Summertime for me always starts with a burst of productivity. Coming back home from school for the first time left me with a lot of projects I wanted to accomplish, a lot of crap that needed to be sorted and combined with all the other crap I already had, and very little space to do it all. I decided to start by cleaning the bookcase off to sell the unwanted books and make space for the rest. In doing so, I found my brother’s copy of Twelve Angry Men.
Twelve Angry Men is a play by Reginald Rose set in 1957’s New York that found its way on to many a high school reading list. I would bet a large sum of money that many people that were assigned to read it never did; I, however, was never assigned the book and I can’t help but feel after reading it this weekend that I honestly missed out.
A quick synopsis for those who didn’t have- or didn’t want- to read it: Twelve Angry Men is set solely in the deliberation room of a jury during a trial. The audience does not get to see any of the trial or hear any testimony, instead we are forced to rely only on the discussion of the jurors which quickly becomes heated- hence the 12 angry men.
The story sounds basic but I say I missed out because it becomes more complex and more relevant as it progresses. This is the story of our justice system from a forbidden vantage point. We cannot know exactly what goes on in these rooms all across the nation but recently I have seen several decisions released from the rooms that I just don’t agree with. I have also seen a large number of people comfortable enough on social media to play judge and jury for divisive issues. The trial in question in Twelve Angry Men is made more relevant in that it’s a young black man who stands accused. This isn’t stated explicitly but implied by racism spouted vehemently by one of the jurors. Unfortunately, from what I have learned about the world, and specifically America, in which I live, I can’t imagine too much of the dialogue has changed. I can only hope it is increasingly subtle: that at the very least racist people know that the majority of society does not share their skewed views of the world.
This drama is a story for today as much as the past, for anyone that believes one person doesn’t make a difference, and for anyone who thinks only the loudest and angriest win. There is something to be said for peaceful resistance, but it has its limitations- in Twelve Angry Men and in life. With all the news so easily accessed, the details of personal lives dragged into the media, we have become a visible jury; one less secretive and with much less authority, but much larger. We are a nation of angry men (and women) ready to battle it out online for our beliefs, which is both wonderful and terrifying.
For those that haven’t read Twelve Angry Men, I would suggest it. At the very least, if you haven’t read many plays you may enjoy the format if not the content. You may surprise yourself in which jurors you find yourself rooting for and whom you are rooting against*. For those who have read it, maybe read it again. It may be disheartening to see such relevance but there are many lessons to learn.
*Fine, I guess you can watch the movie instead. But c'mon its only 79 pages!