The beliefs of the characters in this film vary depending on their social backround and loyalty. Most everyone on the docks inwardly dislikes "their union supervisors" (aka the mob), but would never dream of speaking out against them in fear of them or people close to them bieng hurt. This is a valid fear because the mob has proven that they will persecute those who stand against them, for all to see. Although it may be a valid fear, it is not neccisarily the right thing to do. The men on the docks have a great commaraderie with one another, and lots of them are great freinds. They think of the docks as one big family, feeling others pain, but not always speaking against it. I think that they would define a traitor as someone who tells a party something in order to benefit themselves at the cost of others at the docks. A whistle blower, on the other hand, would be someone who stands up to the mob and valiently tries to tell the truth to set things right. Unfortunatly, anyone who has the guts to do that most likely will be "hooked" by the mob. There are not many examples of traitors or whistle blowers in the film, just the select few who are brave enough to stare death in the face for what they believe is right.
In many cases, there is a not so fine line between a traitor and an informant on riminal activity. Depending on your viewpoint, someone could be either one of them. I think that a traitor is someone who assists the enemy of the group they are a part of and therefore hurts the group. A whistle blower is someone who stands up for their personal beliefs, even in the face of danger, to try to make this world a better place. A traitor lacks the ethics to realize that they are harming their own comrades, or is too blinded by greed to care about their real friends anymore. On the other hand, only a select few people in each society posess the knowlege and moral compass to guide them on the right path, and even fewer also posess the courage that is required to carry out your actions. Society will exclude and shame a traitor, while they revere an ethical crusader and immortalize them forever.
2 comments:
I agree wholeheartedly. An ethical crusader is definitely someone who stands up for their beliefs in danger, where as a person who is a "rat" will just give up info for their benefit. However, what do you guys think about someone who is part of an inside group, then changes his beliefs and defy's the group? Is that still an ethical crusader?
It is true that an individual can be viewed as both a traitor and an informant on criminal activity. By going against the interests of the group, one is a traitor. However, by trying to make the world a better place, one who has been considered a traitor by some is seen as a hero by others. The important thing for an individual is to decide which is more important for them: being accepted by the goup or speaking up for what's right.
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