Edie
‘Without the influence of Edie, Terry would not have achieved redemption’. Do you agree?
On the Waterfront details the story of a reluctant hero, Terry Malloy, as he grapples with his conscience and ultimately attains redemption through an act of unbridled resistance against the corrupt waterfront union. As Terry comes to terms with his burgeoning ethical imperatives, the influences of others, especially that of Edie and Father Barry are of paramount importance. However, it is Edie Doyle, who through her unrelenting quest to discover “who is responsible for Joey”, provides the moral backbone for Terry, an inarticulate lowly longshoreman who once believed that his philosophy of life was to “do it to them before they do it to you”. Through Edie’s love and moral guidance, Terry is able to transform into a person who acts with moral conviction, able to overthrow the union mob and garner the respect of the other longshoremen.
Terry’s transformation is not the result of his own conscience but it is the result of a multitude of external factors culminating in a distinct and respectable change. When Terry discovers he has been involved in Joey Doyle’s murder as he stands outside “Friendlys Bar”, he demonstrates a palpable hint of remorse, demonstrating his naivety at the thought that “they were just gonna lean on him a little”. Although appearing guilt-ridden and shocked at his involvement, Terry does little and continues with his “cushy job” the next day. It is not until he and Edie express their diametrically opposing viewpoints at the bar the next day that Terry finally exposes the depth of his guilt. He appears unhinged at Edie’s request for help and displays his lack of confidence as he claims that there’s “nothing [he] can do.” As Terry speaks with Edie, he changes from displaying a false male bravado, which is encouraged by the waterfront code, to displaying something deeper within, as demonstrated when he dances with Edie. Through his meeting with Edie,
On the Waterfront details the story of a reluctant hero, Terry Malloy, as he grapples with his conscience and ultimately attains redemption through an act of unbridled resistance against the corrupt waterfront union. As Terry comes to terms with his burgeoning ethical imperatives, the influences of others, especially that of Edie and Father Barry are of paramount importance. However, it is Edie Doyle, who through her unrelenting quest to discover “who is responsible for Joey”, provides the moral backbone for Terry, an inarticulate lowly longshoreman who once believed that his philosophy of life was to “do it to them before they do it to you”. Through Edie’s love and moral guidance, Terry is able to transform into a person who acts with moral conviction, able to overthrow the union mob and garner the respect of the other longshoremen.
Terry’s transformation is not the result of his own conscience but it is the result of a multitude of external factors culminating in a distinct and respectable change. When Terry discovers he has been involved in Joey Doyle’s murder as he stands outside “Friendlys Bar”, he demonstrates a palpable hint of remorse, demonstrating his naivety at the thought that “they were just gonna lean on him a little”. Although appearing guilt-ridden and shocked at his involvement, Terry does little and continues with his “cushy job” the next day. It is not until he and Edie express their diametrically opposing viewpoints at the bar the next day that Terry finally exposes the depth of his guilt. He appears unhinged at Edie’s request for help and displays his lack of confidence as he claims that there’s “nothing [he] can do.” As Terry speaks with Edie, he changes from displaying a false male bravado, which is encouraged by the waterfront code, to displaying something deeper within, as demonstrated when he dances with Edie. Through his meeting with Edie,