Can moral obligations be blinded by religious views? For some, a sense of religious pride reigns stronger than moral conviction. Early on, the citizens of Hillsboro in Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee's novel Inherit The Wind recognized religion as something far more valuable than moral truth. As the novel continues, the prosecutor, Matthew Harrison Brady, enters the scene and reveals the courtroom's prejudices regarding the Bertram Cates case. When Brady accepts the challenge, the display of excessive pride and boasting of recent case wins can be seen as a certain dramatic personality disorder from a medical perspective. Over the course of the novel, further symptoms of the disorder are revealed through Brady, who continually demonstrates that he has Narcissistic Personality Disorder or otherwise known as NPD. Classified as part of dramatic personality disorder, a narcissistic personality disorder is based on the extremity of ego- admiration. The origin of specific personality disorder comes from the Greek root of the word "narcissism", which is based on the Greek mythology of Narcissus, a man who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. The cause of the disease is unknown, however mental health professionals believe that the condition may be due to the way the child was raised. Still in adolescence, the cause of the disorder can be excessive, unconditional or insufficient love from parents. The first signs of mental illness can be detected in adulthood. Most people diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder exhibit symptoms such as being boastful and talkative while exaggerating accomplishments and goals that are unrealistic while… middle of paper… novel. Accepting the challenge of going against Drummond was a sign of mental illness, but as the court case continued the condition became more apparent and Brady's downfall became more apparent. As Brady's fall progressed, various other symptoms of the disorder became evident, establishing the fact that NPD is present in Brady. Works cited "Narcissistic Personality Disorder." Cleveland Clinic. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. NP, May 20, 2005. Web. May 19, 2010. Lawrence, Jerome, and Robert E. Lee. Inherit the wind. United States: Random House, 1955. Print. "A Critique of Inherit the Wind: Analysis of One of the Most Anti-Christian Films in History." Protestantism. Network. 02 June 2010. "Narcissistic Personality Disorder: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." National Library of Medicine - National Institute of Health. Network. 02 June 2010.