On The Waterfront

In On The Waterfront, the characters struggle with the difference between a traitor and a whistle blower. Many want to inform the police of the mob’s activities, but are afraid to be considered a traitor because they might get hurt. Only a few people are strong enough to risk going against the mob. Joey, Doogan, and Terry are a few insiders willing to stand up and tell the truth about the mob. In the beginning, they seem to believe that telling the police anything would label them as a traitor and could result in their deaths, which does happen to Joey and Doogan. By the mob setting the definition of traitor as anyone who spills information on them and punishing traitors with death, the workers do not want to inform the police of the criminal activity that is occurring on the waterfront. As the movie goes on, people like Doogan and Terry learn that the only way to fix the injustice that is occurring is to inform the police and stand up to the mob. Even though it is difficult, these men learn that because they are working for the greater good they are whistle blowers, not traitors. Even though Doogan is killed, Terry is not deterred. He realizes that being a whistle blower is a good thing when it will help him and all of his friends. In the begining, the workers are afraid for their lives and are not willing to be considered "traitors" by the mob's definition. As the movie goes on, a few men such as Doogan and Terry learn that they are not traitors, they are whistle blowers, which is a good thing because they are helping make better lives for all of the workers.

I think that there is a fine line between being a "tattle-tale" and speaking up about improper behavior. However, I basically believe that being a "tattle-tale" is when you purposely point out when someone is doing something wrong just to get that person in trouble. Generally, this occurs when the person's actions are not affecting anyone else but the tattle-tale just wants to get them in trouble. A person who speaks up about improper behavior is someone who looks out for the good of all people involved. They do what they do to keep people safe and make the world a better place, not just to see someone get in trouble. Basically, they are working for the "greater good". I think that whether one is perceived as a tattle-tale or whistle blower depends on the person doing the labeling. People have different opinions and look at motives in different ways. I could speak up against something I think is wrong but I could be seen as being a tattle-tale if the action isn't very extreme. There is no definite line between being a tattle-tale and whistle blower, in my opinion. I think it changes depending on situations and the people involved.