1. The main theme of the essay is conflict. The essay shows are conflicting perceptions between religion, science and political beliefs. The two main characters reflect the cultural and social division are surrounding the evolution battle. The theme shows a country going through a political stage where evolution in school was illegal and sensationalism was suspicious. The essay shows divided people, where some people support religious ideals and others supported the enlightened modern thought. The Christians like Bryan believed that political beliefs such as evolution were just conspiracies against Christianity among non-believers. He even went to the prosecution in Dayton, as an expert witness in religion; calling it a duel to the death between science and Christianity. On the other hand, other people like Darrow viewed such beliefs as ignorant. The court situation shows the conflict at hand in regards to the culture wars in the United States at that time. Darrow is a representative of the urban society characterized by new values, beliefs and manners. On the other hand, Bryan speaks for the rural society, where they are dominated by religious beliefs, traditional values and ideals, and mostly the older generation of the time. Therefore, the theme majorly revolves around the conflicts in the society, political, science and modernization versus traditional beliefs. People in the rural areas are even seen to fight back the emerging moral values seen at the time, causing more conflicts among different people.
2. Darrow and Bryan have different perceptions of the two characters about traditional beliefs versus political and science conflicts. Their views were conflicting, and publicly known. Darrow believes that Christianity has a purpose and should not be used to promote ignorant bigots, especially in the education system. He believes that he is practicing law, doing his job to prevent such ignorant bigots. On the other hand, Bryan, who is religious, believes that people like Darrow are ridiculing people who believe in the bible (Hollitz, 106). The two main characters seem to show the cultural wars seen in the 1920’s. Darrow also supports the urban society characterized by new values, beliefs and manners causing conflicts between him and Bryan, who supports quite the opposite. Bryan, on the other hand, supports the older rural society, majorly characterized by older people who have traditional beliefs and morals.
The two intellectuals were divided among cultural and social perceptions that were sweeping in the country at the time. Bryan even went ahead to testify in the court, so as to defend the bible and his beliefs. Darrow, on the other hand, believes that he is doing well to the society by fishing out the ignorant bigots in the society. Bryan did not support activities associated with seen such as taking alcohol. He also aimed at achieving moral uprightness by avoiding things like dancing, gambling and swearing which would question his moral character. He did not support government as it promoted the interests of a few. Darrow, on the other hand, took his career as an opportunity to flout traditional morality. He vocally attacked religion, and this was demonstrated by his conspicuous rejection of traditional politics, religion and ideas. Also, the two main characters had conflicting political views; Darrow disliked the great commoner, during Bryan’s activities, and were highly favorable to the commoner.
3. I believe that the anti-evolution law was illegal as Darrow suggested and violated freedom of speech. Evolution also co-exists with religion; hence teaching of evolution should not be banned. The trial was a monkey trial, and the anti- evolution laws had a scientific basis, and there was no reason to put in place such anti-evolution laws (John 9). After all, as demonstrated, evolution can co-exist with religion (Hiram 39).
4. Bryan opposed evolution, in the belief that it was against Christianity and undermined Christianity (John 9). Tennessee was among the several states which passed legislation to make teaching of evolution illegal. At the trial, Bryan had a chance to defend the faith while Darrow supported evolution. At the end of the trial, Bryan’s side, supporting religious beliefs and traditional values won as Scope was convicted for teaching evolution that was believed to be detrimental to the Christian well-being of children. At appeal, the court still upheld the previous decision, and refused to construe the law about illegal teaching of evolution in schools (John 9).
5. The beliefs in traditional values and religion versus modern values have affected me in some way. At different point of life, we ought to make decisions which question our moral values, to some extent the modern values do not care much about moral values. Therefore, sometimes certain decisions like having fun, taking alcohol leaves one in a dilemma to decide, creating certain conflicts especially now; that we are living in a generation where the traditional values and modern values are evidently in constant conflict in our lives.
Works cited
Hollitz, John E. Contending Voices: Biographical Explorations of the American Past. Boston,
MA: Wadsworth, 2011. Print.
Hiram Wesley Evans, “The Klan’s Fight for Americanism,” The North America Review, March
1926, pp.38-39, 49.
John Roach Stratton, “The Most Sinister Movement in the United States,” American
Fundamentalist, December 26, 1925, pp. 8-9
