Inherit the Wind Act 3 Summary

  • Bert is afraid of his sentence—who wouldn't be? Jail doesn't sound like much fun.
  • Drummond tells Bert that he always takes long shots in choosing his cases.
  • Then he launches into a long narrative, because apparently it's Rousing Story Time.
  • Drummond tells Bert about that time he wanted a rocking horse.
  • See, he really really wanted one, but when his parents finally bought one for him, it turned out to be really shoddy.
  • It broke on his first ride.
  • From then on, he made spotting lies is his obsession. And dude has not fallen off of a wooden rocking horse since.
  • A radio man wants to broadcast the verdict, which has never happened before in history.
  • Like we said, this trial is kind of a big deal.
  • The mayor asks the judge to take it easy because people are getting all worked up about the trial, and he doesn't want a lot of civil unrest.
  • Then, the big reveal: the jury announces that Bert was found guilty, in a unanimous vote.
  • Bert makes a statement that he will continue to oppose the law against teaching evolution because it is unfair.
  • Obviously, he is not experiencing any remorse.
  • We're scared for Bert's future.
  • But then, the judge sentences Bert to a one hundred-dollar fine.
  • Haha. That's not jail time, judge.
  • Brady is really pissed about this slap on the wrist, and asks for a heavier punishment.
  • Next, Drummond instigates some trouble. He says that Bert won't pay the fine—nope, they will be appealing this decision to a higher court.
  • The judge fixes bond at five hundred dollars and court is adjourned (bam bam).
  • Brady asks if he can read a super long speech on the record, but the judge tells him that the fat lady has sung.
  • Guess Brady couldn't get everything he wanted after all, even with the whole town on his side.
  • Everyone starts milling around instead of listening to Brady.
  • He clearly can't stand it when people don't listen to him.
  • The radio man cuts off his broadcast of Brady's speech, and that's the last straw for Brady.
  • Brady collapses and is carried off.
  • Bert then finds out that Hornbeck paid his bail, and Rachel announces she's leaving her father.
  • The judge announces that Brady is dead, and Drummond feels for him.
  • We think he died from Lack of Attention Disorder.
  • But when Hornbeck makes fun of Brady, Drummond gets mad at him.
  • Hornbeck and Drummond argue over whether they should have any sympathy for Brady.
  • Rachel and Bert plan to meet at the train station, to be reunited as free-people-crushing-on-each-other once again.
  • Drummond puts both the Bible and Darwin into his briefcase and heads to the train station, too.
  • We're pretty sure that train had a bumper sticker on it that read, "Coexist."
  • Doneskies.