Twelve Angry Men

Twelve Angry Men is set in the summer of 1957 and heavily implies that the accused is a part of the African American community in Harlem. Consider the role of segregation and racial attitudes more broadly in the United States during this time. How does this historical context shape the trial and various jurors’ attitudes toward it?

Tension between fathers and sons is one of the key themes in the play. How does the 3rd Juror’s relationship with his estranged son reflect the relationship between the accused and his own father? What do these two relationships tell us about problematic family dynamics within the play, and how do they relate to the play’s wider themes?

The 5th Juror appears to be the only juror with direct, lived experience of the Harlem community and the poverty within it. What role does the 5th Juror play throughout the jury’s deliberations, and what insight does he give readers into the social world of the accused?