Freedom Of Opinion And Speech In Inherit The Wind

One of the main themes in the play “Inherit the Wind” is a person’s right to think. The freedom of opinion and speech is an issue discussed throughout the trial of Bert Cates and in the story overall. This message is first explicitly brought up by Drummond in the courtroom. Drummond states that he is trying to establish that everyone has the right to think, and he further argues that Cates is being “threatened with fine and imprisonment because he chooses to speak what he thinks.” (II.ii.64) Drummond clearly believes that the law is as much on trial as the man, contrary to Brady. Throughout the case Drummond holds the position that if Brady and the townspeople are allowed to freely express what they believe in, which is Creationism and …show more content…
At the beginning, she never directly answers Cates whenever he asks her if she thinks his ideas are wrong. She only keeps insisting that he take back what he said, indicating that she is afraid for him and of the consequences of what he said. It is later revealed that she fears her father, when she says that she “was always more frightened of him that [she] was of falling.” (I.ii.49). It is because of this fear that Brady manages to manipulate her into testifying against Cates, and although she did not want to do it she was too afraid to speak up for herself and what she believes. As the story progresses though, Rachel eventually learns to form opinions for herself and to voice her own thoughts. At the very end of the play she approaches Bert, handing him his book, and says, “I’ve read it. All the way through. . . I don’t want to think that men come from apes and monkeys. But I think that’s beside the point.” (III.i.111) Rachel has read the book for herself, and formed her own opinion of it, even if it’s that she disagrees with it. She still recognizes that this is not important however, because Cates still deserves his freedom of