On The Waterfront

Anna Rodriguez

Mrs. Burgess

Enriched English 10

November 26, 2007

On the Waterfront

On the Waterfront, directed by Elia Kazan, is an action-filled and thought-provoking film. As the drama unfolds, the writers effectively build suspense as Joey Doyle’s death is investigated and tensions escalate within the mob. The action starts right in the first scene as Terry lures Joey Doyle to the roof to be killed by the mob members, and it does not stop until the screen goes black and the credits begin to roll. The film centers on Terry’s inner struggle--whether he should speak up against the mob, or keep his mouth shut, and in turn, hold on to his high-ranking status as part of the mob. With Edie’s urging, coupled with Father Barry’s advice and the murder of his brother Charley, Terry decides to speak out in court about the corruption that is occurring on the waterfront. In the film On the Waterfront, Kazan successfully depicts a riveting tale of one man’s struggle to take a stand against something he knows is unethical and wrong.

Some of the effective literary aspects in the film are the setting, theme, and symbolism. For example, many parts of the film are set on the rooftops of New York City. This is the where Terry comes to care for the pigeons, and just to think. The fact that Terry chooses this space to think and reflect shows that the roof, with its view of the entire city, serves as a getaway for him. He is able to, literally, be above all of the chaos in his life. It seems as if nothing can touch him there—he is free to think in peace. A second literary aspect that enhances the film is the theme. The central theme is focused on the struggle for good over evil, right over wrong. Terry, the protagonist, exemplifies this theme perfectly as he decides whether or not to stand up to his corrupt mob boss, Johnny Friendly. In the beginning of the film, Terry is a member of Johnny’s mob; he even participates in the set-up murder of Joey Doyle. The reason Joey is murdered is because he was about to “talk”, or share the truth about the mob with the Crime Commission. When Terry is later subpoenaed to do the same—share his account of what is really occurring on the docks—he at first refuses to talk, fearing the wrath of Johnny and the mob. This clearly demonstrates Terry’s belief that his own interests are above those of the other dock workers. He does not consider whether or not this is right or wrong, he only considers the fact that his life will be at risk if he testifies against Johnny. However, after meeting Joey’s sister Edie and confessing to Father Barry, Terry’s feelings change. Instead of keeping his mouth shut, he decides to expose the corruption on the docks at the hearing. The tide changes and Terry’s moral convictions lead him to do the right thing—good triumphs over evil. The final literary aspect that is used effectively in the film is symbolism. The main symbol utilized in the film is the hook that Terry carries as he slowly walks past of all of the dock workers and leads them in to work. The hook represents Terry’s “cross to bear”—the fact that he was the only one courageous enough to stand up against Johnny is both a blessing and a curse. He must now live with the wrath of Johnny and the other mob members upon his shoulders. The weight of his decision and its effects are signified by the hook. Kazan’s use of setting, theme, and symbolism enhance the film and make it much more exciting to watch.

The acting and lighting, two of the dramatic aspects of the film, were outstanding as well. Three of the actors who give quality performances are Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, and Eva Marie Saint. Marlon Brando portrays the protagonist, Terry Malloy and his image is perfectly aligned with his character’s personality. Brando’s slow drawl combined with his New York accent draw attention to the fact that Terry is not an educated man. Brando has a casual tone that makes him seem slow and somewhat dim-witted, which is true to his character, Terry. Brando also succeeds in portraying a man who has a good heart, but a “tough guy” exterior. Karl Malden is cast as Father Barry, the church pastor and motivator. He successfully portrays the fiery personality of Father Barry through his blazing eyes, enthused tone, and motivating speeches. Malden presents a passionate man with strong moral convictions in his performance as Father Barry. Eva Marie Saint plays Edie Doyle, Joey’s sister. Edie is a delicate woman in many ways, which Saint conveys through her composure and sometimes ignorance of the way things work on the docks. However, Edie is in many ways strong and smart as well. Saint presents a woman with a strong sense of right vs. wrong as she fights to discover the truth about her brother’s death. The use of lighting was exceptional as well. The scenes centered on the mob and the crimes they commit are dark and gloomy. This adds to the mysterious and clandestine nature of the mob’s work. However, the scenes involving Edie are filled with light. Eva Marie Saint’s hair is white-blonde, so she immediately brings light to the scenes. Edie represents everything that is “right” and “good” in the film, and the lighting certainly enhances this appearance. Both the acting and the lighting choices distinguish the film and enhance its overall effectiveness.

The cinematic aspects, such as high-angle shots, low-angle shots, and sound, are unrivaled in this film. An example of a high-angle shot is found in Terry and Edie’s discussion on the rooftops. Edie stands above Terry and we see him through her eyes in a high-angle shot. This gives the audience the sense that Edie is out of Terry’s league. In a different instance, a low-angle shot is used to signify the power of the mob. As Terry calls up to Joey Doyle from the street, we see some members of the mob standing on the roof. The low-angle shot gives them a powerful, somewhat mysterious feel. It is obvious that the mob is in control and Terry is not an important member yet. He is clearly at the bottom of the totem poll within the mob. The music, compliments of Leonard Bernstein, is excellent in this film. The score is thrilling; it enhances and compliments every scene. For example, the music is heart-pounding, loud, and climatic during the workers’ fight for work chips. The music adds to the chaotic feel of the battle that occurs within the workers. It also shows their desperation for work, because each day they go without a work chip is a day without pay. The cinematography and sound are a strong point in this film and add to its appeal.

Many comparisons can be drawn between On the Waterfront and Arthur Miller’s play, All My Sons. Terry Doyle and Joe Keller encounter similar experiences, but they react differently to their individual situations. Both Terry and Keller are faced with a moral decision—they know that something unethical and wrong is occurring, but they each fear for their jobs too much to stop it. However, Keller lets this fear completely overpower his sense of right and wrong and allows the cracked cylinders to be sent out. He even goes as far as to place the blame on Steve Deever in order to save himself. Terry Doyle, on the other hand, makes a different choice. He follows his moral convictions and stands up against the corrupt mob boss, Johnny Friendly. Thanks to his brave actions, the waterfront community is freed from the corruption of the mob. Terry and Keller, although faced with similar decisions, make very different choices. Terry makes the courageous decision to stand up against what he knows to be wrong. This resolution distinguishes him as the better man, as opposed to Keller, who passes the blame away to Deever in order to save himself.

I would recommend this film in a heartbeat—its thrilling plot combined with the excellent acting and outstanding cinematography make it a must-see film. This film allows one to get caught up in Terry’s struggle, lose oneself in the love story between Terry and Edie, or marvel at the excellent score. The plot is engaging, the acting is phenomenal, and the camerawork is of very high caliber. Terry’s moral dilemma that lies at the center of the film sparks good discussion and debate as well. Due to the compilation of the complex plot, superb acting, unique score, and quality of the cinematography, this film is engaging and thought-provoking—a classic.

Quarter 2: Week 3, Post B

" 'I never thought there was any problem,' she admitted. 'I didn't know Peter was upset. I didn't know he wanted to kill himself. I didn't know any of those things.' She began to cry. 'All those families out there, I don't know what to say to them. I wish I could tell them that I lost someone, too. I just lost him a long time ago.' Selena folded her arms around the smaller woman. 'It's not your fault,' she said, words she knew Lacy Houghton needed to hear" (176).

This quote demonstrates the author's attempt to gain sympathy from the reader for Lacy Houghton, Peter's mom. Lacy was as surprised as anyone else that her son committed such a heinous crime, and she is struggling and grieving just as much as the mothers who lost children in the shooting. To realize you don't know your own child anymore is terrifying. Lacy can't help but try to pinpoint the place where she went wrong--that one defining mistake she made in raising him that caused her son to turn into a killer. She blames herself for this tragedy. She is simply a caring, generous woman and mother who is faced with an unbearable situation. I feel terrible for Lacy, especially because so many of the victim's parents blame her for their children's deaths. She doesn't deserve the blame, as she was not the one holding the gun that day.

Quarter 2: Week 3, Post A

VOCAB:

vetted (124): to appraise, verify, check for accuracy, authenticity, validity.
pilfered (159): stolen in small quantities

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:

1. "...skin white as the belly of a fish..." (147). This is an example of figurative language because it is a simile comparing Peter's skin and the belly of a fish.
2. "...holding the truth between them, a stone that got heavier with every passing moment" (191). This is another example of figurative language, but a metaphor instead of a simile. It compares the truth to a stone, but doesn't use the words "like" or "as".
3. "He pressed the Copy button, watched the machine begin to birth a hundred identical babies" (205). This example of figurative language is personification. The copy machine possesses the human characteristic of giving birth, which in reality is impossible.

QUOTE:

"Just like that, a fault line opened up in Sterling--a ravine so deep and bleak that it would not be bridged for many years. There was already a difference in this town, between those who had lost children and those who still had them to worry about" (168). This quote begins to explore the change in Sterling in the aftermath of the shooting. The shooting is like a center point, around which there is a "before" and "after". In the "after", there are resentments between parents who lost children and those who got lucky. Friendships are tested as the citizens struggle to deal with their grief. No one understands why some were killed and some were not, and, in the days following the tragedy, this confusion separates the people of Sterling.

THEME:

The theme of this novel still seems to be focused on what it means to be different in our society.

Quarter 2: Week 2, Post B

Dear Jodi Picoult,

Well, I am continuing to love Nineteen Minutes as I read further in the book. The plot is getting more intense and I can already see many twists and controversies forming, especially within Peter's relationship with Josie. Their childhood friendship seems so cliché—two kids who grow up together and are best friends, until one of them (in this case Josie) is drawn in by the “popular” crowd and ditches their other “dorky” friend. My heart broke for Peter when he talked about how hurt and betrayed he felt when his only ally left his side. And although Josie clearly does not condone the bullying behaviors her so-called “friends” issue to Peter, she cannot find the courage to stand up for him anymore. One might think that, upon planning a murderous rampage through his school, Peter would try to get revenge on his back-stabbing friend. But instead, Josie’s is the only picture that he had circled but then gone back and crossed out, writing the words “LET LIVE” above it. Even though Peter might have felt vengeful and angry at Josie for deserting him back in middle school and never again acknowledging him in public, his lingering love and gratitude for her friendship long ago overcomes these feelings.

I am excited to keep reading and to continue watching the story unfold. I think Josie is definitely hiding something about her memory of those last few minutes with Peter and Matt in the locker room but I don’t know what it could be...hopefully more information will be revealed soon! I am eager to read more!

Sincerely,

A-Rod :)

Quarter 2: Week 2, Post A

VOCAB:
subversive (77): in opposition to a civil authority or government

vivisecting (69): cutting into or dissecting a living body

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:

1. "His words hit her, a solid slap" (64). This is an example of personification because the author is giving a human characteristic--the power to hit--to a non-human thing:words. Words can not actually hit, so this is an example of figurative language.
2. "...he was drawn like a moth to the light over his father's workbench" (86). This is an example of a simile because the author uses the word "like" to compare Peter to a moth.

3. "The reporter appeared again on the grainy screen, his hair blowing upward like a boat's sail in the light wind..." (95). This is an example of figurative language, or, more specifically, a simile. The author uses the word "like" to make a comparison between the reporter's hair and the sail on a boat.
QUOTE:

" I used to stand in front of the mirror in the bathroom to see what they were staring at. I wanted to know what made their heads turn, what it was about me that was so incredibly different. At first I couldn't tell. I mean, it was just me. Then one day, when I looked in the mirror, I understood. I looked into my own eyes and I hated myself, maybe as much as all of them did. That was the day I started to believe they might be right" (60). This quote reveals a sad truth about Peter, but I think it also speaks to bully victims in general. I know a lot of people at my school who would not think twice about making a rude comment or gesture to someone who's considered a "dork" or a "weirdo" at school; they wouldn't think twice about it, saying it's all in good fun. However, most of these people don't realize the effects their words and actions have on the kids they single out. It's incredibly sad to me that Peter, a teenager who has been continually bullied since kindergarten, can actually begin to believe the people who are bullying him. He actually starts to hate himself as much as they hate him, instead of recognizing that these people are simply insecure.

THEME:

I think an emerging theme in this novel is focused on what it means to be different in today's society and the extreme measures some go to just to fit in.

Quarter 2: Week 1, Post B

Dear Jodi Picoult,

Wow! Your book is already so good--it's so suspenseful; I can't stop reading it! I've read five of your other books in the past, including My Sister's Keeper, Second Glance, Plain Truth, The Tenth Circle, and Vanishing Acts. I loved all of them, and so far I am loving this one as well! The plots in your books continually address controversial social issues, this one being a school shooting. The strange twists have already got me thinking and questioning, as they always do.

The topic of a school shooting is definitely relevant in our modern-day society. Due to Columbine and Virginia Tech, both tragic events that were talked over and debated all over the media for months, schools everywhere have begun to change their ways. Here at Edina High School we are now required to perform 5 lock-down drills each year, as a precaution against such an event occurring here. Similar security and precautionary measures have been taken in other school districts as well. I am very interested to read more of your book and hear about the lasting effects the school shooting will have on everyone involved.

Anways, so far the book is awesome; I didn't expect anything less. I can't wait to keep reading--Josie's relationships with Peter and Matt are especially intriguing. I'm also excited for the drama to unfold in the courtroom--I can always count on some unexpected twists to occur there! I'm eager to see how the story will continue!

Your fan,
A-Rod

Quarter 2: Week 1, Post A

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

VOCAB:

caliper (17): a measurement of thickness

prescience (22): knowledge of things or actions before they exist or happen; foresight

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:

1. "She held her mother's admission as if it were a butterfly lighting on her hand by accident" (8). This is an example of figurative language because the author is comparing the mother's confession to a butterfly in flight.

2. "...the motions that would have fallen like shadows across her desk between Friday afternoon and this morning" (8). This is an example of figurative language--or, more specifically, a simlie--because the author compares the motions that Judge Alex must deal with that have gathered over the weekend to dark shadows. This shows that Alex is very busy and having to handle so many motions is a negative part of her job.

3. "...he made her head swim with seasons-his hair was all the colors of autumn; his eyes the bright blue of a winter sky; his smile as wide as any summer sun" (10). There are several examples of figurative language in this sentence as the author makes comparisons involving Josie's boyfriend Matt Royston. She compares him to the seasons--his hair is compared to fall, his eyes to winter, and his smile to summer.

QUOTE:

"When Patrick was lying in his bed alone and letting his mind sew a seam across the hem of his life, he did not remember the proven successes--only the potential failures. When he walked around the perimeter of a vandalized barn or found the stolen car stripped down and dumped in the woods or handed the tissue to the sobbing girl who'd been date-raped, Patrick couldn't help but feel that he was too late. He was a detective, but he didn't detect anything. It fell into his lap, already broken, every time" (12). Patrick's reflection on his job reveals a lot about his character. It shows a trait that is common in most people: the inability to appreciate one's successes, and only focusing on one's short-comings. Patrick changes lives everyday in his job as a detective. He protects people by solving crimes and catching the "bad guys". However, even with all of the good he has done, he only remembers the times when he was too late. In fact, he feels as if he is too late everytime because he never saves anyone before the event happens. He only fixes what has already been broken. He doesn't realize that it is just as important to be the person who picks up the pieces when everything falls apart.

THEME:

I think the emerging theme of this book focuses on the struggles people, especially high-schoolers face to "fit in" in our society.