A man is told he is not allowed to think, his belief, because it contradicts the majority, is wrong. Because the town is set in its ways that there is no other way to think. In the film "Inherit the Wind- a science teacher in a small town is arrested and put in jail simply because he taught Darwin's theory of evolution to his class. A law was created to prevent the teaching of the Darwinian theory in a classroom, but this law causes a direct conflict with the first amendment. The majority of the people in the town are firm believers in the bible and believe that any teaching besides the bible is heresy. This causes an oppression of the free exchange of ideas, that anything that doesn't come from the bible is wrong. Because of a towns firm religious beliefs the right to freely think, live and speak as one wants is taken away.
The people in the setting of this movie live in a town by the name of Hillsboro. The people of this town believe in the creation of all living creatures by a heavenly being. The science teacher Bert Cates tries to open his student's minds to the possibility that there are other theories to the beginning of life other than creation by a greater being. Cates refuses to give up his belief, this is apparent when his fiancée Rachel Brown comes to him while he is in jail. Rachel ask Bert to tell them he was wrong and to apologize and Cates responds by saying " Tell them if they let my body out of jail, I'd lock up my mind-. .
2.
This is the firmest example of how the town will not allow anyone to go against their ways or beliefs, because Bert Cates thinks different he is put in jail. If Cates says he's wrong he goes free, but instead he stays true to himself and stands up for his right to be able to freely think for himself. .
It becomes evident early in the movie that the town is behind Mathew Brady. The people feel that Brady speaks for them, that he is a prophet sent by God to aid the town of Hillsboro in there battle against what they feel is evil.
