There are two sides to every ethical arguement and in On the Water Front there are two literal sides that start meshing as one. In the beginning there are the priest and Esy, people who don't understand how the docks work and just want to make everything right. Then there are the people who work on the docks, who play "D and d" because they are on the inside and have to protect their own and themselves. The workers and the mob see as anyone who stands up and tells how it really is on the docks as a squeler because it puts everyone of them in harms way. On the other hand, the priest and Edy see the ones who tell as strong and good human beings. They see it this way because they're outsiders when it comes to working down there, they don't know how it is. As the movie continues and Terry starts to think that maybe he should tell the truth, the two groups blob together. First it's Terry who sees, becuase of his brother's death, that pretending you don't know anything isn't best, people still get hurt, but if you tell the truth things turn out better in the long run. Still, the other laborers don't see it that way until the last scene where Terry and Jonny Friendly fight. Then, they too realize that it's okay to say what's going wrong because it will be best for the majority. This is emphasized when Jonny Friendly is lost in the sea of men, on his own showing that now he is the only one who says people should act is they don't know anything. Proving that truth does triumph over lies.
Personally, I don't agree with Jonny Friendly. Loyalty and fear only get you so far before you have to face reality and see the world how it is. This sad, I sympathize with Terry because it takes a while to realize this and everyone has to take their own path to get there, no matter how long or short. Ethical values are a personal belief and they must be found on one's own terms, no one can force them upon someone else. On the Water Front shows this very well when Edy tries to give Terry Joey's jacket, but he won't take it. He needs to deicde for himself, and eventually he does. Plus finding what you're ethical values are makes them more obvious and one has a stronger pull to follow them. Watching movies like these help me decide what my ethical values are, and for right now they go along with Terry's.
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3 comments:
I really liked how you showed both sides of the argument and how you showed the workers' reasons not to tell. I agree that it is easy for someone on the outside to want to do the right thing, but it is not so obvious for someone on the inside. Looking back at things like slavery- of course I know it's wrong- but I wonder if I would've done anything if I was there.
Your first paragraph was enlightening because I hadn't thought of the dock workers when I wrote my post. I only considred main characters. But you're right, they are important, and like Terry, their beliefs change. I also like how you grouped loyalty and fear together. That's a very accurate description. The mob members and dock workers quiet and call it 'loyalty,' but truly, it is fear of the mob.
I disagree that loyalty only goes so far. True loyalty is boundless. I do agree however that fear only goes so far. It only lasts when you're in power. After that, you're done.
Also, I think that most people see the people who tell the truth as good and strong but few are willing to tell on others themselves.
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