On the Waterfront is a 1954 American movie about mob violence and corruption among longshoremen. The movie was directed by Elia Kazan and it stars Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy, and Eva Marie Saint as Edie Doyle. Terry Malloy was a washed-up fighter working on the docks for the local gang boss, Johnny Friendly. The death of Joey Doyle (dockworker), ordered by Johnny Friendly, filled him with guilt because he was involved in the murder. Later in the film, Terry met the murdered man’s church-girl sister, Edie Doyle, and they began a relationship. She tried to convince him to work against his mob. However, Terry only turned against the mob after Johnny Friendly ordered the gang to kill his brother, Charley. Soon Terry testified publicly and became an outsider on the docks, but in the end, he achieved victory over Johnny Friendly after beating him in a dramatic fight on the docks. Before Terry made a name for himself, his egocentrism held him back. Because of his egocentrism, his arguments were unsound and it got him nowhere. His arguments flawed compared to the other characters in the film such as Edie Doyle. Edie’s arguments were sound. Her arguments were effective because during the film she found a way to persuade her father to let her stay in New York. So as a result, in On the Waterfront, Edie Doyle’s arguments regarding the murder case are sound, but Terry’s are flawed. One of Edie’s sound arguments was presented in the scene where she was with her father in their apartment. When Edie arrived back home, her father was packing her suitcase and preparing her trip back to St. Anne where her college was located. During the scene, her father talked about the sacrifices he had made for her so could have a good education and get a decent career. In response to her father’s argument, she says:
I don't want you to think I'm not grateful for everything you've done. For giving me the education and keeping me away from all this. But I've seen things that I know are so wrong. How can I go back to school and keep my mind on things that are just in books......that aren't people living? I'm going to stay. I'm going to keep on trying to find out who is guilty for Joey.

In this speech, Edie explained that she doesn’t want her father to think she is ungrateful but she is determined to stay and try to find her brother’s killer. In the argument she stated above, she avoided weak argumentative tactics such as the irrational appeal to emotion (Ruggiero). If she chose to use the irrational appeal to emotion, she would have said: “I’m going to keep on trying to find out who is guilty for Joey because I feel like bad about it”. Instead, she uses logic rather than emotion, and is backed up by verifiable facts. Like for example, she says, “How can I go back to school and keep my mind on things that are just in books? I’m going to keep on trying to find out who is guilty for Joey. Thus, this shows that Edie is a sympathetic character because her arguments are sound. In contrast to Edie’s argument, Terry’s argument is unsound. Early in the film, Terry expresses his life philosophy and awkwardness in response to Edie’s question: “Which side are you with?” “Me? I’m with me, Terry.” He seems to play the role of the “tough guy”, as Edie states, but his lack of confidence is clear in his body language. He shuffles, shoves his hands in his pockets, and rarely looks anyone in the eye. Terry’s argument is a perspective error. He is very egocentric and self-centered. In his words, he says, “I’m with me”, and that clearly commits a egocentric error. He thinks that everything is always about him. His egocentrism also links to his hasty conclusions. While in the park, Edie and Terry are confronted by a drunken old man who indicates Terry was there the night Joey died. When the old man ran off, Edie questions Terry about the old man’s claim. In response Terry tells Edie that she should not pay attention to the old man because “he’s a juicehead” who walks around the neighborhood. Terry’s argument judgment is insufficient. It is insufficient to say he must be a juicehead around the neighborhood. The old man may be drunk at some times, but that does not mean he is a mean person. On some occasion in the real world, there are drunken people who are good people. Therefore, Terry’s argument is flawed. Above all, On the Waterfront is great film. This film can inspire and touch people with a message, move people with a strong dramatic storyline. In addition, Marlon Brando was good as a ex-prized fighter.

Works Cited
Ruggiero, Vincent R. Beyond Feeling A Guide to Critical Thinking. New York: McGraw-Hill,
2012. Print.
Schulberg, Budd. On the Waterfront.