12 Angry Men
Text Response Practice Sac: English Unit 3, Outcome 1
Topic 2: In Twelve Angry Men, does Reginald Rose reassure or undermine the audience’s faith in the jury system as a means of achieving justice?
The 1950’s is a period recognised through history for many different aspects, both positive and negative. In Reginald Rose’s play, Twelve Angry Men, the flaws in the judicial system are depicted throughout examples of: discrimination against race, personal prejudice, peer pressure and reasonable doubt. These factors are all aimed to undermine the audience’s faith in the jury system as a means of achieving justice; the quality to be righteous and lawful.
During a time when the Civil Rights movement was on the cuff of being established, a number of Americans’s still had the belief that they had authority over other races, resulting in racial discrimination. The racist and prejudice opinions showcased from Juror Ten, factors into his decision for voting ‘guilty’ against the accused boy who happens to be an immigrant, despite taking the facts into consideration. “They’re violent, they’re vicious...they will cut us up” “I say get him before his kind get us.” (Pg 65). During an aggressive outburst, Juror Ten repeatedly refers to all immigrants as ‘they’, separating the boy from himself, as he does not believe the boy deserves to be classified at the same level of humanity. Rose depicts the underlining notion of racial discrimination through the character of Juror Ten and others, creating a reoccurring theme throughout the play. Through this the audience is positioned to lose faith in Juror Ten, as his arguments are irrational and offensive.
Similarly, prejudice due to personal experiences can cloud a Juror’s judgement, preventing them to be capable of ‘”separating the facts from the fancy”. This is illustrated through Juror Eight who explains to the other Jurors that “Prejudice obscures the truth,” (Pg 66) reminding them that as Jurors that their emotional
Topic 2: In Twelve Angry Men, does Reginald Rose reassure or undermine the audience’s faith in the jury system as a means of achieving justice?
The 1950’s is a period recognised through history for many different aspects, both positive and negative. In Reginald Rose’s play, Twelve Angry Men, the flaws in the judicial system are depicted throughout examples of: discrimination against race, personal prejudice, peer pressure and reasonable doubt. These factors are all aimed to undermine the audience’s faith in the jury system as a means of achieving justice; the quality to be righteous and lawful.
During a time when the Civil Rights movement was on the cuff of being established, a number of Americans’s still had the belief that they had authority over other races, resulting in racial discrimination. The racist and prejudice opinions showcased from Juror Ten, factors into his decision for voting ‘guilty’ against the accused boy who happens to be an immigrant, despite taking the facts into consideration. “They’re violent, they’re vicious...they will cut us up” “I say get him before his kind get us.” (Pg 65). During an aggressive outburst, Juror Ten repeatedly refers to all immigrants as ‘they’, separating the boy from himself, as he does not believe the boy deserves to be classified at the same level of humanity. Rose depicts the underlining notion of racial discrimination through the character of Juror Ten and others, creating a reoccurring theme throughout the play. Through this the audience is positioned to lose faith in Juror Ten, as his arguments are irrational and offensive.
Similarly, prejudice due to personal experiences can cloud a Juror’s judgement, preventing them to be capable of ‘”separating the facts from the fancy”. This is illustrated through Juror Eight who explains to the other Jurors that “Prejudice obscures the truth,” (Pg 66) reminding them that as Jurors that their emotional