12 Angry Men, pages 36—48 – Reading Guide
Complete this chart in order to analyze Edwards’ choice of words, phrases, images, metaphors, and allusions, and how they create a tone that affects the
audience.
Juror
Quotation
Page
Foreman “OK. Let’s hold the yelling down.”
41
2
“Well, gee, I don’t know. I remember I was
arguing with the guy I work next to at the bank a
couple of weeks ago; so he called me an idiot; so I
yelled at him….”
“Look—he came home to get his knife. It’s not
nice to leave knives sticking around in people’s
chests.” (Read in the right tone!)
37
“Well, I think we can assume he ran out in a state
of panic after he killed his father, and then when
he finally calmed down, he realized that he had
left the knife there.”
“Witnesses can make mistakes.”
39
6
“Listen, baseball, why don’t you stop making
smart remarks all the time?”
44
7
“Why don’t we have them run the trial over just
so you can get everything straight?”
42
3
4
5
39
40
What does this reveal about his beliefs,
bias, and/or personality?
Identify another quotation that
supports your analysis.
8
9
10
11
12
“Does he [deserve the chair]? It’s happened
before that someone’s been convicted of murder
and executed, and years later someone else has
confessed to the crime. Sometimes… sometimes
the facts that are staring you in the face are
wrong!”
“He was dragging his left leg and trying to hide it
because he was ashamed…. This is a quiet,
frightened, insignificant old man who has been
nothing all his life, who has never had
recognition, his name in the newspapers. Nobody
knows him, nobody quotes him, nobody seeks his
advice after seventy-five years.”
“You keep saying [hold the yelling down]. Maybe
what we need is a little yelling in here. These guys
are going off every which way. Did hear the
scream, didn’t hear the scream. What’s the
difference?”
“I don’t believe I have to be loyal to one side or
the other. I am simply asking questions.”
38
“Well, this is just off the top of my head, but if I
were the boy, and I’d, you know, done the
stabbing and everything, I’d take a chance and go
back for the knife.”
39
36
41
39
When you’re done: Now that we’re done with Act 1, it’s time to start casting your own version of 12 Angry Men!
1. Identify an actor or actress who would be a good fit for each of the 12 roles. Write the names in your original Character Trait chart.
2. Write a 2-3 sentence explanation of why this actor would be a good fit for the role. Use at least 1 line of dialogue from the play when explaining why
your chosen actor/actress would be a great choice for the role.