Twelve Angry Men Play review

Twelve Angry Men Literary Analysis Essay Prompts
Read the prompts carefully. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. criminal justice system that Reginald Rose highlights in his play.
After deciding on a prompt, refer to your discussion questions and the pre-reading portal information for Twelve Angry Men for help composing your essay. Begin, prewriting by freewriting thoughts, brainstorming ideas and clustering. Then, formulate a clear thesis and write an outline. Type a Four page literary analysis essay rough draft using MLA format in response to the play Twelve Angry Men. Include one to two research sources. Finally, self-edit and then have your essay peer edited. Please, always have someone else familiar with college writing requirements edit your essay. Use a peer editor, if possible, to edit your essay.

Use ONLY one or two research sources but try to stick to examples from the play. Cite quotes with lines or words from the play but don’t overuse quotes; put them in quotes with act numbers in parenthesis. Write out the number names of jurors capitalizing the first letter. (2) Note: in your essay, put only the Act number in parenthesis not the page numbers. In your introduction, name the title of the play and the author, then state your thesis.
WHEN YOU REFER TO SECTIONS OF THE PLAY, CITE ACT NUMER ONLY IN PARENTHESIS; for example:
(2)
Do not EVER write page or pg in parenthesis. Also, do not write Act. Again, this is how your parenthetical notation should look, if you were citing information from Act II: (2)
Do not copy large passages of research. I want your words. Research should be no longer than one sentence or a couple of words. Always type the title and author’s full name in your paragraph or the author’s last name only in parenthesis. Refer to an MLA format guide for help.
You are required to include a Works Cited page on a separate page. Please, include the play and author. Use correct spacing and format for MLA Works Cited. Check the OWL website for MLA format.
Works Cited page for play:
Name of author
WRITE OUT THE JURORS NUMBER NAMES IN LETTERS! DO USE NUMERALS.
Title of Play (in italics)
Title of Book (from which the play was copied) in italics
Publisher
Date of publication
ESSAY REQUIREMENTS:
–Four typed pages
–Use quotes from the play to support your points.
–One to Two Research Sources (included in Works Cited with title of play and author) So, you will have three sources in your Works Cited
–Works Cited on separate page. Works Cited does not count for page count.
Please type double spaced, using MLA format with Works Cited. Include the play as a source in the Works Cited list alphabetically inserted using author’s last name, then first name.
If you create an outline before writing a rough draft, you should be able to find enough information to fill the required number of pages.
Be sure to use examples from the play to support your views!
Don’t forget to use stage directions as sources to cite. WHEN QUOTING STATE DIRECTIONS, WRITE:
The stage directions state, ” ”
Use stage directions only if necessary to make the main points clear. Don’t use stage directions just to show acton or movement.
PROMPTS:
The relationship between juror Three and juror Eight is, arguably, one of the most important elements in the play. Write an essay that examines these two jurors and what each symbolizes.
In the end, Eight’s opinions have a stronger influence over the jury debates than juror Three’s views. What message does Eight’s triumph over Three suggest? Your thesis should state that juror Three and Eight are the most important characters because they symbolize two character types, good and evil and reinforce a theme in the play that the jury system only works because of individuals like juror Eight.
2. Write an essay presenting the thesis that one of the messages of the play is that it is detrimental to the criminal justice system when personal prejudice and bias influence jurors’ opinions and affect the final verdict in a jury trial especially when the death penalty is the final punishment. Refer to jurors Three, Ten and Seven.
3. Write an essay that supports the assertion juror Eight, as the protagonist, is the hero of the play. He fights for justice against the biases of the other jurors to prove there is reasonable doubt in the case and wins an acquittal for the defendant. Juror Eight represents one of the themes of the play that although flawed the criminal justice system still works if there are jurors like number Eight whose opinions are based on compassionate, reasoned decisions. Does juror Eight symbolize that we can have faith in the jury system? Your essay should include the point that without juror Eight, a possible innocent young man would have been executed.
Write an essay focusing on an implication the play presents that the U.S. judicial system in the 1950s and even in the 21st century is seriously flawed and should be completely changed. You should describe individual jurors to support your thesis. You might wish to discuss what would have occurred in the play if juror Eight had not been on the panel. Quote juror Eight to support your thesis as well as other jurors. Juror Eight seemed frustrated by the system. Some important points to mention might be: incompetent defense attorneys for poor defendants, jurors who are racially prejudice, jurors who have personal biases, uncomfortable setting in jury room, jurors who refuse to concentrate and jurors who want to rush because they have social plans; also, you could mention jurors who don’t understand the criminal justice system and don’t know what reasonable doubt is or who think the defendant is supposed to prove him or herself innocent; many jurors don’t know the rights guaranteed by the constitution.
Write an essay supporting the implication of the play that although the U.S. judicial system has minor flaws, it is still the best system in the world and needs only minor adjustments and there is much hope for the system. Focus on the positive elements of the criminal justice system such as: equal opportunity for all people to sit on juries no matter how rich or poor, no matter what race or religion, no matter whether educated or uneducated, attractive or unattractive—every citizen has the opportunity to be on a jury. Focus on juror Eight and some of the other jurors to highlight the hopeful outcome of the jury deliberations. Among the positive points you could mention: that every juror can express their thoughts and opinions freely, that poor defendants are assigned attorneys free of charge, that defendants are innocent until proven guilty, that there is the very fair rule of “reasonable doubt” so that juries must examine evidence closely and make sure no reasonable person has any doubts about the guilt of the defendant, that juries have almost unlimited time to deliberate and debate the evidence, that the final decision has to be unanimous so that no one or two jurors can dominate the proceedings and that jurors like Eight symbolize an optimistic future for the criminal justice system. Also, you should present the idea that the playwright, Reginald Rose, concluded the play with a hopeful ending lending itself to the assumption that Rose may think the justice system is flawed and in need of some changes but that it is a system that, in the end, usually works well.
6. Write an essay that presents the thesis that Twelve Angry Men presents a criminal justice system in serious need of change; then, suggest ways to improve the system. Your thesis should state both the system needs serious reform and that you will suggest ways to change it. Cite passages from the text that show the many problems with the system. Quote jurors and stage directions. Then, present several ways the system could be updated and improved.

Last Completed Projects