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On the Waterfront

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Edie Doyle is by far the most powerful agent of change in ‘On the Waterfront’. Do you agree?

‘On the Waterfront’, directed by Elia Kazan, explores the issues of corruption, love, truth and justice. Edie Doyle, the protagonist, Terry Malloy’s love interest and the major female role in the film, proves to be the most powerful agent of change. Her determination, feminist action and influence on key characters reflects her power in producing change on the corrupt waterfront, ruled by Johnny Friendly, the money-loving antagonist, and his Mob. It can be seen that every one of Edie’s actions and words have an impact on the changes and development of events and characters throughout the film.

Edie’s determination and feminist outlook may be the key factor to the changes that occurred on the waterfront. At her brother Joey’s death she is the only person willing to speak, while the others, all namely men, act “D and D” (deaf and dumb). The body language of these men who stood around shamefully with their head hanging portray the power and domination of Johnny Friendly. It was their fear and loss of life that encouraged this silence. “You don’t ask no questions, you don’t answer no questions.” – Dugan. Edie, on the other hand, was the brave person in this event, not falling under the wing of Johnny’s corruption. “I wanna know who killed my brother!” her determination even drove her to give up her nunnery and dreams of becoming a teacher. Her father, Pop Doyle, reflects the duties and implications of what being a woman was expected to have in the 40s: “Now get back to the sisters where you belong”. Edie’s thirst for justice and the truth led her to “stay and find out who’s guilty for Joey.” This is shown through the symbolism in her hair. At the beginning of the film, Edie’s hair is tied up but in the scene where she decides to stay after seeing the injustices occurring in

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