On the Waterfront

500 Words2 Pages
Elia Kazan’s on The Waterfront” establishes that the masculine world influences the characters in a way that makes them incompetent for care and affection. The relationship between Terry and Tommy is largely influenced by this harsh masculine world of the Waterfront. Father Barry to fulfill his role as a Christian missionary cares for the people at the Waterfront despite the not need saving. Kazan also shows us that it is due to those actions by the characters in the movie that justice can be prevailed. The corruption of the waterfront union has made it extremely difficult for the longshoremen to express their true feelings. This is portrayed when Pop Doyle and the longshoremen remain “D’n’D” as the crime commission seeks for helps in regards to Joey Doyle’s Murder. “The waterfronts tougher. Like it aint a part of America” representing longshoremen who has spent their entire life in poverty, begging for work. The deaf n dumb ideology plays a huge role in the behavior of the longshoremen. “Deaf and dumb. No matter how much we hate the torpedoes, we don’t rat” portrays the fear that the longshoremen face everyday. This ideology is also used as an excuse by the longshoremen to not get involved with anything regarding the mobsters. Tommy is one of the many young adults who grew up in the midst of longshoremen and their ideology. Growing up in the waterfront Tommy has the Deaf and dumb ideology ingrained in him and the thought of anything else frightens him. “ A pigeon for a pigeon” suggests that the Deaf and dumb influences tommy more than how much Terry cares about him. At the start of the movie Tommy obviously cares about Terry and treats hi like family, helping him look after his pigeons. After Terry testifies against Johnny Friendly, Tommy’s ‘deaf and dumb’ ideology kicks in and kills the pigeons. Despite knowing what he did was for the greater good. Terry did

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