How does Arthur Miller make act 2 scene 2 dramatically effective

Sarah Chosen

Catherine’s Diary – based on Act 1 scene 1 and 2 of ‘A View From The Bridge’.

Dear Diary,

What a day it’s been today! I haven’t written in you for some time now, but there was no way I was going to keep all this information to myself. So anyway, to my story. This morning, I was getting ready for a normal day at college, or so I thought. You know, making my hair look long and radiant, just like the women on the billboards you see in the better parts of New York. I was wearing my new red skirt that I bought with the money I saved up from last Christmas. It was expensive, but well worth it. As I headed off to college, I was subjected to the usual wolf whistles by the men working at the construction site near the diner. It’s a good thing Eddie doesn’t follow me to college every day. I don’t know what he would have said to those men but, trust me; it wouldn’t have been anything pleasant.

The work Mrs Kaminski set could put anyone to sleep. The chirping of the birds outside stole my attention, soon after I was drifting into a day dream, thinking about what my life would be like after college. I’ve been doing stenography courses in college for a long while now and I’ve really got the hang of it. Eddie has always told me that I’m destined for great things. Many times he’s said one day I’ll be in a big office, in a place like Manhattan, working for one of the top lawyers - how great is that! He has always had faith in me, but sometimes it gets me worried, maybe I’ll never live up to his standards. I’ll always try my hardest to get his approval. A sudden noise from the college speakers brought me back to reality, it then called my name out to go to the principal’s office. To be honest I was nervous, more that nervous. No one gets called into the principal’s office unless they’ve cheated on a test or broken the rules. However I walked over to his office slowly, making sure I looked my very best. The tension was unbearable. There was about three minutes of silence while Principal Collins sat there rustling pieces of paper. Finally he started to speak. He spoke about a plumbing company by the navy yard in the docks, over in Nostrand Avenue which needed a stenographer; he then went on to say I was one of the best students in school and should consider taking the job! I have to tell you diary I was completely shocked but at the same time overwhelmed with delight, however I could only worry about Eddie’s reaction to the idea of me taking a job. From a young age Eddie has always been protective of me, which I guess, is just the way he feels he must be. It’s the kind of culture I live in. By taking this job it will mean I would have to do things more independently but Eddie has always found it hard to let me grow into the young women I am.

I came back to the apartment to find Beatrice working away in the kitchen; the appetizing smell of spaghetti Bolognese filled every room. The first words that came out of my mouth when I approached Beatrice to greet her were about the great job offer that I received. Just the look of excitement and absolute joy on her face made my eyes water as she grabbed hold of me hugged me tight and kissed both my cheeks. She asked me if I had told Eddie about it, then both our faces dropped.

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A few minutes later Eddie came back, I greeted him with a smile and he replied back with some compliments. It was nice at first, like any compliment would be, but then it became a barrage of complaints of how my skirt was to short for his liking and how I’ve been walking ‘wavy’. It’s so frustrating when he says things like this to me. I mean, first he calls me a ‘kid’ then a few seconds later he says I’m getting to be a big girl now. His job was to protect me and he’s done a great job! I love him dearly but he has to let me be my own person. I had to ask Beatrice to tell Eddie about the job, the thought of me asking him and the reaction he would give frightened me, there was no way I was going to upset Eddie, I just couldn’t. As she told him the news I studied his facial expression. It was dreadful. A mixture of disappointment and stern anger. From then on it seemed to be no way he would approve and let me take the job I desperately wanted. Even when I told him it was fifty dollars a week, which stunned him, but not enough to take the job. He went on to talk about how he didn’t like the area and how; once again, he wants me to work in a better place like a lawyer’s office. Beatrice told me to leave the room, at that point I knew she was having a serious conversation with him, so I eavesdropped and waited for the perfect moment to step back into the room. After minutes of talking I entered the room, hands full with plates of food, a smile came upon Eddie’s face, and I felt a glimpse of hope, maybe I would be allowed to take the job. He called me the Madonna type; you know the type of girl that’s seen as pure and angelic. He asked me if I wanted to work and with no hesitation I replied yes, so he said I could take the job. I was so overwhelmed, so happy, so excited that tears trickled down my face and I rushed to hug him. This was the first time ever he had let me do something independently; he is finally letting me go.

It was around 10 when B’s cousins Rodolfo and Marco arrived, they came straight from Italy, in fact, they’re illegal immigrants. But my lips are sealed. Tight. Were not allowed to speak one word about the submarines living here, those are the words that came from Eddie’s mouth. I wouldn’t want the immigration Bureau knocking on our door because of something I said, like Vinny Bolzano. A young boy of just fourteen years, who lived in a strong Italian family, snitched on his own uncle, his own flesh and blood! They took his uncle away, and the young boy was kicked out of his home and spat on in front of the whole neighbourhood. When I first laid my eyes on Rodolfo I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. He was gorgeous, perfect even. He had blonde hair, light brown eyes and a nice build. If only I could tell Eva and Maria across the street from me who was living in my apartment! He was just what I needed to top my brilliant day. Marco and Rodolfo are here to make money for there family living in back in Sicily. Marco said he only wanted to stay here about four to six years, so he has enough money to go back and support his wife and children, but Rodolfo; he wants to stay here, in America forever, and be an American. That would be incredible. Just imagining having a good looking Italian man walking around my apartment sounds great. I couldn’t stop staring at him; there was a huge grin on my face that wouldn’t go away, even if I tried. Just as I thought things couldn’t get any better, he then sang ‘Paper Doll’ one of my favourite songs of all time and he sang it with so much passion. It made my heart skip a beat, it was so beautiful, and he sang it just like a professional, maybe even better. But sadly it was interrupted by Eddie’s voice. He told him he would gain too much attention in the neighbourhood, which I doubted very much. Looking back at me he then told me to change my high heels, so, like a good Italian American girl I did what I was told. I was so embarrassed and upset I felt like crying but I sucked in my emotions and headed of to the bedroom.

In general my day was wonderful getting a job and meeting an amazing new man all I can hope for is if my future could end up as happy as I am today.

Catherine xox