12 Angry Men Rhetorical Analysis

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Performing impartiality through speech may not sound like a performance at all, but the emphasis on using hypotheticals in the voir dire requires jurors and lawyers to speak as if action is taking place. Although this may not always uncover all of the biases a juror may have, it is a far better tool than directly questioning a juror about their impartiality. Similarly, these hypotheticals allow the attorney’s questioning to last longer and appear more thorough, a performance of their commitment to the case and adept lawyerly skill. In going through these hypotheticals, jurors are also performing. They must perform like jurors in order to be accepted into the trial. This is not unlike the circumstances within the ritual initiation kut of Chini. …show more content…
It is in this relatively precarious performance that the entire ritual’s success sits in jeopardy. The jurors must not only feel their seriousness and capability to be impartial, they must also make it visible to the rest of the courtroom through their words and actions (Kendall 2010: 82). Even if they possess the temperament and qualities ideal for a juror, there is still the necessity of being able to produce a pure performance of these qualities in the voir dire if they are to make it onto the jury. This harkens back to the dichotomy in Chini’s story, between true inspiration and performance. Both are important, but the ability to express the former in the latter is perhaps the most important component (Kendall 2010: 100). Even if they complete the whole ritual’s process, if they fail to convince the lawyers and judge, at least for this trial and for this day, they will not join the jury. However, they may succeed in delivering an impressive performance but not actually believe in their …show more content…
Further, one must keep in mind a trial is constituted of many rituals, and although its ultimate success does depend on the success of its individual parts, the jury selection process is but one of these smaller rituals. The juror voir dire can be where “cases are won or lost” but it can also “make little difference” in the outcome of the case. The use of language and performance can determine the level of influence a jury service will have on the case as a whole, as well as serve as concrete tools for analyzing the success or failure as an individual
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