The main conflict in A View from the Bridge centers around an uncle's fear of abandonment. He's terrified of his niece growing up and moving away. On the flip side of the equation, the nice is terrified of leaving him. When these fears aren't confronted in a rational way, they end up damaging an entire community.
Questions About Abandonment
- Was Eddie ever really planning to let Catherine go?
- Why is Eddie so attached to Catherine and vice versa? What about the two has linked them so closely?
- Would it have been easier for Eddie to let go, if Rodolpho were more like him?
- Has Eddie in some way abandoned Beatrice by devoting all his energies to his niece?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
It's hard for Catherine to abandon Eddie because he makes her feel safe. She's comforted by the iron-fisted control he has over her life.
It is Eddie's fear of abandonment, not sexual desire that drives his irrational actions.