Majewski 1

Nicole Majewski
Law in American Lit/Film- AA
Professor Stone
5/14/18

Below the surface: Examining Reoccurring Themes Expressed by Main Characters

Just as the fashion or music industries follow similar trends, various works of literature

and film tend to follow the same common themes. For example, the novel To Kill a

Mockingbird by Harper Lee and the film Inherit the Wind directed by Stanley Kramer were

released at very similar times, but their settings and contexts are very different. On the surface

the two works of literature do not focus on the same issues or even seem to have the same overall

themes. However, when dissecting the novel and the movie, several similarities within their

plots and characters bring about reoccurring themes between the two. The themes of justice or

fairness, moral development and discrimination are underlying concepts that shape the novel and

the movie. The themes present also bring about questions or concerns about the legal system

within society. The characters in both the film and the novel face similar difficulties that bring

about these reoccurring themes that are specifically in relation to the law.

Although To Kill a Mockingbird and Inherit the Wind focus on different societal issues

within their main plots, the characters in each work of literature experience or demonstrate acts

of justice and fairness. Some characters are faced with unfairness or are given a lack of justice in

relation to the legal system. However, there are other characters in the film and in the novel that

stand up and help others receive the justice that society fails to give them.

One of the main characters, Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird, is accused and tried

for raping a white female. Although there is a lack of evidence, the court still believes Tom is
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guilty of the crime. Part of the reason for the court’s view on the case is that slavery, Jim Crow

laws and the Civil War play a large part in the setting of the trial. With that being said, Tom

being an African American male, is given a very unjust trial as the trial takes place in the South.

Tom’s trial is very unjust due to the racial issues going on throughout the setting of the story.

The evidence presented in the trial does not point to Tom committing the crime. Therefore,

Tom’s death could have been prevented if he received a fail and just trial. The time period of

Tom’s case consisted of unfair treatment to those of color and the law itself was unjust to those

of African American decent. Tom Robinson is not given justice or even fairness within the law

in the novel. The legal system within the novel fails to provide Tom Robinson with justice.

Tom’s character highlights the theme of justice and in his case, the lack of fairness in a court a

legal setting.

Along with Tom Robinson, the character Atticus Finch relates closely to the theme of

justice and fairness. However, Atticus’ character demonstrates this theme in a different manner.

Atticus takes on Tom’s case knowing that the chances of winning are very slim. Atticus puts the

money aside and attempts to provide justice for Tom and his family along with putting racial

tension aside (Umphrey and Sarat 16). Atticus is able to put the judgements from peers and

society away to provide Tom with an opportunity for justice. Tom Robinsons lack of a fair trial

is somewhat offset by Atticus Finch serving as justice for Tom. Atticus is able to use his value

to the town of Macomb to try to provide justice for a man who is seen as an outsider in their

town. He goes against what the law consists of right and just during the time period in which the

novel is set. Atticus gains courage to take on Tom’s case and fight for justice.

Characters in the film Inherit the Wind also face problems with fairness and justice which

relate back to the legal system. For example, one of the main characters in the movie is Bertram
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Cates. The plot unfolds as he is receiving a very unjust trial. Cates is caught teaching his

students Darwinism which is considered illegal in the town of Hillsboro. He is not given a jury

of his peers and many of his peers are unable to testify in his defense. Cates’ trial is very biased

and in the end he ends up losing the court case. Similarly to Tom Robinson, Bertram Cates is

failed by the legal system. The trial is very biased and the courtroom is unequal from the start of

the trial. The theme of justice and fairness in the law is highlighted through Cates’ character and

the struggles he faces.

Despite losing the case, just as Tom Robinson has Atticus Finch, Bertram Cates has his

lawyer, Henry Drummond. Drummond is a well-known and very successful lawyer at the time.

He is able to generate publicity about Cates’ case and he uses his skills to try to put the case in

Cates’ favor. Sadly, in the end Cates and Drummond lose the case despite their clever tactics in

the courtroom. However, Henry Drummond takes on Cates’ case knowing the whole town of

Hillsboro believes he is guilty from the start. Drummond is able to speak up for Bertram Cates

and makes the town of Hillsboro rethink how they are going about living. So despite Bertram

Cates receiving an unfair trial, his lawyer Henry Drummond is able to stand for justice and

provide fairness to a man living in a very biased town. Drummond is able to show the whole

town of Hillsboro that one man, Matthew Harrison Brady, cannot make everyone act or think the

same. Drummond’s character is able to show the town how important it is to think for oneself.

The town and its legal system are challenged by Drummond and the case throughout the film.

As stated above, characters in the novel and in the film receive unfair trials. In both

works of literature the jury, judges, peers and both towns as a whole are very prejudice and can

be considered conformists. The settings and the time periods of both works help create the

theme of justice and fairness. The law is very biased at the time both trials take place. However,
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the lawyers siding with the defendants take a stand by providing their clients with fairness and

justice that the law does not provide for them. The theme of justice and fairness within the legal

system plays a large part in the plot of Inherit the Wind and To Kill a Mockingbird.

To Kill a Mockingbird is known as a bildungsroman, or a coming of age novel. The

theme of moral development is very prevalent throughout the plot. One of the main characters,

Scout, is shown as growing up or getting wiser as the plot unfolds. At the beginning of the novel

Scout enjoys playing harmless games with her brother and their friend Dill. Scout is seen as a

smart, carefree tomboy enjoying her youth as the novel begins. However, the trial of Tom

Robinson opens her eyes to a new world. Scout learns about the effects of racism from the trial

and from the people of Macomb. School and home life also teaches Scout about the duties that

are expected of a woman once she grows up. Another character, Boo-Radley, teaches Scout that

the world can be a harsh place for those who are different. By the end of the novel Scout has

transformed into a young woman due to the external events that unfold throughout the novel.

Scout understands the inequalities the world has and how life can be very difficult for certain

people because of Tom Robinson’s trial. She becomes well-rounded and it is seen that she has

gained knowledge about moral development from the events that take place within the legal

system.

Similar to Scout, Henry Drummond in Inherit the Wind is seen as gaining a sense of

moral development as the film progresses. At the beginning of the film, Drummond believes

that one’s morals and values can come from the teaching of science. Drummond is known not to

follow religion as closely as other characters such as Matthew Harrison Brady or even the town

of Hillsboro. However, through the trial, from the residents of Hillsboro and from Brady,

Drummond begins to change. Drummond sees the trial and Matthew Harrison Brady through a
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new lens. By the end of the movie it seems as if Henry Drummond believes creation and values

can come from both religion and science. This outlook on life is nothing he or anyone else in the

film has thought of before. Drummond changes his negative attitude toward religion and Brady

as he is then able to draw a new conclusion on evolution and morals. The trial, challenges within

the legal system, and the death of Brady changes Drummond to have a more open outlook on

life. By the end of the film, it is evident that Drummond evolves from who he was at the

beginning of the trial.

It is quite noticeable that the characters Scout and Henry Drummond have a large age

difference. However, through each of their struggles and triumphs, they gain a new sense of

morals. Scout is able to learn that life will not always be easy and there is a lot of unfairness in

the world. She is able to go through life knowing that others may need her help just as Tom

Robinson needed her father, Atticus. Henry Drummond is able to learn that sometimes there is

no right and wrong, but there can be something in the middle of the two. He learns to accept

others views and values just as his own. The theme of moral development is a primary takeaway

from Inherit the Wind and To Kill a Mockingbird. The characters within the two works of

literature are able to use their new sense of morals to go through their life in a more positive

manner due to the struggles they faced.

Similar to the unfair and unjust treatment the characters face in To Kill a Mockingbird

and Inherit the Wind, another common theme among the characters is discrimination. Several

characters such as Tom Robinson, Boo Radley and Bertram Cates are discriminated against by

their peers, their town, and most of all the legal system as a whole.

The setting of To Kill a Mockingbird is evidence that racial discrimination was very

common. Therefore, it is of no surprise that Tom Robinson is treated with little to no respect.
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There is not enough evidence to convict Tom of raping a young girl, Mayella, and in fact, the

evidence presented points to anyone but Tom. However, the color of Tom’s skin in relation to

Mayella’s is what convicts Tom of the crime. According to author Mark Bauerlein, it did not

matter that Tom had never broken the law before because the town of Macomb “abhors

miscegenation.” Bauerlein mentions that, “Tom is pure and an angel.” The discrimination from

the legal system that Tom receives is to blame for his death. The town of Macomb and the time

period of the plot shows that the theme of discrimination within the law is very prevalent to the

story and in relation to Tom’s character. The theme of discrimination plays an important role as

the plot unfolds. This major theme is set up by the setting in the Deep South and within the time

period of the Jim Crow laws and the Civil War.

Along with Tom, Boo Radley faces discrimination in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.

The town of Macomb is afraid of Boo as they think he is crazy based on the stories the town tells

about him. Jem, Scout and Dill are also known to be afraid of Boo. Boo does not interact with

anyone which leads the town to think he is crazy. Children such as Jem and Scout enjoy playing

pranks on Boo even though he gives the children gifts. The town enjoys making up stories and

leading people to believe that Boo Radley is crazy, despite knowing the real truth. It is not until

the end of the novel that Scout learns that Boo is not crazy, but he is just different. Boo chooses

to hide from the cruelness of society. According to author Edgar Schuster, “Boo Radley is a

ghost in the sense that he is never scene which leads to his discrimination.” However, by the end

of the novel the Finch’s have a new outlook on Boo. Sadly the town of Macomb is still very

prejudice towards those whom are different in any way. Boo faces discrimination by society just

as Tom did within the legal system. When this novel was written, mental illness was not a

prominent issue. It can be said that Boo Radley suffers from some sort of mental illness, but
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there was no awareness on the subject. Therefore, Boo is considered crazy because he is

different. The setting of To Kill a Mockingbird aids to the theme of discrimination that presents

itself through the plot.

Just as the town of Macomb shuns those who are different, Bertram Cates in Inherit the

Wind faces discrimination. Cates does not disagree with religion or look down upon those who

are religious. Cates is just teaching his students about a different way to think of evolution and

ethics by introducing them to science. The town of Hillsboro shuns and discriminates Cates

because of his different outlook on such topics. Cates is not brainwashing students, forcing them

to believe certain ideas or even seen to be condemning any sort of religion. However, Hillsboro

and the people of Hillsboro are afraid of creativity and uniqueness. The town all follows and

only agrees with the Bible and what Matthew Harrison Brady preaches. Therefore, Bertram

Cates is discriminated for his views because of society. Cates did not receive a fair trial due to

the act of discrimination by his own hometown. The town of Hillsboro sets up an unjust

courtroom. Cates is not only discriminated by the people of his hometown, but the whole legal

system as a whole. The film ends with Cates fate of an appeal unknown. It is interesting to

know if Cates will be able to appeal his case do to the discrimination by the trial that took place

in Hillsboro. The setting within the film creates discrimination of those whom have different

views. The theme of discrimination is important as the plot unfolds.

The theme of discrimination is very important to the plot of To Kill a Mockingbird and

in Inherit the Wind. The characters that face discrimination are those whom struggle as the

stories unfold. Discrimination makes the characters’ lives difficult and eventually leads to their

downfalls. Uniqueness, creativity, and equality is not accepted within the societies and within

the legal system of the two works of literature. The characters that try to help society and be
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themselves are those who face discrimination. Despite the help several characters have along the

way, the theme of discrimination is too powerful especially when up against the law. This theme

is very important to the plot of both the novel and the film.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and the film Inherit the Wind produced by Stanley

Kramer focus on two separate issues. To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on racial issues whereas

Inherit the Wind focuses more on the morals and values individuals hold. However, both of

these works share the same common themes. The themes of fairness or justice, moral

development and discrimination are prominently present in both works. Characters within the

novel and the film face these themes in similar manners and also put the law and the legal system

under fire. Despite the film and the novel looking different from the surface, both works of

literature bring about reoccurring themes that relate back to the law. These themes are crucial to

the characters development in the film and the novel as the plots unwind.
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Works Cited

Bauerlein, Mark. "The Back Page." First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion & Public Life,

no. 247, Nov. 2014, pp. 72-71. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=98720932&site=ehost-live.

Kramer, Stanley. Inherit the Wind. Stanley Kramer Productions. 1960. DVD.

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Print.

Schuster, Edgar H. “Discovering Theme and Structure in the Novel.” The English Journal vol.

52:7(1963): 506–511. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/810774.

Umphrey, Martha Merrill and Austin Sarat. Reimagining to Kill a Mockingbird : Family,

Community, and the Possibility of Equal Justice under Law. University of Massachusetts

Press, 2013. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1245455&site=ehost-live.