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Racism In Arthur Laurent's 'West Side Story'

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West Side Story is a tale of corrupt youth and a forbidden love. West Side Story was written by Arthur Laurents (Librettist), the music was composed by Leonard Bernstein, the lyrics were written by Stephen Sondheim, and its choreographer was Jerome Robbins. Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare was the source material for West Side Story. This story is ultimately about two rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, and their battle over the neighborhood. Tony and Riff are the main individuals in the Jets Gang. Bernardo and Chino are the main individuals in the Sharks gang. Maria, Bernardo’s sister, and Anita, Bernardo’s girlfriend are also important characters associated with the Sharks. Tony and Maria’s love story begins at a dance social. …show more content…

The first instance this idea is introduced is in the opening scene of West Side Story. The opening scene includes a dance number that introduces the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks. There is a split between the two gangs and this is evident in their actions towards one another. Racism appears in the different music styles and the dance moves for the Jets and the Sharks. The Jets music was more upbeat, while the Shark’s music was harsher. Throughout the fight scene, multiple members of the Jets yelled out Spanish words, like “chico” to serve as an insult to the Puerto Ricans. In this scene, the largest instance of racism acting as a promoter of societal problems is when Lieutenant Schrank immediately assumes that the Puerto Ricans were the initial cause of the fight and blames the Sharks. Lieutenant Schrank states, “Get your boys out of here, Bernardo, and stay out! Boy, oh boy. If this neighborhood wasn’t crummy enough…” This quote is an example of racism being detrimental to the city because Lieutenant Schrank is favoring the Jets, possibly because they are the same race as him. Lieutenant Sckrank favors the Jets, and is a symbol of prejudice in law enforcement. When the law enforcement is racist, this city is ultimately

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