The following court case took place in an unidentified municipal building. All names and
details pertaining to the case are true, and as reality would have it, the truth remains
obscured. Picture a deliberation room with twelve jurors. Three of the jurors are given
names; though the remaining nine jurors might speak, they are titled “Silent Jurors”
because their arguments hold no weight. Keep in mind Silent Juror No. 4 and Silent
Juror No. 9 because their silence speaks volumes.
details pertaining to the case are true, and as reality would have it, the truth remains
obscured. Picture a deliberation room with twelve jurors. Three of the jurors are given
names; though the remaining nine jurors might speak, they are titled “Silent Jurors”
because their arguments hold no weight. Keep in mind Silent Juror No. 4 and Silent
Juror No. 9 because their silence speaks volumes.
MAIN CHARACTERS
TOLKIEN: A foolishly brave and stupidly clever old man concerned with honor and courage
in the face of adversity. Devoutly Roman Catholic and obstinately in favor of enjoying life’s
comforts.
in the face of adversity. Devoutly Roman Catholic and obstinately in favor of enjoying life’s
comforts.
LEWIS: Tall, fat, rather bald, red-faced, double-chinned, black-haired, has a deep voice, and
wears glasses for reading. Irish, Christian, and believes in magic.
wears glasses for reading. Irish, Christian, and believes in magic.
O’CONNOR: American Roman Catholic woman with dark humor. Pities the lame. Hates
hypocrites. Secretly attracted to tattooed men.
hypocrites. Secretly attracted to tattooed men.
SILENT JUROR NO. 4: A sketchy man who only left his basement so he would not be jailed
for ignoring his jury summons.
for ignoring his jury summons.
SILENT JUROR NO. 9: Man. Atheist.
[22 minutes have passed since the jurors began deliberating. They sit around a long, rectangular
table in the jury room. Tolkien acts as foreperson to the displeasure of Silent Juror NO. 9.]
table in the jury room. Tolkien acts as foreperson to the displeasure of Silent Juror NO. 9.]
TOLKIEN: Yes, but were his actions based on revenge or honor?
LEWIS: Either way, he decided to play God and take matters into his own hands. What is good
for one person may not be good for all of humanity.
for one person may not be good for all of humanity.
O’CONNOR: Good, you say? Do you mean objectively good or generically good?
LEWIS: Isn’t generically good also objectively good?
O’CONNOR: That’s a very hypocritical Southern Baptist question.
LEWIS: Actually, I’m a Christian.
SILENT JUROR NO. 9: What ill-constituted man allowed a person who believes in the
imaginary to be on a jury? It never occurred to them that reason is based on reality?
imaginary to be on a jury? It never occurred to them that reason is based on reality?
LEWIS: If imaginary implies things that aren’t visible to the untrained eye then I will gladly
submit to that characterization. But, have you ever thought about where objective reasoning,
the knowledge of right and wrong, comes from?
submit to that characterization. But, have you ever thought about where objective reasoning,
the knowledge of right and wrong, comes from?
SILENT JUROR NO. 9: …
TOLKIEN: Alright, let’s get back to the facts of the case. Was the murder premeditated, or did
he commit it out of passion?
he commit it out of passion?
SILENT JUROR NO. 4: Of course it was premeditated. He pondered and plotted it for days on
end until he finally decided to carry out his revenge and murder the son of a knave.
end until he finally decided to carry out his revenge and murder the son of a knave.
TOLKIEN: What’s a knave?
SILENT JUROR NO. 4: You.
[Awkward silence ensues.]
LEWIS: [Hesitantly.] To answer your question, Tolkien, I do not think the murder was
premeditated. Rather, it was involuntary because he never intended to kill. He only intended to
humiliate.
premeditated. Rather, it was involuntary because he never intended to kill. He only intended to
humiliate.
SILENT JUROR NO. 4: [His eyes bulge, and he stands with his arms akimbo.] HA! HA!
HA! Man really is stupid, phenomenally stupid! What you miss, Lewis and Tolkien, is that
his actions were based solely on proving to himself that he is a man capable of satisfying his
desire for revenge!
HA! Man really is stupid, phenomenally stupid! What you miss, Lewis and Tolkien, is that
his actions were based solely on proving to himself that he is a man capable of satisfying his
desire for revenge!
TOLKIEN: But what about justi…
SILENT JUROR NO. 4: Were you going to say justice? Justice is meaningless. There is no
real justice. Revenge cannot be satiated.
real justice. Revenge cannot be satiated.
SILENT JUROR NO. 9: Everything is meaningless because we live in a world void of
meaning.
meaning.
[173 minutes have passed since the jurors began deliberating. Everyone wants to reach a
verdict, but no one can agree on whether he is guilty.]
verdict, but no one can agree on whether he is guilty.]
TOLKIEN: Please return to the matter at hand. Is he guilty of commiting murder?
SILENT JUROR NO. 9: Not guilty.
SILENT JUROR NO. 4: Agreed.
LEWIS: I think both of you have bent reasoning. By the laws based on justice, he should
have taken his case to the court instead of taking matters into his own hands.
have taken his case to the court instead of taking matters into his own hands.
O’CONNOR: [Pointing to Silent Juror NO. 4.] Is that a tattoo on your shoulder?
SILENT JUROR NO. 4: Yes, it’s a diamond-encrusted snake. What’s it to you?
O’CONNOR: Vanity of Vanities. The Devil has wrapped himself around your arm.
TOLKIEN: Everyone, stay on topic. I have tea time scheduled for nine o’clock, and
I would hate to miss it.
I would hate to miss it.
SILENT JUROR NO. 9: Tea? You’ve got to be kidding me.
LEWIS: [Loudly clears his throat.] As I said before, he thought of himself as a little God
and neglected to consider humanity. Therefore, he is guilty.
and neglected to consider humanity. Therefore, he is guilty.
SILENT JUROR NO. 4: Humanity means nothing!
LEWIS: Then why are you even here? If humanity means nothing, if justice means nothing,
if life means nothing… why do you even care?
if life means nothing… why do you even care?
SILENT JUROR NO. 4: …
TOLKIEN: So, do we all agree that he is guilty?
SILENT JUROR NO. 9: There’s not a chance in Hades that I would ever agree with that.
The facts are clear. He is innocent. The end.
The facts are clear. He is innocent. The end.
LEWIS: What’s your reasoning?
SILENT JUROR NO. 9: For one thing, life is meaningless, and if life means nothing then he
did not commit a crime.
did not commit a crime.
LEWIS: For what purpose are people put on earth then?
SILENT JUROR NO. 9: I am an atheist, so I don’t believe people were “put” on the earth.
We were just here from the beginning.
We were just here from the beginning.
LEWIS: Would it not be more beneficial and rational to believe God exists. If you believe,
you’ve got the possibility of Heaven. If you don’t believe, you have nothing or the possibility
of eternal life in the flames of Hell.
you’ve got the possibility of Heaven. If you don’t believe, you have nothing or the possibility
of eternal life in the flames of Hell.
SILENT JUROR NO. 9: …
O’CONNOR: The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.
[Lewis looks over at Tolkien. Tolkien looks over at O’Connor. All of the Silent Jurors nod in
assent.Tolkien brings the verdict to the judge.]
assent.Tolkien brings the verdict to the judge.]
I really enjoyed reading this dialogue paper. I thought you encaptured each persons character to a tee. It is definitely hard NOT to side with C.S. Lewis, him being the only Christian in the mix of them! I did like the aspect of Flannery O'Connor and her disapproval to tattoos, as in the previous writings of hers. It was so easy to imagine the scene, and was a great writing. Seems as is the silent jurors weren’t so silent after all!
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