There are two important father-son relationships at the heart of Twelve Angry Men. The first is the relationship between the accused and his father, as discussed in the evidence the prosecution presents. The second relationship is between the 3rd Juror and his estranged son. These relationships mirror one another in important ways.

Since the accused is on trial for the murder of his father, their relationship dynamic, which revolves around violence and neglect, is of central importance to the play. As the 8th Juror reminds the jury, “This boy has been hit so many times in his life that violence is practically a normal state of affairs for him” (Act I, 27). The father is a criminal who has spent time in jail “for forgery” (Act I, 23), meaning that he has also been an absent father at times in his son’s life. The dysfunctional dynamic between father and son raises questions about the nature of parental authority and its abuses while also providing a possible motive for the murder.

The relationship between the 3rd Juror and his son mirrors the abusive dynamic of the accused and his father. The 3rd Juror admits to having a violent dynamic with his own son: “I told him right out, ‘I’m gonna make a man outta you or I’m gonna bust you in half trying’ […] When he was sixteen we had a battle.