NAME

PERIOD

DATE

Twelve Angry Men Guided Reading Questions

Act One
1. What are the judges instructions to the jurors? 2. Which juror is particularly anxious to reach a quick decision?

3. Why is he in a hurry?

4. Before the first vote is taken, what do you learn about: A. The crime B. The defendant

5. Whats the result of the first vote?

6. Which juror seems the least confident of his vote? 7. How do the jurors react to EIGHTs statements? 8. In order to convince EIGHT of the defendants guilt, the jurors decide to discuss the facts of the case. How does TWO interpret the facts?

9. How does EIGHT answer TWOs interpretation?

10. What is the testimony cited by THREE?

11. How do the FOREMAN and FOUR support THREEs statement?

12. What is the testimony cited by TEN?

13. What is the testimony cited by SIX?

14. How does EIGHT counter their statements?

15. What comments to SEVEN, THREE, and FOUR make about the defendant?

16. Why does FIVE react as he does?

17. How does EIGHT describe his reaction to the trial?

18. How does THREE react to EIGHTs comments?

19. Why is the switch-knife an important exhibit in evidence? 20. What was the defendants testimony about the switch-knife?

21. How do FOUR and EIGHT differ in their interpretation of this testimony?

22. What is the dramatic climax in Act I?

23. How do the jurors react to this incident?

24. What does EIGHT prove by his action? 25. What does this incident reveal about EIGHTs motives?

26. What proposition does EIGHT make to his fellow jurors?

27. How do you think FOUR, THREE, Five, NINE, and TEN will vote on the second ballot?

Act Two
28. How does the result of the second vote create a conflict between juror THREE and jurors FIVE, ELEVEN, and NINE?

29. What evidence does EIGHT offer to discount the old mans testimony? 30. What is the connection between the el trains noise and the old mans testimony?

31. Reread the comments NINE makes about the old man. Are NINEs comments based on fact or do they reflect his personal feelings? Explain.

32. What is the significance about TENs comments that the defendants dont even speak good English?

33. How does this comment affect ELEVEN? FIVE?

34. Is the comment consistent with TENs previous behavior? Explain.

35. How does EIGHT interpret the result of his timed experiment?

36. In Act II, THREE contradicts his earlier views? In what ways?

37. Predict how each will vote now: FOREMAN TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX

SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE

Act Three
38. In the beginning of Act III, the jurors vote for the third time. What is the result of this vote?

39. Which jurors have changed their minds?

40. FIVE provides information that discounts an important piece of testimony? What is this?

41. Is he qualified to speak as an exper 42. Is FIVEs ability to provide this information too coincidental to be believable? Why or why not? 43. In what way is SEVENs willingness to change his vote consistent with his earlier behavior?

44. Why does ELEVEN question SEVEN so closely?

45. What is the result of the fourth vote?

46. How do the other jurors react to TENs statements about his true feelings?

47. Why does FOUR feel that he cannot change his vote?

48. What significant observation does SIX make at this point?

49. Do you think that THREE was pressured into agreeing with the majority? Explain.

50. What does THREE reveal about himself by changing his vote?

51. Did the jury prove the defendant was not guilty? Give specific evidence to support your answer.

12 Angry Men Reginald Rose

Answers

Act One Questions

52. What are the judges instructions to the jurors? Reasonable doubt = not guilty, unanimous decision 53. Which juror is particularly anxious to reach a quick decision? 7 54. Why is he in a hurry? Tickets to see The Seven Year Itch 55. Before the first vote is taken, what do you learn about: C. The crime 1st degree premeditated homicide D. The defendant from the slums, 19 yrs. old, accused of stabbing father, prior record 56. Whats the result of the first vote? 1 = not guilty; 11 = guilty 57. Which juror seems the least confident of his vote? 9 58. How do the jurors react to EIGHTs statements? appalled 59. In order to convince EIGHT of the defendants guilt, the jurors decid e to discuss the facts of the case. How does TWO interpret the facts? No one proved the defendant isnt guilty 60. How does EIGHT answer TWOs interpretation? The prosecution has the burden of proof 61. What is the testimony cited by THREE? The old man heard the boy threaten to kill his father 62. How do the FOREMAN and FOUR support THREEs statement? Time of death vs. time of movies 63. What is the testimony cited by TEN? Woman saw the murder through the moving el train 64. What is the testimony cited by SIX? Neighbor heard arguing 65. How does EIGHT counter their statements? Boy has been abused by his father since he was 5 yrs. old 66. What comments to SEVEN, THREE, and FOUR make about the defendant? The boy has priors and deserves being disciplined 67. Why does FIVE react as he does? He grew up in the slums 68. How does EIGHT describe his reaction to the trial? He doesnt think the defense attorney did a good job of defending the kid (court-appointed attorney) 69. How does THREE react to EIGHTs comments? Annoyed and sarcastic 70. Why is the switch-knife an important exhibit in evidence? The knife is unique its the murder weapon 71. What was the defendants testimony about the switch-knife? fell out of his pocket 72. How do FOUR and EIGHT differ in their interpretation of this testimony? Possibility of having another knife just like the murder weapon 73. What is the dramatic climax in Act I? 8 has an exact replica of the murder weapon 74. How do the jurors react to this incident? Shocked and appalled 75. What does EIGHT prove by his action? Knife is not unique = reasonable doubt 76. What does this incident reveal about EIGHTs motives? Takes being a juror seriously 77. What proposition does EIGHT make to his fellow jurors? Take a second vote (juror 8 abstains), if everyone votes not guilty, then hell change his vote and everything will be over. 78. How do you think FOUR, THREE, Five, NINE, and TEN will vote on the second ballot? 9, 5 = not guilty

Act Two Questions

79. How does the result of the second vote create a conflict between juror THREE and jurors FIVE< ELEVEN< and NINE? People are starting to disagree with 3 he takes this personally 80. What evidence does EIGHT offer to discount the old mans testimony? The el train = too loud to hear the threat 81. What is the connection between the el trains noise and the old mans testimon y? Noise level = threat 82. Reread the comments NINE makes about the old man. Are NINEs comments based on fact or do they reflect his personal feelings? Explain. 9 is getting personal here he understands that the old man

(giving the testimony) is trying to feel useful and apart of something, that being old means the end of having a purpose. 83. What is the significance about TENs comments that the defendants dont even speak good English? irony = 10 is from American and should have better grammar than the immigrant (11) makes him seem ignorant 84. How does this comment affect ELEVEN? FIVE? 11 = corrects juror 10; 5 = changes vote to not guilty 85. Is the comment consistent with TENs previous behavior? Yes 86. How does EIGHT interpret the result of his timed experiment? Not possible for the old man to make it across his apartment in 15 seconds takes twice as long 87. In Act II, THREE contradicts his earlier views? In what ways? 3 says at the beginning of the play that people mean it when they claim theyll kill someone i n anger at the end of Act I, juror 3 states hell kill 8 out of anger. 88. How do you think each will vote now? FOREMAN G SEVEN G TWO G EIGHT NG THREE G NINE NG FOUR G TEN G FIVE NG ELEVEN G SIX G TWELVE G

Act Three Questions

89. In the beginning of Act III, the jurors vote for the third time. What is the result of this vote? 6 - 6 90. Which jurors have changed their minds? 2, 6, 11 91. FIVE provides information that discounts an important piece of testimony? What is this? the direction of the stab wound 92. Is he qualified to speak as an expert? Why or why not? Yes, he saw knife fights daily in the slums 93. Is FIVEs ability to provide this information too coincidental to be believable? Why or why not? No having prior knowledge of knife fighting comes from his upbringing 94. In what way is SEVENs willingness to change his vote consistent with his earlier behavior? Hes been impatient the whole time; only changes his vote to speed up the process 95. Why does ELEVEN question SEVEN so closely? He is passionate about people getting justice 96. What is the result of the fourth vote? 9 = not guilty, 3 = guilty 97. How do the other jurors react to TENs statements about his true feelings? They look at the window and give him their backs = disrespect 98. Why does FOUR feel that he cannot change his vote? The lady across the el train saw the murder 99. What significant observation does SIX make at this point? The witness didnt mention wearing glasses while sleeping shed need her glasses to see across the train = reasonable doubt 100. Do you think that THREE was pressured into agreeing with the majority? Explain. Yes he internalized the issue with the defendant instead of being objective (because he doesnt get along with his own son thats the same age as the defendant) 101. What does THREE reveal about himself by changing his vote? Prideful, stubborn, bitter 102. Did the jury prove the defendant was not guilty? Give specific evidence to support your answer. Yes reasonable doubt: - Old man couldnt hear the threat - Old man couldnt have made it to the front door in 15 seconds - The womans testimony didnt include mention of her eyeglasses - The direction of the wound from the knife - The uniqueness of the knife