Twelve Angry Men

In Reginald Rose’s drama, Twelve Angry Men, twelve, unnamed male jurors are

remanded to the jury room to deliberate the guilt and death penalty sentence of a nineteen year

old, impoverished boy accused of murdering his father. This drama presents multiple themes:

the idea that a super-charged environment leads to mistakes; the idea that men because of their

own agendas have no time to deliberate an issue cautiously; and the idea that men must follow

their own conscience regardless of peer pressures. However, the theme that overshadows the

others is the idea that stereotypes exist in the judicial system and because of them innocent

individuals may be sentenced to death incorrectly. In Twelve Angry Men, the jury members,

unnamed to represent people in general, make a number of statements that stereotype the

accused, thus leading to the quick and hasty decision of guilty.

Stereotypes exist everywhere; however, they are most dangerous in a c...