On the Waterfront
“Anybody who sits around and lets it happen and keeps silent about something that knows that happened, shares the guilt.” On the Waterfront demonstrates that evil prospers when good men do nothing. Do you agree?
Elia Kazan’s black and white film, On the Waterfront, reveals that unrelenting evil and corruption can overwhelm a community, but there are those who have “the gift of standing up” in the face of injustice. Terry Malloy, the film’s protagonist, is a seemingly morally weak henchman of Johnny Friendly however he is guided on the path to moral awareness after forming positive relationships. Charley Malloy, Terry’s brother, is a prime example of how power can corrupt can individual, though he is forced to reassess his behaviour when faced with the truth. However, the longshoremen’s failure to act out against Johnny Friendly’s control over the waterfront exemplifies how evil can prevail when there is a lack of action to combat the issue of corruption.
Terry Malloy, a former boxer, makes the journey from being a character who is motivated by self-preservation to one who possesses an understanding of greater moral truth. He is initially depicted as a person who lives by the code of “standing with the right people so you have a little bit of change jinglin’ in your pocket”. Like many of the other longshoremen, he understands the importance of loyalty and adheres to the code of “D ‘n’ D”. Although he is uncomfortable with the role he played in the murder of Joey Doyle, he is aware of the potential repercussions of defying Johnny Friendly. However, once he starts a relationship with Edie Doyle, his view of “do it before he does it to you” is challenged. Terry begins to empowers himself with Edie’s principles upon trying on her white glove which emphasizes Terry’s slow transition from moral ambivalence towards a more morally righteous path. Later in the film, Terry wears Joey’s jacket, a symbol of acting in accordance with the demands of one’s conscience, and
Elia Kazan’s black and white film, On the Waterfront, reveals that unrelenting evil and corruption can overwhelm a community, but there are those who have “the gift of standing up” in the face of injustice. Terry Malloy, the film’s protagonist, is a seemingly morally weak henchman of Johnny Friendly however he is guided on the path to moral awareness after forming positive relationships. Charley Malloy, Terry’s brother, is a prime example of how power can corrupt can individual, though he is forced to reassess his behaviour when faced with the truth. However, the longshoremen’s failure to act out against Johnny Friendly’s control over the waterfront exemplifies how evil can prevail when there is a lack of action to combat the issue of corruption.
Terry Malloy, a former boxer, makes the journey from being a character who is motivated by self-preservation to one who possesses an understanding of greater moral truth. He is initially depicted as a person who lives by the code of “standing with the right people so you have a little bit of change jinglin’ in your pocket”. Like many of the other longshoremen, he understands the importance of loyalty and adheres to the code of “D ‘n’ D”. Although he is uncomfortable with the role he played in the murder of Joey Doyle, he is aware of the potential repercussions of defying Johnny Friendly. However, once he starts a relationship with Edie Doyle, his view of “do it before he does it to you” is challenged. Terry begins to empowers himself with Edie’s principles upon trying on her white glove which emphasizes Terry’s slow transition from moral ambivalence towards a more morally righteous path. Later in the film, Terry wears Joey’s jacket, a symbol of acting in accordance with the demands of one’s conscience, and