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Study Guide Twelve Angry Men
Act I
1. What task does this jury face?
2. What does the guard do that upsets the group?
3. In the opening minutes, what is worrying juror 12?
4. “ A man can’t be held in double jeopardy. Unless it’s a hung jury, they can’t try a man twice
for the same crime.” What is double jeopardy? What is a hung jury?
5. Juror Ten says, “Well, look, you’ve gotta expect that. You know what you’re dealing with…”
and later says, “Look at the kind of people they are—you know them.” What is J10 talking about
here? What can the reader infer about Juror Ten?
6. Describe the crime that the jury is deliberating on.
7. What is the count of guilty—not guilty votes on the first check?
8. Why does Juror 8 hesitate to vote guilty on the first vote?
9. What is the prosecution in a criminal trial?
10. What is the defendant in a criminal trial?
11. Describe the evidence is against the defendant.
12. Describe the defendant.
13. Explain why Juror 5 gets so upset with Juror 10.
14. What is the first piece of evidence the jury examines? Why are they examining it? What
happens that surprises the jurors as they examine this evidence?
15. Juror 8 proposes they take a vote and he’ll “abstain.” If there are still eleven votes, he
won’t stand alone. What does “abstain” mean? So, why “abstain”?
16. How do the jurors vote this time? What effect do you think this would have been if they play
was being performed?
Discussion questions for Act I:
17. What are your impressions on the jurors? Record a note for each on your chart.
18. Why do you think Juror 8 stands up instead of just voting guilty and going home?
19. Prediction: Who do you think is the juror who changed his vote to not guilty at the end of
the act? Support your prediction with your logic.
20. What general characteristics do you note about this jury? Anything unusual? Explain your
thoughts.
21. List the legal terms we have read so far and write a brief definition.
22. What is the difference between proving that someone is guilty or proving that someone is
innocent? Why do you think this distinction is such an important concept in our legal system?
Act II—Comprehension questions
23. What are your reactions to Juror 3 in the beginning of Act II as he talks to the jurors?
24. In Act II, the jurors examine the old man’s testimony. What faults do they find with his claim
he heard the kid shout, “I’m gonna kill you!’ Explain, also, what would motivate the old man.
25. The second part of his testimony they examine is his claim he went from his bedroom to the
front door. Explain what problems they have with this claim.
26. Explain how the go about scrutinizing this second part of the testimony more carefully.
27. What does Juror 8 say that upsets Juror 3 at the end of the act? How does Juror 3 react?
Explain the significance of Juror 3’ s reaction.
Discussion questions for Act II
28. Is your opinion of the young man’s guilt or innocence changing? Explain.
29. Have any of your opinions of the jurors changed? Explain here then fill in the chart with
what you think have been significant insights you have gained about these men.
30. Do you think it would have changed the jury’s deliberation if one or more of the jurors
would have been women? Explain why and/or how.
Act III—Comprehension questions
31. Act III starts with a vote. Now where do the men stand? Remember to fill in your chart
when the jurors’ votes change and in what order.
31. What is the problem with declaring them a “hung jury”? Explain this.
32. In the beginning of Act III, they examine more of the old man’s testimony about seeing the
boy flee the scene. What faults do they find with it?
33. Describe their efforts to examine this element.
34. Next the jurors examine the stabbing itself. What questions do they wish to clarify here?
How do they go about this?
35. After the discussion about the stabbing, the jurors vote again. What’s the count this time?
Explain the changes and fill in the chart.
36. Explain what the audience learns from Juror 10’s outburst after this vote (p.585-586).
37. Explain what troubles the jurors as they examine the old woman’s testimony.
38. Explain the effect on the jurors as they complete the discussion about the old lady’s
testimony.
39. Who is the last juror to wish to vote guilty? What changes his mind?
Act III Discussion questions:
40. What do you think about the verdict? Explain.
41. Why do you think Juror 8 is so determined not to have a hung jury? Explain.
42. Which juror is the most objective? Give examples of his objectivity.
43. At the end, jurors 3, 4, and 10 are the only ones voting guilty. Compare and contrast their
personalities and motives.
44. What do you think of the themes of this play? Support your claim with the text to show how
that theme is present.