Diagramming Story Structure on the Waterfront Film Review

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Waterfront

STORY DIAGRAM FOR "ON THE WATERFRONT"

Framing crime drama: the police know that dockworker's union boss Johnny Friendly is involved with organized crime but cannot get any useful witness to snitch on him

Terry Malloy = Protagonist

Backstory: Terry was a promising boxer who "took a fall" (deliberately lost his match) on the instructions of his older brother Charley, who works for the dockworker's union. (Given the involvement of organized crime in sports betting, we are meant to understand Terry as one of the victims of Johnny Friendly's crime activities).

Turning Point / Act One Climax: Terry is used by organized crime in order to lure out another dockworker -- Joey Doyle -- who is preparing to snitch against Johnny Friendly. Joey Doyle is murdered.

Act Two begins with Terry's blossoming relationship with the dead Joey Doyle's sister, Edie.

The relationship means that Terry is now struggling with his conscience about whether to snitch on Friendly for his involvement in the death of his new girlfriend's brother.

Edie involves the community priest for the dockworkers, Father Barry, into trying to fight back against the organized crime that killed her brother.

A second dockworker, nicknamed "K.O." (shorthand for "knockout" and therefore presumably a boxer like Terry) is preparing to snitch against Johnny Friendly, with the support of the priest.

Johnny Friendly arranges the murder of K.O.

Terry's increasing pangs of conscience over snitching mean that Johnny Friendly now assumes Terry is a threat.

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Friendly asks Terry's brother Charley to speak to Terry and ensure his silence.

Terry and Charley meet in a car. Charley first attempts to buy Terry's silence with the offer of a union sinecure.

Then Charley pulls a gun.

Since neither bribery nor coercion seem to sway Terry's newfound conscience, Charley gives Terry a gun and tells him to get out of town.

Johnny Friendly has monitored Charley's conversation with Terry, and now has Charley killed as the ultimate attempt to silence Terry.

Turning Point / Act Two Climax: Terry finds Charley's body hanging from a meathook in an alleyway.

Act Three; His brother's murder makes Terry desire to get revenge on Johnny Friendly, and he plans to kill him.

The priest Father Barry instructs Terry that snitching on Johnny Friendly would be a better revenge. Terry testifies about Friendly's illegal activities.

The Act Three Crisis occurs when Terry is told by Friendly after snitching that he will never work again as a stevedore.

Edie Doyle tries to persuade Terry that they should leave town, but Terry insists on a final confrontation, and goes to the waterfront.

The Act Three Climax occurs when workmen are being selected, and Terry is the only one not….....

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