Through his noir On the Waterfront, Elia Kazan tells an excellent tale of a misguided young man who struggles to discern good from bad, finally regretting his past and redeeming himself through sacrifice. This description is broad and applicable to many stories; it is an interpretation of the director's work, an implicit meaning. One may also say that Kazan tells the story of Terry Malloy, a young man who "does the right thing" and learns that he must sacrifice himself to take a stand to overthrow the corrupt boss, leading other workers in the right direction. As an explicit meaning, this explanation of the film focuses on the "point" of the story -- what Kazan is trying to communicate to his audience. A solid, tangible description of the film,