WEST SIDE STORY
COMPARISONS
AND
CONTRASTS
Act 1, s1
Comparisons:
Both scenes start with fights
Two gangs vs. two families
Police= the Prince
Complaints of recent fighting = complaints of brawls
Tony not part of fight = Romeo not part of the fight
Plan to attend a dance = Dance at Capulets
Riff is Mercutio
Bernardo is Tybalt
Differences:
No parents in West Side Story
No death penalty for fighting
Tony is not in love with a Roseline-like character
Hate established because of PRs moving into a ethnic neighborhood
Go to the dance to plan a rumble
Act 1, s2
Comparisons:
Tony feels something is about to change his life
Riff = Mercutio
Riff and Tony are best friends like Romeo and Mercutio
Differences:
Go to the dance to rumble, not see Roseline
No note or guest list for the dance
Act 1, s3
Comparisons:
Maria is Juliet
Anita is the Nurse
Chino is Paris
Bernardo is Tybalt
Maria is to marry Chino like Juliet is to marry Paris
Differences:
Chino is poor while Paris is wealthy
Anita loves Bernardo but Tybalt did not love the Nurse
Act 1, s4
Comparisons:
Tony and Maria fall in love at first sight like R and J
Bernardo is angry with Tony dancing with his sister
Neither lovers know they are from hated gangs
Differences:
No plan to have a war council for a rumble in R and J
No Police at R and J feast
No Glad Hand at R and J feast
Both gangs permitted at the dance while Romeo has to sneak into the Cap.
Feast
Tony knows Bernardo is mad at him for dancing with Maria; Romeo
doesn’t know that Tybalt saw him at the dance
Act 1, s5
Comparisons:
Fire escape like a balcony
Exchange of love vows
Plans to meet the next day
Tony called back
Passion
You are one of them
Song “Tonight” has a lot of night and day imagery
Differences:
No Maria talking before Tony appears
No wedding plans
Discussion of living in America and prejudice toward Puerto Ricans not
evident
Act 1, s6
Comparisons:
Hate established between two gangs
Tony reveals his love of Maria to Doc
Doc = Friar Lawrence
Differences:
No war council
No rumble plans
No Police interrupting war council
Act 1, s7
Comparisons:
Symbolic wedding = wedding in R and J
Anita knows about Tony and Maria like the Nurse
Differences:
Not a real wedding
Promise to stop the rumble
Act 1,s 8
Comparisons:
Differences:
Plans to rumble
Anticipation of the night
Act 1, s9
Comparisons:
Bernardo kills Riff like Tybalt kills Mercutio
Tony kills Bernardo like Romeo kills Tybalt
Fair fight
Boys don’t seriously want to harm eachother
Tony looks like a coward like R. did
Tony refuses to fight like R
Riff defends Tony against Bernardo like Mercutio
Differences:
Not an accidental stabbing of Riff like Mercutio
Act 2, s1
Comparisons:
Maria happy like Juliet—“I Feel Pretty”
Maria thinks Tony is hurt or killed like Juliet thinks R is dead
They sleep together, like R and J
Differences:
Maria hits Tony when she see him
Tony willing to turn himself in
“There’s a Place for Us” laments the slum environment
No yelling at Anita like J did the Nurse
Chino = Paris but does not go after Romeo
Act 2 s2
Comparisons:
Comic relief—Sergeant Krumpke
Differences:
Shows the up-bringing these gang kids experience
Shows the family life of these kids
Gang to protect Tony since Chino has a gun
Act 2, s3
Comparisons:
Tony has a plan that Doc will help- Friar L tries to help R and J
Anita angry that Maria still loves Tony- Nurse says shame come to R
Differences:
Maria knows Chino is after Tony
Maria lies to the Police
Anita is the messenger, not another Friar
Act 2 s4
Comparisons
Anita delivers the wrong message
Differences:
Gang rape of Anita
All think Tony is dead
Doc stops rape
Act 2, s5
Comparisons:
Tony thinks Maria is dead
Differences:
Doc delivers the message
Tony looks for Chino to kill him
Act 2, s6
Comparisons:
Tony dies
The gangs stop fighting
Maria hints at shooting herself with Chino’s gun-foreshadowing
Tony seeking Chino is like suicide
Differences:
Tony knows Maria is alive, but R thought J was dead
Maria lives
Chino murders Tony; Romeo committed suicide
Police are silent, unlike the Prince who chides both families
SUGGESTED TOPICE TO WRITE COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
ESSAYS
CHARACTERS:
TONY AND ROMEO
MARIA AND JULIET
CHINO AND PARIS
RIFF AND MERCUTIO
ANITA AND NURSE
DOC AND FRIAR LAWRENCE
PARENTS
BERNARDO AND TYBALT
SCENES:
OPENING SCENES
BALCONY VS THE FIRE ESCAPE SCENES
WEDDING SCENES
FIGHT SCENES
FINAL SCENES
DANCE VS FEAST SCENES
COMIC RELIEF
MESSAGES