Task: Write a personal response within 150-200 words on the following statement.
“JUROR #8: Look, this boy’s been kicked around all his life. You know - living in a slum, his mother dead since he was nine. He spent a year and a half in an orphanage while his father served a jail term for forgery. That’s not a very good head start. He had a pretty terrible sixteen years. I think maybe we owe him a few words. That’s all.”
Answers
Explanation:
Juror Eight
Picture
Juror Eight is the protagonist of the play. He is courageous, compassionate, calm, and respects the opinions of others. He is the only Juror who does not change his position on the case. He is passionate about justice and eventually convinces all the other Jurors to side with him on a not guilty verdict. Another defining characteristic is his cleverness.
Evidence
Compassionate
Act I, Page 315, Column 1: Eight states his reasoning for voting not guilty. “I don’t want to change your mind. I just want to talk for a while. Look this boy’s been kicked around all his life. You know, living in a slum, his mother dead since he was nine. That’s not a very good head start. He’s a tough, angry kid. You know why slum kids get that way? Because we knock ‘em on the head once a day, every day. I think maybe we owe him a few words. That’s all.” Here, Eight is taking into consideration the suspect’s personal life. He’s seeing him as a human being that’s had it rough. In Eight’s mind, the suspect is just a suspect—innocent until proven guilty. Before sentencing the boy to death, he wants a discussion. All these things show Eight’s compassion.
Act I, Page 317, Column 2: Seven is describing the suspect’s criminal record. When he’s finished, Eight adds, “Ever since he was five years old his father beat him up regularly. He used his fists.” Once again, Eight is considering things the others would rather overlook. He’s not desensitizing himself by seeing the suspect as an object or a monster. Instead, Eight sees him as a human and wants to take into account his past. This shows his compassion.
Calm
Act II, Page 328, Column 1: Eight wants to show the other Jurors the diagram of the crime scene in order to suggest that the old man’s testimony was flawed. Seven says, “Do me a favor. Wake me up when this is over.” According to the stage directions, Eight simply ignores him and continues. This shows his calmness because he didn’t even bother to snap back at Seven. He just continued his theory with a clear head.
Act I, Page 330: Three is getting extremely agitated with Eight. The stage directions state that when he speaks, he is raging, shouting, screaming, or even lunging at Eight. Meanwhile, Eight responds to each comment with the same tone he has used the entire play. One stage direction even says he is speaking calmly. This is when he says, “Our fingers. Are you his executioner?”