https://www.fishtanklearning.org/curriculum/ela/8th-grade/twelve-angry-men/
12 Angry Men Character Descriptions
Link to digital book
Essential Questions
- What is the task of the jury?
- In the justice system, what is the meaning and significance of the concept of reasonable doubt?
- How does prejudice interfere in the course of justice?
- What strengths and weaknesses of the jury system does the play bring to light? What do you think the playwright’s opinion about the system is?
Twelve Angry Men: Essential Terms
Justice: fairness; the justice system refers to the court system, which helps resolve disputes and ensure that every is treated justly
Defendant: another name for “the accused” person (his job is to defend himself)
Prosecution: the person or persons who are bringing the lawsuit
Impartial jury: one of the protections in our justice system; “impartial” means not biased or unfairly prejudiced; this means that none of the members of the jury can have an unfair stigma about the person on trial
Pre-meditated homicide (murder): pre-meditated murder is the worst kind of murder (first degree murder) according to the courts; pre-meditated means the person planned the murder beforehand; people who are found guilty of pre-meditated murder often get harshly punished (in some states, this means the death penalty)
Charge: if you are “charged” with a crime that means that the police have formally written you up for committing a crime; being “charged” doesn’t necessarily mean you did it—it just means you are a suspect in the crime
Convicted: If you are convicted of a crime, it means the jury has found you guilty
Sentence: the judge determines your sentence or punishment
Testimony: a formal statement or speech; in a trial, witnesses are supposed to give a testimony of what they know about the crime
Deliberate: to debate; in a trial, the twelve jurors must go to a separate room to deliberate and reach an agreement
Verdict: the final decision of the jury (guilty or not guilty?)
Reasonable Doubt: On page 6 the judge tells the jurors, “If there is reasonable doubt (or “reason to doubt that the evidence proves guilty”), then you must bring me a verdict of ‘not guilty’.”
Unanimous verdict: this is one of the protections in our justice system; unanimous means that everyone must come to the same conclusion—all twelve jurors must deliberate until they agree whether the charged person is guilty or not guilty
Movie Clips
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Video: “12 Angry Men Great Scene”
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12 Angry Men CLip 1/10 "Kids these days"
12 Angry Men CLip 2/10 "It's the same knife"
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12 Angry Men Clip - "Knife Scene"
- 12 Angry Men CLip 3/10
12 Angry Men CLip 4/10 "This isn't a game"
12 Angry Men CLip 5/10 "Re-enactment"
12 Angry Men CLip 6/10 "A Responsibility"
12 Angry Men CLip 7/10 "Down and In"
12 Angry Men CLip 8/10 "These People"
12 Angry Men CLip 9/10 "Nose Marks"
12 Angry Men CLip 10/10 "Not Guilty"