Rhetorical Analysis
Rhetorical Analysis Using Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men (1957)
As you prepare to write your own arguments for this class, you can benefit from
examining how skilled arguers make their cases. To practice, we'll begin by examining
Sidney Lumet's 1957 classic film 12 Angry Men. which is about 12 strangers who have
been brought together by the government to serve as jurors. Alone in the jury room. these
twelve men must decide if an 18-year-old boy accused of killing his father is guilty or
innocent
Analyze choose an argument presented by one of the jurors as he tries to
persuade the other jurors to vote with him. Remember, in our earlier discussions of
argument we learned that a speaker appeals to an audience in three distinct but related
ways. The most central of these appeals is logos. the appeal to reason, logic. and
embodied thought. In addition to logic, an argument's appeals to the author's credibility
(ethos) and to the audience's emotions and interests (pathos) are incorporated in the way
the argument makes meaning. Discuss how the juror you select to forward his argument
specifically uses these three appeals (not all may be applicable). As well, the juror you
select may use fallacies to make his arguments. You should also discuss the use of any
fallacies and discuss whether they are effective in persuading the other jurors. Explain
why or why not.
Write a 2- or 3-page analysis of any juror's argumentation techniques. Ideally, you will
devote one paragraph each to a specific instance in which he employs (where applicable):
(1) logos. (2) ethos. (3) pathos. and/or (4) fallacious argument. Be sure to use
terminology from the course readings and the lectures to create your analysis. For each
paragraph, explain the context of the scene you have chosen. in addition to presenting
your interpretation and analysis.