Essays: written under my supervision (Dr Jennifer Minter/English Works)
Edie Doyle is by far the most powerful agent of change in ‘On the Waterfront.’ Do you agree?
The film ‘On the Waterfront’ directed by Elia Kazan is set in 1950’s Hoboken, New Jersey and depicts the oppressive social environment of the post-depression period in the industrial waterfront suburb. Controlled by the tight grip of organised crime, men were selected daily to work on the dock, and to secure their job and own safety. Blind obedience is the norm until the main characters, Edie, Terry and Father Barry start to influence and encourage those around them to agitate and seek change. Edie Doyle plays a significant role in providing the initial inspiration to the main protagonist Terry as he seeks to withstand the pressure of the mob. In addition, Father Barry becomes an even more significant character because of his role in challenging the longshoremen to value justice and fairness. As a result of their collective power, the waterfront is transformed.
There is no doubt that Edie Doyle plays the most significant role primarily as a change agent, who guides Terry’s personal transformation. Edie constantly demands and requires justice for Joey and challenges Terry to examine his conscience and think about his role in Joey’s death. She tells him, “You let your conscience to tell you what to do.” Depicted by the director as an angelic soul, which is reinforced by her blonde hair and often white dresses, Edie becomes a reminder about the importance of the truth. AS a result, Terry is alternatively bothered, dismissive and anxious. He realises that he is doomed to a life of deceit and shame if he does not follow his conscience. Although Terry shows moral convictions and says to Edie that she is ‘driving me and you nuts,’ Edie’s innocent, angelic soul helps Terry to reclaim his conscience, ‘she’s the first nice thing that’s ever happened to me’. She constantly tells Terry that ‘things are so wrong.’ She has a moral viewpoint that without caring and kindness to each other, they will be ‘living like an animal,’ and questions him that ‘Isn’t everyone part of everybody else?’ which tends to suggest that his involvement with Johnny Friendly will have moral repercussions.
One of the earliest signs of Edie’s power occurs when Terry decides to reveal to her his involvement in Joey’s death. This can be interpreted as a catalyst whereby he increasingly becomes associated with the forces of good against evil. She encourages him to challenge the deaf and dumb code which is extremely dangerous in the context of the mob control. In the pivotal “confession” scene, the director positions both Edie and Terry in the distance on a hill to emphasise how he attempts to share with her the high moral ground. Viewers cannot hear the dialogue, which is smothered by the blast of the coal ship in the background which adds a sense of suspense, and the close-up shot of Edie’s face shows her devastation and anguish, which serve to emphasise the enormity of Terry’s words. Therefore, Edie becomes an agent of change precisely in Terry’s life due to her constant reminder to him to follow his conscience and as Terry starts to form an intimate bond with her, his desire to be approved by her high demand for moral values grows.
Father Barry also offers spiritual guidance and becomes another important change agent as he reinforces Edie’s messages of justice. He was challenged by Edie at the start of the film. She provokes him by saying that “Have you ever hear about a saint hiding in a church?”, when she refers to his inappropriate actions to stop the evil. As he steps outside the church, Father Barry constantly challenges Terry to think about how much his ‘soul is worth’ and urges him to examine his conscience in terms of a spiritual context. Terry claims that if he ‘spilled,’ his ‘life won’t worth a nickel’, however Father Barry immediately challenges him, “And how much is your soul worth if you don’t?” However, his impact on Terry is perhaps only strong because his attachment to Edie has made him receptive to Father Barry’s moral advice. Not only does he encourage Terry, he sermonises to the other longshoremen as a motivational speaker. In a pivotal scene in the film, the sermon on the dock, F B refers Dugan’s death as a ’crucifixion.’ The high-angled shots looking down at Father Barry positions him to be seen as a vulnerable character and the beer cans and rotten fruits thrown by other men seek to intimidate him. However he does not give up on spreading God’s word, and empowers the congregation with moral superiority. Hence, Father Barry acts as a change agent to the waterfront society to stand up to for the truth; otherwise they will live a tortured existence with cowardly souls.
Because of his momentous decision to testify, Terry gradually transforms himself into a change agent in his own right. Terry also mobilises the longshoremen because of his commitment to the truth and his desire to finally reclaim his rights on the wharf. His clear challenge to J F, affirm Terry as a moral leader and he wins the admiration and support of the men. He successfully encourages the others around him to stand up against the dark forces of corruption and crime. When he realises that he let himself down – “I was rattin’ on myself all those years and I didn’t even know it… I’m glad what I done to you.” – he shows the men that it is possible to change. Terry’s fistfights with the mob which inspires them to know that in fact, the tyrant, Friendly is not untouchable and they should break the ‘D&D’ code – deaf and dumb to gain their rights. Significantly, he manages to reduce JF’s powerful stature… Some of them even claim, ‘if he don’t work, we don’t work’ and that they will “take no more orders from Johnny Friendly”. As they decide to support Terry, confidence arises from his moral victory that “will give back” their union. Therefore, in the end, Terry resolves his moral dilemma and gains a moral victory as he exposes and destroys Johnny Friendly’s corrupt power.
The movie, ‘On the Waterfront’ has clearly shown the point that those with moral authority and truth will always win out against the forces of darkness and corruption. Each of the three main characters presented by the director, Kazan, helps to bring about changes in the society and consequently shows the importance of following one’s conscience. Although we can claim that the most significant impact and influence is exerted by Terry, without the positive influence of Edie and Father Barry, it is doubtful if he could have achieved such a victory.
Edie has a big influence in the changes on Father Barry and Terry.
Whilst Edie and Father Barry undoubtedly change Terry for the better, we cannot underestimate the personal desire to change that stems from Terry’s conscience. Kazan characterises Terry as someone who is personally dissatisfied and ashamed at the betrayal of his friend and the manner in which he lured him to his death. He is also shamed by the fact that his friend was reputable and honourable. In contrast, Terry has always suffered from a low sense of self esteem since he was manipulated to lose the fight and ever since he has been intimidated by Johnny Friendly and the mob. His confrontation with the beggar serves as a literal representation of his lack of confidence and self worthy. This sense of unease predisposes him towards change, but perhaps without the spiritual guidance of Father Barry and his love for Edie it is unlikely that he would have summoned the courage to take the required risks and confront the danger.
At the heart of the waterfront, is the exploration that individuals are products of their environment. Discuss.
On the Waterfront, directed by Elia Kazan, concerns one man’s lone fight against the corruption on the waterfront. Terry Malloy, the inarticulate and brooding protagonist appears as a product of the mob when he lures Joey to his death. He takes their values for granted and at first lives and dies by their immoral code. Many of the longshoremen also appear to be products of their environment and abide by their unwritten laws. Edie is also a product of the religious environment in which she studies and lives. However, the awakening of Johnny’s conscience shows that it is possible to break away from one’s environment. It also shows that he has the moral intuition to follow another and more just code of conduct, showing that ultimately, Terry may not be such a simple product.
The director shows that many of the individuals on the waterfront appear as products of their environment.
- Dialogue – reflects their sense
- The reflection of the deaf and dumb code: seem immune or oblivious to the corruption..
- Sense of entrapment: clothes and poor working conditions.
Most of the members of the mob have grown up in this environment and are brainwashed by their system of beliefs and values. A culture of secrecy and loyalty influences most of the people who work for the mob. They know that to “rat” will cost them their life. They also seem to have the fatalistic belief that they cannot challenge the mob, and to do so almost certainly leads to death. They also know that if they do the right thing they will be protected. An impoverished background also tends to make such people vulnerable and more likely to be captured by a domineering group such as the “mob”… J Friendly’s background… His experiences mirror Terrie’s and Charlie’s. As an orphan, and plucked from the street, Terry does not have much hope and relied on the protection of the “mob”. … conditioned by the environment.
As a more sophisticated and kinder person, Edie reflects the upbringing of the nuns and the influence of a more humble and compassionate environment. Note the contrast between Edie and the longshoremen that reflects the different effects of the environment; Father Barry and church: even when he steps out of the church, he still radiates the same type of religious symbolism and power… his environment seems to pursue him wherever he goes.
However, there are many characters who reflect Kazan’s ambivalence about the individual’s relationship with their environment. Whilst characters such as Terry appear to be a product of the environment and are conditioned by it, they also seem to have an ingrained sensitivity and innate propensity for goodness. In this regard, he comes to mirror other characters like Joey, Duggan and Andy before him who have an innate sense that the mob are “wrong” and that their corruption should be exposed. Terry often seems bothered by the corrupt nature of his surroundings… lost the fight because of his debt to the mob… Following Joey’s death he appears bothered by his actions…
Individuals are not necessarily a product of the environment : core integrity and relationships.
As individuals we also have the power to shape our environments. (note the redemption theme: characters develop and often show resilience in the face of an oppressive environment. Terry and Charlie. A member of the Union from a young age, Terry takes for granted his allegiance to the mob and presumes as do most of the longshoremen that this is the only way they can survive. At one time, he lost a pivotal fight in his career that might have brought him prestige and a fine reputation. On Charley’s orders he sacrifices the fight for the mob. Terry regrets that he could have had “class”. He could have been a “contender”, or “somebody”. Instead he is just a “bum”. Terry has learnt that it is impossible to challenge the mob and following their orders he lures Joey to his death. He gains his reward and lives easily for a while in the shaft. The culture of “ratting” and remaining “deaf and dumb” is firmly impressed upon him as are the dangers. Terry realizes that if he “spilled”, his “life ain’t worth a nickel”.
However, Edie and Joey Doyle were also brought up in an impoverished environment; however, they have influenced by their father’s moral stance… religious environment… Although Pop needs to work to support her education, she is able to develop her views and morality from a different standpoint in the seminary. She could be seen to be a product of her religious environment. She is pervaded by a sense of injustice and constantly tells Terry that “things are so wrong”. She has a moral viewpoint and explains to him that “everyone is a part of everybody else”, which tends to suggest that his involvement will have moral repercussions. When asked whose side Terry was with, he naively replied “Me? I’m with me- Terry”. He tells her to return to the seminary because she is “driving me and you nuts”. However, her honesty and compunction shame him and with the priest’s advice,
The director shows that it is possible to break away from one’s environment. The awakening of Terry’s conscience shows that he is not necessarily a product of his environment. Much depends upon the individual’s sense of moral intuition as well as the people they meet and their strength and courage. Terry finally follows Father Barry’s advice about the importance of his conscience. He confesses to Eadie, which signals the desire to lead a more honest and courageous life. Previously he concealed his involvement in Joey Doyle’s death. This is such a decisive moment in Terry’s life that the director exploits this scene for maximum dramatic impact. He emphasizes the moral importance of this scene by the lighting and positioning of characters in the distance on a hill. Viewers cannot hear his dialogue, which is smothered by the blast of the coal ship in the port. This is disorienting for the audience. However, at the same time it forces viewers’ attention on the deep-focus camera shot of Eadie’s face and witness her devastation and anguish. The chiaroscuro lighting light and shade in an ominous and symbolic way. For example, there is a lot of white smoke in the background which seems like a halo around Terry, symbolizes his burst of honesty. Her opinion matters to him, which makes this one of the most difficult moments in Terry’s life and marks a change in his allegiance to the mob. Once he reveals his involvement to Edie, viewers also expect that he will testify at the commission. The foghorn smothering Terry’s confession and the industrial background noise emanating from the corrupt docks show the magnitude of Terry’s decision. It also foreshadows the trouble that awaits Terry.
Likewise, the bird imagery that functions throughout the film highlights the point that most people, like the birds, are a natural product of their environment and they break out of the cage at their peril. The birds are a metaphor of the Union’s power structure and their control over the workers. The pigeons are trapped in cages and let out only at the whim of their owners, which mirrors the plight of the longshoremen. The hawks are identified with Friendly and the bosses. The hawks “go right down on pigeons” and mirror the bosses’ philosophy of each one looking after his own interest. Swiftly is one of Terry’s favourites because he does not let the other birds take his place. He explains that he is faithful, like people should be. This becomes a metaphor of Terry’s fidelity to Eadie and Joey. Although the birds are eventually killed, Terry takes over their moral superiority when he summons the courage to confront the Union and remain true to Eadie and Joey. After Terry confessed, he was branded a “pigeon” by Tommy, who immediately lost respect for him. The pigeons in the coop had their necks wrung, which dismayed Terry.
The director exaggerates and romanticizes Terry’s lone fight against the Mob, but he makes the point clearly that it is possible to challenge a corrupt and immoral environment if an individual has the strength. Terry also shows intuitively that he realizes that there are elements of the environment that are “simply wrong”. Friendly challenges Terry to a fight because he to settle his “rights” after the Commission hearing. Throughout this encounter, Terry seems to be propelled forward through dignity and support of Eadie… he wants to win her respect. It’s as if he is winning the fight that he never had a chance to win when he was controlled by the mob. Unlike the pigeons, he is winning his freedom and vindicating his decision to “rat” on the mob. He is propelled forward by Father Barry’s comment to “finish what you started”.
The development of Terry’s character in the Waterfront show how he develops from someone who lives his life in the shadow of the mob which controls his values and attitudes. He is intimidated by Friendly and adheres to their code of immoral conduct. For Terry, conscience ushers in an enormous personal dilemma because he is well aware of the physical dangers. Most people die who confront Friendly. Each death allows Terry to understand the corruption and manipulation of Friendly and his mob and he realizes to what extent his life has been controlled by them. However, with the positive influence of Edie and Father Barry Terry gains the courage to follow his moral intuition and defy the mob. Finally, his conscience enables him to triumph over the union and he gains a moral victory as he exposes and destroys their corrupt power.
- Return to On the Waterfront: notes of film
- On the Waterfront: a comparison with Macbeth
- For excellence in Language Analysis: Arguments and Persuasive Language
By Dr Jennifer Minter, On the Waterfront, VCE Study Notes, English Works, (www.englishworks.com.au)