On the Waterfront Help?

[Hydroxyl]

Hi, So I have discussion Questions for On the Waterfront and I have no idea how to tackle them. I have to speak the answers for about a minute per question. I have a few points but my understanding of the film isn't quite sound yet and would like for someone to (hopefully) provide some insight

1. There is one other woman who speaks in the film and she only has two scenes. Why is she present in the film? How does she affect the atmosphere of the scene?

- My answer:
I thought initially that the apparent absence of any woman was not clearly evident. It was made clear that the front was male dominated when Edie's father talks of sending her off to a womens only school. I think that when you see only one other woman, you begin to question: Where's the rest? Where is Edie's mother? (Even though we later find out she died).

The atmosphere: This is specific to the scene when Terry saw Charlie dead outside. By the woman mentioning her son's death occurring the same way, there's a sense of foreshadowing. The dramatic music and desperate tones as the characters yell also makes this obvious to the audience.

2. Why does Father Barry punch Terry? Why does he help him up immediately afterwards? Where else in the film does Father Barry respond in such a fierce manner?



--
This question isn't exactly so crystal clear. I re-watched the scene and wasn't sure why he had done so. Terry told him to "Go to hell", so did that trigger him to punch him?

My Answer:
F.B. punches Terry to try and snap him out of being angry and irrational. When he punches him, he tells him that the only good thing to do would be to confront Friendly himself, and that killing him would not be the answer. It was a way to try and neutralise him after the trauma he had been through after witnessing his brothers death. It wasn’t a punch of hate and anger, rather, it was an attempt to try and make him think rationally and logically.

--
Why does he help him up? If it was a punch that did not root from anger only, then it must've been in F.B's good intention to help him. Although upon re-watching the scene, Terry seems relatively angry at F.B. so I'm not quite sure if that would be an acceptable answer.

--
Other scenes? I'm not quite sure where this could be, if anyone could describe the scene that would be most appreciated.

3. Why does Father Barry make such a perfunctory sign of the cross at the end of his sermon?
4. What does the film say America stands for? Do we see evidence of these values in the portrayal of the Crime Commission?


The last two questions I also have no clue, in terms of content of the film.


If someone could walk me through this I'd be really grateful!!


Thank you all!


- Hydroxyl