At the end of the day, Brady leaves the courtroom like "a shepherd leading his flock." Because his self-worth is based on the attention he receives from his followers, he thrives on being popular. In contrast, Drummond quietly packs his briefcase with Cates still at his side. When Rachel begs Drummond to call off the trial, he explains that challenging "an old wives' tale," a traditional belief, is a bigger crime than a murder because it shakes people up and causes them to think and make changes. Here, the playwrights emphasize the theme of the play — the right of every individual to think freely and to explore what is unknown and unfamiliar. Drummond's character is revealed in a monologue as he empathizes with Cates' alienation and loneliness. Drummond speaks as though he had a similar experience. In fact, Lawrence and Lee wrote a prequel to Inherit the Wind entitled The Angels Weep, in which Drummond is in a courtroom facing a judge as a defendant because of an unjust accusation.
In this scene, Lawrence and Lee use allusions to emphasize the character's dilemmas and the atmosphere of the town. When Cates says he never thought the trial would be "like Barnum and Bailey coming to town," he is alluding to the Barnum and Bailey Circus — The Greatest Show on Earth. The purpose of the allusion is to describe the circus-like atmosphere the townspeople have created. Yet, even though the atmosphere of Hillsboro appears to be festive, the underlying mood is sinister because the townspeople are defending their long-held fundamentalist beliefs against evolutionary theory. Another allusion occurs when Rachel reveals that she will be asked to testify against Cates. Reacting in disbelief and fear, he exclaims, " . . . they'll crucify me!" — words immediately conjuring up the image of the crucifixion of Jesus, a man who was betrayed by one of his disciples.
At the end of Scene 2, when Drummond reassures Rachel that Cates is not wicked and shows that he clearly supports Cates and respects his willingness to stand up for academic freedom, Lawrence and Lee illustrate that Drummond is not a devil, but a kind, compassionate, and caring person.
