Bryan has been described as a great orator and politician, as well as a deeply religious man opposed to Darwin’s theories, of which he was familiar. He was a charming, sincere, courteous man, despite his arrogance. Bryan handled himself well during the trial and was not out to persecute Scopes. In fact, Bryan offered to pay Scopes’ fine if Scopes was found guilty. Bryan was also courteous and kind to witnesses. Brady, on the other hand, is a gifted orator and politician who enjoys hearing himself speak and thrives on being the center of attention. He is manipulative and condescending toward witnesses who don’t believe as he does. As a fundamentalist and a self-proclaimed expert on the Bible, his mission is to defend the common man from “Evil-ution” and to make an example of Cates. He is also arrogantly foolish, pompous, and a glutton, and the great regard that the people of Hillsboro have for him identifies him as a man opposed to freedom of thought.
Clarence Darrow, a brilliant trial attorney who defended the underdog, had a hostile demeanor and was sarcastic and condescending. He volunteered to defend Scopes in order to expose the ignorance of fundamentalists. His counterpart in the play, Henry Drummond, is sophisticated, intelligent, idealistic, and charming.
When Darrow arrived in Dayton, a large, friendly crowd welcomed him. The welcome he received was similar to that which Bryan received. When Drummond arrives in Hillsboro, however, he does not receive a welcome. Instead, a young girl sees him and screams, “It’s the Devil!”
Darrow objected to the Judge opening each session of the trial with a prayer and to a banner outside the courthouse that read, “Read Your Bible.” He requested that the banner be taken down or another banner, one that read “Read Your Evolution,” be erected. The judge had the banner removed. In the play, Drummond objects to the judge announcing a prayer meeting and to the banner outside the courthouse that says, “Read Your Bible.” He, like Darrow, requests that the banner be taken down or that another banner—this one reading “Read Your Darwin”—be erected. Nothing is done about the banner.
In the Scopes trial, no women participated. In Inherit the Wind, Brady (the prosecutor) calls Rachel Brown to testify against Cates. (Note: John Scopes had no girlfriend. The playwrights included the character of Rachel to establish a romance motif.)
In the Scopes trial, Bryan agreed to take the witness stand because he thought he would have the opportunity to interrogate the defense afterward. In the play, Brady takes the witness stand to defend his fundamentalist position.
Darrow requested that Scopes be found guilty so that he could then appeal to a higher court to test the constitutionality of the Butler Law. By requesting the guilty verdict, he also avoided being cross-examined by Bryan and closing arguments. In the play, Drummond does not request a guilty verdict.
Bryan died in his sleep five days after the trial. Upon hearing of his death, Darrow commented that he “died of a busted belly.” In Inherit the Wind, Brady collapses and dies as he tries to give his closing argument, and Darrow’s famous words go to Hornbeck, who says that Brady “died of a busted belly.”
The ACLU paid for all Scopes’ expenses relating to the trial, and his teaching position was still open to him (he opted to attend graduate school instead, however). Cates, on the other hand, loses his job.
