In Twelve Angry Men, which juror is particularly anxious to make a quick decision?

In Twelve Angry Men, the juror who wishes to hurry the vote is Juror No. 7.

A loud and superficial man, Juror No. 7 is a sarcastic salesman who is quick to form opinions. He is essentially a bully who disguises his cowardliness. No sooner is he inside the jury room than he begins to make quick judgments, saying,



How did you like that business about the knife? Did you ever hear a phonier story?



As the foreman calls the men to order, Juror No. 7 expresses his personal exigency in a flippant tone, saying



This better be fast. I've got tickets to The Seven Year Itch tonight. . . OK, your honor start the show.



When the first vote is called for by the foreman and only Juror No. 8 votes no, Juror 7 immediately questions him, "So what'd you vote not guilty for?" He then becomes somewhat combative with No. 8, who claims he voted in the negative because it is not "so easy" for him to raise his hand and give a boy the death penalty without any discussion. "Who says it's easy for me?" is his retort. When No. 8 calmly responds, "No one," No. 7 responds,



What? just because I voted fast? I think the guy's guilty. You couldn't change my mind if you talked for a hundred years.



Juror No. 7 continues to gripe about wasting time discussing a "kid like that" and complaining, "Some of us've got better things to do than sit around a jury room." When a secret vote is taken among the jurors, No. 7 demands to know who else voted "Not guilty."


When No. 5 later asks to change his vote to "not guilty," No. 7 becomes angry, "Oh, brother!" Further, he tells No. 8, "You sit in here and pull stories out of thin air." He criticizes some of No. 8's perceptive observations, later sarcastically asking, "Why don't we have them run the trial over just so you can get everything straight?"


Juror No. 7 is very critical of others. He ridicules No. 11, an immigrant. When No. 11 later accusing No. 7 of just voting as the majority does and not having "the guts to do what you think is right," No. 7 backs down.


It is not long, however, before he does exactly what No. 11 accuses him of. No. 7 complains he is "sick of this whole thing." He then suggests, "Let's break it up and go home. I'm changing my vote to not guilty. I've had enough." Of course, he is challenged on this opinion by No. 11, who asks him "What kind of a man are you?" No. 7 hesitantly says, "I told you. Not. . . guilty." In Act Three, No. 7 sincerely changes his mind to "Not guilty," making the vote unanimous.

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