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  • Essay / The Cultural Allegories Behind Twelve Angry Men

    Twelve Angry Men is an allegorical play written by Reginald Rose in 1955. It describes how economic, social, and cultural factors can have a significant impact on the justice process . Rose summarizes 1950s America through each of the 12 jurors, telling them stories related to economic, social and cultural factors. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Postwar America prospered on wealth, the production and use of income and commodity wealth. As America emerged as a global superpower, Europeans were cash-strapped and living in an age of austerity. So, with immigrants from Europe, a sense of xenophobia and racism arose among Americans. An example of a bigoted and racist character is Juror 10, to whom he refers to the residents of the "slums" as "vulgar ignorant rednecks". Rose criticizes the racist attitudes of 1950s American society through the character of Juror 10, as he is an older man with a ruthless approach to new things. He does this through the contrast between Jurors 9 and 10. Juror 9 is also elderly, his opinion often overlooked, but he understands, to some extent, the legal system, the role of a juror, and the method of “reasonable doubt”. . He took the time to try to modernize and build relationships with younger generations, rather than being ignorant and uninformed like Juror 9. Rose criticizes the values ​​of older generations and the unconscious attitudes of some members of the older generation. Another example is the journey of Juror 11. Rose welcomes those in society who speak out against others, who are narrow-minded and discriminatory towards those of a lower class, and the attention to detail and understanding of "responsibility" of Juror 11 undertake to do so. Juror 11 understands that “facts can be influenced by the personalities who present them” and that respect for the legal system and the law facilitates the process of a progressive society. Therefore, Rose's appreciation for the legal system highlights his disregard for social class prejudice and racism through the factors of commercial gain. The role of a juror is to ignore any outside influence and focus solely on the job at hand, and although each of the jurors will have predisposed ideas and thoughts, some will display them and others will not. As a result of being part of a society, each juror has some form of preconceived beliefs, and their job is to put them aside and focus on the case, to decide whether the accused is guilty or not guilty. An example of how outside stimuli influenced decisions made in the jury room is when Juror 3 states that "we're trying to put a guilty man in the chair where he belongs." Rose criticizes the uninformed nature of some members of society by showing what Juror 3 thinks is his work. Her predetermined set of values ​​shines through, and Rose denounces contempt and disrespect for justice. Another example of how outside influences can influence decisions in a jury room is when Juror 4 states, “The slums are a breeding ground for criminals. » Rose chastises the class gap in society through this blatant display of social prejudice. Additionally, Juror 7 is more interested in going to the baseball game and only changes his vote so he can go home. He is bored and not interested in.