Twelve Angry Men Exam Notes

[metalfingers]

hey ned, i've been reading your annotations religiously over the past few days (thankyou, once again) and was wondering if using language/phrases like you've written such as 'tricolon', 'symmetrical rhythm of the language' and 'repetition' in the essay would be looked upon favourably, or would it be delving too much into analysis?

[brenden]

hey ned, i've been reading your annotations religiously over the past few days (thankyou, once again) and was wondering if using language/phrases like you've written such as 'tricolon', 'symmetrical rhythm of the language' and 'repetition' in the essay would be looked upon favourably, or would it be delving too much into analysis?

Well, I'm a little bias towards saying it would be answered favourably because I'm pretty excited by language patterns and rhythms etc... but I do think it would come off well in your essay if it was used well - there's not really such a thing as delving too much into analysis (but there is such a thing as aiming to integrate analysis into an essay, missing the mark and failing to hit any of the criteria because you're talking about something irrelevant and failing to properly relate it to anything worthwhile).

Used well, I think there is a place for language analysis to be used favourably - but don't go overboard.

[metalfingers]

Well, I'm a little bias towards saying it would be answered favourably because I'm pretty excited by language patterns and rhythms etc... but I do think it would come off well in your essay if it was used well - there's not really such a thing as delving too much into analysis (but there is such a thing as aiming to integrate analysis into an essay, missing the mark and failing to hit any of the criteria because you're talking about something irrelevant and failing to properly relate it to anything worthwhile).

Used well, I think there is a place for language analysis to be used favourably - but don't go overboard.

thanks for that, yes i certainly wouldn't go overboard and turn the text response into a language analysis - but i figure something as simple as mentioning his use of repetition in passing wouldn't hurt

[auds]

What would you say Rose is trying to say through the depiction of the Foreman and Juror 6?? I  can only think of J6's importance in that he acts like some sort of check for J8, causing him to be certain in his opinion.

[brenden]

What would you say Rose is trying to say through the depiction of the Foreman and Juror 6?? I  can only think of J6's importance in that he acts like some sort of check for J8, causing him to be certain in his opinion.

Juror 6 can also embody the superficial reasoning that has no place in a jury room .
"Nice bunch of guys" (shitty reasoning)
"I'm not used to supposing. My boss does the supposing" (or something of that ilk)
"I'm a house painter" (symbol for superficial reasoning, 'surface' reasoning).

He can also be good in some ways that I shaped a whole interpretation around but I've actually forgotten tbh

Foreman's always an interesting one. Maybe Rose criticise the role altogether. Maybe its part of an overarching criticism of the justice system that different rules/regulations have a disproportionate impact on the verdict (role of the lawyers, role of the foreman)... Maybe he's there to highlight that 8th is just a blatantly good leader.

[metalfingers]

Juror 6 can also embody the superficial reasoning that has no place in a jury room .
"Nice bunch of guys" (shitty reasoning)
"I'm not used to supposing. My boss does the supposing" (or something of that ilk)
"I'm a house painter" (symbol for superficial reasoning, 'surface' reasoning).

He can also be good in some ways that I shaped a whole interpretation around but I've actually forgotten tbh

Foreman's always an interesting one. Maybe Rose criticise the role altogether. Maybe its part of an overarching criticism of the justice system that different rules/regulations have a disproportionate impact on the verdict (role of the lawyers, role of the foreman)... Maybe he's there to highlight that 8th is just a blatantly good leader.

a further question - could i be accurate in saying that one of Rose's intentions is for the jury to be seen as one whole man (or a member of the audience), and that each of the 12 jurors represent the various personalities, beliefs and ideas that one man (or the audience as the '13th juror') can hold?

 it seems to me the audience can 'align themselves' with different aspects of each of the jurors (rather than just to solely juror eight) - juror 3's personal bias, juror 5's empathy, juror 7's lack of caring & dominate self interest, juror 12's busy & hurried nature etc. etc. everybody has these qualities within them to varying degrees... etc. etc. it is these vast differences that make democracy tick (as opposed to communism where society is ideally classless and similar in nature)

[soNasty]

Could we assume that rose uses the foreman to characterise the individuals with power who failed/were unable to overrule McCarthyism in the 1950's? As in, they possessed power, but their abilities were hindered by those plagued with xenophobic and radical attitudes?

[brenden]

a further question - could i be accurate in saying that one of Rose's intentions is for the jury to be seen as one whole man (or a member of the audience), and that each of the 12 jurors represent the various personalities, beliefs and ideas that one man (or the audience as the '13th juror') can hold?

 it seems to me the audience can 'align themselves' with different aspects of each of the jurors (rather than just to solely juror eight) - juror 3's personal bias, juror 5's empathy, juror 7's lack of caring & dominate self interest, juror 12's busy & hurried nature etc. etc. everybody has these qualities within them to varying degrees... etc. etc. it is these vast differences that make democracy tick (as opposed to communism where society is ideally classless and similar in nature)

The word you're looking for is microcosm . The jury could be a microcosm for society, yes