Charley is Terry’s older brother and also the right hand man for friendly. Charley is described as both dedicated, trustworthy and has a good head for figures. (Meaning: He’s good at using numbers and digits, mainly for the purpose of counting money) Charley walks around in an expensive camel-hair coat that sparks mockery and derision from the longshoremen. Even though Charley is so central in the smooth running (Meaning: something that runs smoothly and efficiently) of the union activities, he is self effacing (doesn’t want attention) and meek in the relations with Johnny Friendly.
As the film progresses, the viewers perceive how Charley priorities and values change. When Terry becomes targeted by the mob, charley becomes conflicted between his loyalty to friendly and his brother. Charley eventually chooses to side with terry and as a result, he knowingly signs his death sentence because of his betrayal towards Friendly. Charley’s sacrifice’s demonstrates that it is never too late to amend past mistakes and change yourself for the better, especially for family. [PAUSE} TERRY: “You don’t understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender.
I coulda been someone, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let’s face it . . . It was you, Charlie. ” Terry says this to Charlie at the end of the profoundly intimate taxicab conversation. This scene in the back of the cab stands out because of the genuineness of the love Terry and Charley revealed to each other. The waterfront is a place full of fear, moral compromise and misplaced loyalty and trust, but this moment of clarity is where we see that the brothers kind of ‘find each other again’. Charlie, who cares deeply for his brother but hasn’t looked out for him properly, allows himself to deny the reason for Terry’s failed boxing career.
The Essay on Explore how Tommo and Charlie’s relationship develops over the course of the novel
Over year 8 I have been reading private peaceful, the book by Michel Morpurgo. In the story the maid character is a boy called Tommo who has an older brother called Charlie and another one called Big Joe along with their mother. Tommo looks up to Charlie and them always look out for each other. When Tommo goes to school he found makes a friend at school called Molly and both Charlie and Tommo fall ...
He condemns mistakenly the rotten trainer who supposedly mismanaged Terry’s skills. But in truth, Charlie’s association with Johnny Friendly meant that the union had a boxer it could control. Through Charlie, Johnny Friendly ordered Terry to tank a big fight, guaranteeing himself a huge payoff by betting on the opponent. Even though Charlie made sure Terry got a bit of cash, Terry complains here that Charlie killed what was really at stake—his soul, his pride, and his self-esteem. This well-known quote reveals the complexity of the brothers’ relationship and expresses Terry’s deep inner pain that the relationship probably cannot be salvaged.
The brothers love each other—but Terry now acknowledges his brother’s partial responsibility for his current bind, and he finally realizes that he can escape the label of “bum” only through his own actions. – The scene in the back of the cab stands out because of the genuineness of the love Terry and Charley revealed to each other. Their differing interests explode. The waterfront is a place full of fear, moral compromise and misplaced loyalty and trust, but this moment of clarity is where we see that the brothers kind of ‘find each other again’.
Terry wants help from his brother, but Charlie wants to make sure Terry won’t talk. In the passion of conflicting emotions, Charlie pulls a gun on his brother, who pitifully and gently turns it away. Charlie begins to reminisce about Terry’s boxing days, causing Terry to bring up the truth that Charlie forced him to throw a big fight, on Johnny Friendly’s orders. He laments (Meaning: grieve) that he could have made something of his life, had Charlie not betrayed him.
