Juror Two
Juror Two is a very timid man. When he talks, he simply goes along with the previous Juror’s opinion. However, as the play goes on, he adjusts to the setting and is able to speak up when it comes to minor topics.
Evidence
Timid
Act I, Page 316, Column 1: Since Eight is the only Juror who voted not guilty, the rest of the Jurors are to give their reasoning for voting guilty in attempt to sway him. The foreman suggests they go in order, making Two the first in line to speak. The stage directions state he timidly says, “Oh. Well…[long pause] I just think he’s guilty. I thought it was obvious. I mean nobody proved otherwise.” His hesitance and inability to back up his opinion, along with the specific stage directions, show that he is timid.
Act I, Page 316, Column 2: The next time Two speaks is when Eight asks if he has heard of the Fifth Amendment. He replies, “Well sure, I’ve heard of it. I know what it is. I…what I mean…will, anyway, I think he was guilty.” The stage directions state Two is flustered when he says this. Again, his hesitance and low confidence reveal he is timid—almost too timid to speak at all.
Goes Along With Previous Opinion
Act II, Page 325, Column 1: Eight is asking the other Jurors how long it takes for an elevated train going at top speed to pass a given point. Five says ten to twelve seconds and Eleven says ten seconds. Two is not directly asked, but pitches in by saying, “About ten seconds.” He felt as if he needed to provide something useful to the discussion and played it safe by saying ten seconds, the common number between the other two Jurors. It is unlikely that Two actually has the answer to Eight’s question.
Act II, Page 329, Column 1: The Jurors are estimating the distance from his chair to the door of the room. Six says, “I’d say it was twenty feet.” Two readily agrees, perhaps feeling he should say something because he hasn’t spoken in awhile.
The best example to give would be how many times Two says something that doesn’t agree with the previous opinion regarding the trial. However, the closest Two gets to disagreeing with the most recent opinion is when he simply says something unique and changes the direction of the discussion. This will be explained in the next set of examples.
Adjusts
Act III, Page 334, Column 2: The foreman is asking Seven and Five to stop arguing and for someone to start a constructive topic. Surprisingly, Two speaks and brings up a very good point that has not been discussed among the Jurors yet. Although he says it hesitantly, he get out, “Well, something’s been bothering me a little…this whole business about the stab wound and how it was made, the downward angle of it, you know?” This is the first time Two says something unique. It shows he is finally adjusting to the outspoken atmosphere of the room.
Act III, Page 338, Column 2: Two takes off his glasses and begins polishing them. As he does this, he asks aloud what time it is. When he hears it’s past six, he speaks up again saying, “It’s late. You don’t suppose they’d let us go home and finish it in the morning. I’ve got a kid with mumps.” The stage directions give no indication his lines were spoken hesitantly. Again this shows that he has adjusted to the atmosphere of the room.
Act I, Page 316, Column 1: Since Eight is the only Juror who voted not guilty, the rest of the Jurors are to give their reasoning for voting guilty in attempt to sway him. The foreman suggests they go in order, making Two the first in line to speak. The stage directions state he timidly says, “Oh. Well…[long pause] I just think he’s guilty. I thought it was obvious. I mean nobody proved otherwise.” His hesitance and inability to back up his opinion, along with the specific stage directions, show that he is timid.
Act I, Page 316, Column 2: The next time Two speaks is when Eight asks if he has heard of the Fifth Amendment. He replies, “Well sure, I’ve heard of it. I know what it is. I…what I mean…will, anyway, I think he was guilty.” The stage directions state Two is flustered when he says this. Again, his hesitance and low confidence reveal he is timid—almost too timid to speak at all.
Goes Along With Previous Opinion
Act II, Page 325, Column 1: Eight is asking the other Jurors how long it takes for an elevated train going at top speed to pass a given point. Five says ten to twelve seconds and Eleven says ten seconds. Two is not directly asked, but pitches in by saying, “About ten seconds.” He felt as if he needed to provide something useful to the discussion and played it safe by saying ten seconds, the common number between the other two Jurors. It is unlikely that Two actually has the answer to Eight’s question.
Act II, Page 329, Column 1: The Jurors are estimating the distance from his chair to the door of the room. Six says, “I’d say it was twenty feet.” Two readily agrees, perhaps feeling he should say something because he hasn’t spoken in awhile.
The best example to give would be how many times Two says something that doesn’t agree with the previous opinion regarding the trial. However, the closest Two gets to disagreeing with the most recent opinion is when he simply says something unique and changes the direction of the discussion. This will be explained in the next set of examples.
Adjusts
Act III, Page 334, Column 2: The foreman is asking Seven and Five to stop arguing and for someone to start a constructive topic. Surprisingly, Two speaks and brings up a very good point that has not been discussed among the Jurors yet. Although he says it hesitantly, he get out, “Well, something’s been bothering me a little…this whole business about the stab wound and how it was made, the downward angle of it, you know?” This is the first time Two says something unique. It shows he is finally adjusting to the outspoken atmosphere of the room.
Act III, Page 338, Column 2: Two takes off his glasses and begins polishing them. As he does this, he asks aloud what time it is. When he hears it’s past six, he speaks up again saying, “It’s late. You don’t suppose they’d let us go home and finish it in the morning. I’ve got a kid with mumps.” The stage directions give no indication his lines were spoken hesitantly. Again this shows that he has adjusted to the atmosphere of the room.