of a family, tribe, as in ancient times; any of the three family line of Israelites—Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob #3—highest ranking bishop in the Eastern Orthodox Church
In many aboriginal tribes, the Shaman, or Medicine Man, was the patriarch.
14. paunchy—(adj)—a large protruding belly
After years of living “The Good Life”, their paunches were so big they couldn’t tie their own shoes, let alone see their feet. (n)
Ant—a "six-pack"
syn—"beer belly", fat (not phat!)
15. suffrage—(19)—n—the right to vote
The suffragettes were many unsung heroes, women who fought for suffrage.
16. paraphernalia—(n)—(pg 20)—articles of equipment need for some activity
17. blasphemies—(n)—21—irreverent utterance or actions against God
Jewish people refuse to say or even write G-d out for they believe it is a blasphemy to use or say the word if not in prayer.
18. assails—(v)—to attack violently—#2 to attack with criticism
David assailed Goliath with his only paraphernalia, a sling shot.
Jefferson and Clemens assailed African Americans with their paraphernalia of words, in order to feel more haughty.
“If we are going to teach creation science as an alternative to evolution, then we should also teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction.”
~ Judith Hayes
