Upper west side, new york, 1950s, during the last days of summer. It was inspired by william shakespeare s play romeo and juliet. West side story 1961 film study guide contains a biography of robert wise, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Summary on a sunny morning, penny takes her doll for a walk and discovers a beautiful blue. This is a great product for fans of west side story.
This 39page guide for west side story by irving shulman includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 2 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. It also won three golden globe awards, including that for best musical. When he finds out the maria is actually alive coming to meet him in the park they run. After owning their miserable little neighborhood for years, the jets, the fingersnapping street gang led by riff russ tamblyn, find themselves in a turf war with the upstart puerto rican sharks, led by bernardo george chakiris. But its also a great way to reference romeo and juliet, whom shakespeare called starcrossd lovers, stars in this case being what decided peoples fates. Over the next couple of weeks i will be exploring leonard bernsteins west side story. Theres a lot of plot in west side story but its scenes are probably the shortest of any book musical thats ever existed. Prejudices in the west side story by arthur laurents the book west side story written by arthur laurents is set in the mid 1950s, created as modern version of shakespeares romeo and juliet. Nick describes the novel as a book about westerners, a story of the west. I just came across to your blog post and read the story of your blog post. Her book is a reminder that even though great gains have been made in the development of integrated neighborhoods and suburbs, chicago is still shackled by the chains of segregation, chains that.
West side story is a musical with a book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein and. The score by leonard bernstein and lyrics by stephen sondheim are widely regarded as among the best ever written. A theory, associated with yves coppens, of human evolution in east africa. Sparknotes are the most helpful study guides around to literature, math, science, and more. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. But when riffs best friend and former jet tony and bernardos younger sister maria. West side story may seem, on the surface, like inclusivity in storytelling and characters, which was great and relatively true for the 1950s. And he, who had been seeking something beyond the savagery of the streets, discovered it with her. This chapter opens with a description of the valley of ashes, a desolate area of land between west egg and new york city. I got the difference between us, on the fence, and the fillin boyfriend at a book fair and loved them, and cried in all of them, i was craving for pivot point and split second. Video by cj penido narration by ben drennan i made this video for my final project for my theatre class. After he emerges from this mysterious door, the man walks quietly through the bedroom before. In this industrial wasteland, through which the commuter train must pass, everything is covered with dust, smoke, and ashes. West side story had an amazing team of creators including composer leonard bernstein, lyricist stephen sondheim, choreographer jerome robbins, and a book by arthur laurents.
Plot summary for west side story 1961, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. The romanticized american idea of going west to seek and make ones fortune on the frontier turned on its ear in the 1920s stock boom. Productions of west side story can look like perfectlytended museum dioramas. Find all available study guides and summaries for west side story by irving shulman. The narrative cuts to a vignette of a white woman sleeping in her bedroom in australia. This 39page guide for west side story by irving shulman includes detailed chapter. West side story is a musical with a book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein and lyrics by stephen sondheim. Try searching for an outline or summary of romeo and juliet west side story is an update of the play.
It challenged peoples ideas on immigration and racism while capturing ones heart with a tragic love story. The importance of west side story essay 980 words bartleby. Stay tuned for a post pandemic going out of business sale announcement. West side story summary and study guide supersummary. I believe its because west side story offers latinx people, and all woke theatre people, a superficial and false narrative of representation. Crazy to think that what happens takes place in that time frame. Jet he can round up, including his best friend tony, cofounder of the jets. A modern romeo and juliet in the end in the end another character, tony heres that chino has killed maria, which is false and he begins to wander the streets yelling for chino to come kill him. Maria, america, tonight, gee, officer krupke, i feel pretty. West side story is a romantic tragedy about two characters that are supposedly completely different and arent accepted when they fall in love.
The west side story appropriation we never really talk about. West side story is a modern version of shakespeares classic love story that ended in tragedy. Very interesting to compare contrast on that side of the. The feuding families become two warring new york city gangsthe white jets led by riff and the latino sharks, led by bernardo. The importance of art in west side story 766 words 4 pages. West side story test west side story chapters 610 quiz. Irving shulman 191995 was a novelist and screenwriter, known for his depictions of urban life. Although west side story was named the best picture of 1961 and won 10 academy awards, it is not much mentioned by movie fans these days, and the old warhorse singin in the rain is probably more seen and certainly better loved. Peter n the song america is sung by the puerto rican sharks.
Immediately download the west side story summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching west side story. West side story, american musical film, released in 1961, that was. What reason does the play give for the rivalry between the jets and the sharks. He begins by commenting on himself, stating that he learned from his father to reserve judgment about other people, because if he holds them up to his own moral standards, he will misunderstand them. The question and answer section for west side story 1961 film is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. As she dozes, a darkskinned man slowly emerges from the darkness of her closet, a darkness that is blacker and more absolute than the rest of the lightless room. It is a tale of two rival gangs, which despises the other in a vicious circle of hate. How does the great gatsby compare with other fitzgerald novels, for example, in comparison to this side of paradise, the beautiful and the damned, or the last tycoon. From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes. The musical explores the rivalry between the jets and the sharks, two teenage. West side story was the kind of musical people thought was good for them, a pious expression of admirable but unrealistic liberal sentiments. It was the book that made me realize who kasie west was.
East side story, a 2004 novel by louis auchincloss theatre edit an early name for west side story used when it still took place in the lower east side about a jewish girl that became maria, and an irish catholic boy that became tony. All young people should read, see what america is and lessons. West side story summary and analysis like sparknotes free. Westside stories used books we have decided to permanently close westside stories after 8 years of serving the buffalos west side. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers. Read a character analysis of juliet, plot summary, and important quotes. The original stage musical of west side story now revived and touring to seattle differs from the wellknown film in key ways. On the contrary, the boys are singing about wanting to go back to puerto rico. In preparation, soren and his band must fly to the. The young protagonist, tony, a former member of the jets and best friend of the gangs leader, riff, falls in love with maria, the sister of bernardo. The west side story appropriation we never really talk. The leader of the first ones decided on the next dance to challenge bernardo, the leader of the second.
Get all the key plot points of mohsin hamids exit west on one page. West side story 1961 film study guide contains a biography of. Maria is puerto rican and shares a romance story with tony. The narrator of the great gatsby is a young man from minnesota named nick carraway. If there is a sparknotes, shmoop, or cliff notes guide, we will have it listed. Reviewed in the united states on december 27, 2019. When did the great gatsby begin to win fame and take its place among great twentieth century american works.
The jets are boys who were born in america, but have polish roots. From the silver screen to the great white wayone of the greatest stories of all time. West side story is a tragic love story set in new york city in the mid1950s on the west side of the city. The fullydanced prolog shows the tension built up between the jets and the sharks two rival gangs in new yorks upper west side. From the first notes to the final breath, west side story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Tonys been feeling lately like something great is gonna happen to him. Romeo and juliet vs west side story freebooksummary. The girls who sing in this song are singing about how much they hate puerto rico and love america. In my book club we took the comparison between this and the outsides. Through a historic preservation timeline of sacramento in the essay the invention of old sacramento a past for. Scott fitzgeralds the great gatsby follows jay gatsby, a man who orders his life around one desire. In the process, his best friend and jet leader riff is killed by marias brother. For support, riff meets with tony, a former member of the jets who is like a brother and who now works in a candy store owned by goodhearted doc. Tom, daisy, jordan, gatsby, and nick all hail from places other than the east.
It was inspired by william shakespeares play romeo and juliet the story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, a multiracial, bluecollar neighborhood. Summary read a plot overview of the entire play or a scene by scene summary and analysis. West side story was the kind of musical people thought was good for them, a pious expression of admirable but. West side story was first presented at the winter garden, new york city, september 26, 1957, and at her majestys theatre, london, on december 12, 1958 with the following cast. Sacramento did not withstand the test of time without major help. Tony is a jet, a gang of americanborn youths led by his best friend, riff. Riff the leader george chakiris tony his friend don mckay action eddie roll arab tony mordente baby john ed verso snowboy. Today, the story of gatsbys doomed love for the unattainable daisy is considered a defining novel of the 20th century. At the dance, maria and tony spot each other from across the room and immediately. East side story, a 2004 novel by louis auchincloss. The symbol of east and west in the great gatsby from. Yet his most famous writing was the book, the great.
Books similar to romeo and juliet and west side story romeo and juliet and west side story. Heres a short compare and contrast by seattle times. Shakespeares the tragedy of romeo and juliet and arthur laurents west side story share many elements in common, but also have differences that separate them. Their hatred escalates to a point where neither can coexist with any form of understanding. An early name for west side story used when it still took place in the lower east side about a jewish girl that became maria, and an irish catholic boy that became tony science. Five fast facts winner of 10 academy awards soundtrack was no 1 on the billboard charts for 54 weeks 94% on rotten tomatoes based on romeo and juliet, which is based on a poem by arthur brooke called the tragic historye of romeus and juliet, which is based on a poem by the roman poet ovid called. They came together through love but violence threatened to tear them apart. Books similar to romeo and juliet and west side story. West side story is the awardwinning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy romeo and juliet. The story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, an ethnic, bluecollar neighborhood in the early 1960s, much of the. Maria was young and innocent and had never known loveuntil tony. He not only narrates the story but casts himself as the books author. West side story by irving shulman goodreads share book. These two sing about the sun and stars a lot when professing their love.
Find sample tests, essay help, and translations of shakespeare. Hes not sure what it is, but its just around the corner. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Een aantal liederen uit deze musical is bijzonder populair geworden, onder meer. In what ways is the great gatsby an autobiographical novel. Exit west summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. From the silver screen to the great white wayone of the greatest. But maria tells her best friend anita that she isnt actually in love with chino. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Explore a character analysis of gatsby, plot summary, and important quotes. Whenever i see a movie or stage production of a play, i am always interested to read the actual book to have a different perspective on the characters and overall plot. West side story had an amazing team of creators including composer leonard bernstein, lyricist stephen sondheim, choreographer jerome robbins, and a. Scott fitzgeralds 1925 jazz age novel about the impossibility of recapturing the past, was initially a failure.