Twelve Angry Men Flaws vs Qualities
- Submitted by: onitheu
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- Category: English: Plays
- Date Submitted: 05/07/2014 12:05 AM
- Pages: 6
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Prompt - '8th Juror has no character flaws, just as 3rd Juror has no redeeming features.' Discuss.
The initial impression that someone gives often takes priority over their real self. The audience has this made blatantly obvious to them when they are introduced to the 8th and 3rd Jurors in Reginald Rose's courtroom drama Twelve Angry Men. These two men appear to be the absolute antithesis of each other and both appear to have very black and white personalities but when one delves further into the story surrounding them, it becomes obvious that they are much more complex. The seemingly perfect protagonist we know as the 8th Juror (J8) is not as straightforward as he first appears just as the ignorant and biased man shown on the facade of the play's antagonist the 3rd Juror (J3) isn't the only facet of his personality . Ultimately, Rose is using the calm J8 who overcomes the irrational J3 to show the way in which logic and reason will always trump emotions in dire situations.
As the protagonist, J8 impresses the audience with his overly calm demeanour, ability to empathise with the defendant and his compassionate nature . Rose created J8 as a beacon of light within the jungle of personalities and backgrounds which create the jury . Upon the establishment of J8's "not guilty" vote he is abused for his actions which such statements as "There's always one" (7). J8 is acting as a moral compass to allow for proper discussion to occur other than permitting the rash decisions of others to prevail. He points out that "Nobody has to prove otherwise." (9) when it comes to the outcome of a case and that the jury member's trust within the lawyers will lead to them having "... sen[t] off a boy to die without talking about it first" (p. 7 ) With the dwindling support for the death penalty in America during the 1950's, Rose emphasised the unnecessary nature of it with the deliberations between the jurors. J8's character brings the fact that it is such a harsh...
The initial impression that someone gives often takes priority over their real self. The audience has this made blatantly obvious to them when they are introduced to the 8th and 3rd Jurors in Reginald Rose's courtroom drama Twelve Angry Men. These two men appear to be the absolute antithesis of each other and both appear to have very black and white personalities but when one delves further into the story surrounding them, it becomes obvious that they are much more complex. The seemingly perfect protagonist we know as the 8th Juror (J8) is not as straightforward as he first appears just as the ignorant and biased man shown on the facade of the play's antagonist the 3rd Juror (J3) isn't the only facet of his personality . Ultimately, Rose is using the calm J8 who overcomes the irrational J3 to show the way in which logic and reason will always trump emotions in dire situations.
As the protagonist, J8 impresses the audience with his overly calm demeanour, ability to empathise with the defendant and his compassionate nature . Rose created J8 as a beacon of light within the jungle of personalities and backgrounds which create the jury . Upon the establishment of J8's "not guilty" vote he is abused for his actions which such statements as "There's always one" (7). J8 is acting as a moral compass to allow for proper discussion to occur other than permitting the rash decisions of others to prevail. He points out that "Nobody has to prove otherwise." (9) when it comes to the outcome of a case and that the jury member's trust within the lawyers will lead to them having "... sen[t] off a boy to die without talking about it first" (p. 7 ) With the dwindling support for the death penalty in America during the 1950's, Rose emphasised the unnecessary nature of it with the deliberations between the jurors. J8's character brings the fact that it is such a harsh...