On the Waterfront Essay
Topic:'Terry says to Charley, "I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody instead of a bum. Which is what I am". Does the film support Terry's judgement of himself?
On the Waterfront is a film where a young man has to struggle between conflicting choices in the harsh brutal waterfront days of the 1950s. Director Elia Kazan chose to shoot the film in black and white, to use as a contrast between the obvious right and wrong state of affairs on the waterfront. However obvious it is, the decisions Terry Malloy must make are not so easy. Sticking to the waterfront ideals of being "D and D" and self-preservation, Terry is seen as selfish, uncaring and also as someone with no brains, no honour; essentially "a bum." Throughout the film however, Terry evolves and changes, becoming a hero in the sense of doing what is right rather than having a bundle of cash and power over others.
Terry Malloy, understood how to survive in the waterfront world, "...it's about sticking with the right group of people..." just to get a bit of extra change in your pocket. This is exactly what he does. Johnny Friendly buys "a piece" of him back in his boxing days. In one of Terry’s prize fights, he has the opportunity to be a contender if he wins. However he is told by the mob who own a piece of him, "Kid, this ain't your night," and so he threw the fight, giving up his dignity, honour and integrity for the short-end money. Instead of becoming someone he could be proud of, he sold himself to the mob, making him just another of the mob's tools used to make money; a bum.
The union mob that Terry sides with also see him as a bum. This is shown when Terry is told counting bills will develop his mind and Big Mac sharply responds to this asking, "What mind?" Seen as dim-witted and not contemplative of anything, the mob use him as a goon and an errand boy, realising(or believing) he is not capable of much else. In an early scene of the film, Terry is given the job of getting Joey
On the Waterfront is a film where a young man has to struggle between conflicting choices in the harsh brutal waterfront days of the 1950s. Director Elia Kazan chose to shoot the film in black and white, to use as a contrast between the obvious right and wrong state of affairs on the waterfront. However obvious it is, the decisions Terry Malloy must make are not so easy. Sticking to the waterfront ideals of being "D and D" and self-preservation, Terry is seen as selfish, uncaring and also as someone with no brains, no honour; essentially "a bum." Throughout the film however, Terry evolves and changes, becoming a hero in the sense of doing what is right rather than having a bundle of cash and power over others.
Terry Malloy, understood how to survive in the waterfront world, "...it's about sticking with the right group of people..." just to get a bit of extra change in your pocket. This is exactly what he does. Johnny Friendly buys "a piece" of him back in his boxing days. In one of Terry’s prize fights, he has the opportunity to be a contender if he wins. However he is told by the mob who own a piece of him, "Kid, this ain't your night," and so he threw the fight, giving up his dignity, honour and integrity for the short-end money. Instead of becoming someone he could be proud of, he sold himself to the mob, making him just another of the mob's tools used to make money; a bum.
The union mob that Terry sides with also see him as a bum. This is shown when Terry is told counting bills will develop his mind and Big Mac sharply responds to this asking, "What mind?" Seen as dim-witted and not contemplative of anything, the mob use him as a goon and an errand boy, realising(or believing) he is not capable of much else. In an early scene of the film, Terry is given the job of getting Joey