A narrative analysis of the Scopes trial

The creation/evolution battle has been fought in public school systems and courtrooms of America since the teachings of Darwinism were considered by scientists to be a viable theory of origins. The Scopes trial of 1925 was the first court case concerning this battle, and has become a reference point for legal controversies in at least seven states.;The prevailing conception of the trial, both in popular and academic circles, supports a mythic construction of the reality of the trial which favors the defense. Influenced largely by Inherit the Wind, the Scopes myth includes the defeat of Bryan and the defense emerging as the victors of the trial. The myth portrays Bryan and the people of Dayton as the embodiment of ignorance and bigotry. Even though the Scopes trial has been described as bizarre and as a "comedy of errors," a careful analysis of the trial transcripts and significant post-trial events (including Bryan's final undelivered trial summation speech published after his death), reveals a logic behind the occurrences of the trial. This logic cannot be understood by processes of formal reasoning alone, but must take into account the values embodied in the discourse. A reconstruction of trial arguments using narrative analysis reveals that both the prosecution and the defense drew upon the same general values, but that in the construction of their narratives in trial argumentation, they gave these values different operational definitions. An extended analysis of Bryan's undelivered trial summation speech shows that Bryan offered a pragmatic standard for the assessment of truth.;Traditional formal and informal logics support the liberal myth by imposing an inappropriate standard for judging arguments. Narrative theory breaks from this traditional view by allowing the critic to analyze how values serve as warrants for accepting or rejecting the claims of others. It is hoped that this study will contribute to a greater understanding of the rhetorical dimensions of the Scopes trial and its significance in American culture.