IB English Paper 2: A View from the Bridge - Character Quotes Analysis
Key Character Quotes and Their Significance
Eddie Carbone
Possessiveness and Control
"I want you to be in a nice office. Maybe a lawyer's office someday. That's what I'm working for."
This quote reveals Eddie's controlling nature masked as paternal care. His ambitions for Catherine are tied to his desire to maintain influence over her life.
Tragic Decline
"I want my name! He didn't take my name; he's only a punk. Marco's got my name—and you can run tell him, kid, that he's gonna give it back to me in front of this neighborhood, or we have it out!"
CalloutCatherine
Coming of Age
"I'm not a baby anymore, you hear me? I'm not a baby!"
This declaration marks Catherine's transition from childhood to womanhood, directly challenging Eddie's infantilizing treatment of her.
Beatrice
Voice of Reason
"You want somethin' else, Eddie, and you can never have her!"
CalloutMarco
Honor and Justice
"All the law is not in a book."
This simple but powerful statement encapsulates Marco's belief in natural justice over legal justice, central to the play's themes.
Rodolfo
Cultural Clash
"If I would stay in Italy, I would be a singer in Italy. But there is no work. Nothing."
Callout
