Any well-crafted work of literature is multi-faceted. Paired with a good plot, complex characters add to the depth of a story and draw a reader in. In Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, the characters of Matthew Harrison Brady and Henry Drummond—despite their initial impressions—have more to them than meets the eye. In the beginning of Inherit the Wind, Brady is portrayed as a good Christian man—which he uses to his advantage. Upon Brady’s arrival to Hillsboro, he receives a warm welcome from the people, “a jubilant parade” (18). As the novel progresses, Brady’s true character is slowly revealed. Brady’s stubbornness and pride is first shown when he chooses to ignore his wife’s suggestion to eat a moderate amount of food.
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Unlike Brady, he is first introduced as an atheist—which resonates very negatively with the people of Hillsboro; he is practically an evil figure. For example, when a little girl sees Drummond for the first time, she screams, “It’s the devil!” (36). Ironically, Drummond is the one who lacks ulterior motive; he is there simply to defend Cates. As the play continues, however, Drummond begins taking a more positive aura, culminating in his courtroom dissection of Brady. Drummond reveals the fault in Brady’s belief in an almost gentle manner; nevertheless, Brady is humiliated. By casting a new light on a human being’s right to think, Drummond wins over the crowd eventually reaching a more favorable verdict for Cates. In the end, the crowd supports Drummond more than they do Brady—a drastic change from the beginning of the play. In summation, the characters in Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee have more to them than meets the eye, thereby serving as a prime example of the old adage: never judge a book by its cover. The two main characters: Matthew Harrison Brady and Henry Drummond start off as the protagonist and antagonist, respectively. Throughout the course of the play, the characters’ true feelings and motives are revealed. Little by little, the roles are shifted. By the end of the play, Drummond overtakes Brady as the protagonist of the
Unlike Brady, he is first introduced as an atheist—which resonates very negatively with the people of Hillsboro; he is practically an evil figure. For example, when a little girl sees Drummond for the first time, she screams, “It’s the devil!” (36). Ironically, Drummond is the one who lacks ulterior motive; he is there simply to defend Cates. As the play continues, however, Drummond begins taking a more positive aura, culminating in his courtroom dissection of Brady. Drummond reveals the fault in Brady’s belief in an almost gentle manner; nevertheless, Brady is humiliated. By casting a new light on a human being’s right to think, Drummond wins over the crowd eventually reaching a more favorable verdict for Cates. In the end, the crowd supports Drummond more than they do Brady—a drastic change from the beginning of the play. In summation, the characters in Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee have more to them than meets the eye, thereby serving as a prime example of the old adage: never judge a book by its cover. The two main characters: Matthew Harrison Brady and Henry Drummond start off as the protagonist and antagonist, respectively. Throughout the course of the play, the characters’ true feelings and motives are revealed. Little by little, the roles are shifted. By the end of the play, Drummond overtakes Brady as the protagonist of the