NAME:
PERIOD:
West Side Story – Active Viewing Guide
Directions: Fill out the guide as you watch the film. Answer as completely as possible. This packet will be collected and
graded. Writing Grade & Listening & Speaking Grades - Semester 2
1. Describe the overture music’s emotions and how they relate to the colors you see on the screen. (You will see a different color
for each different song.)
2. Who is snapping fingers first in the very opening scene on the playground?
3. How does Bernstein combine jazz dance and ballet in this opening scene?
4. What does the snapping of fingers do for this whole scene? How does it add to the scene?
5. What two gangs are chasing each other in this first scene?
6. How is the dance incorporated into the chase scene at the beginning between the two gangs?
7. Who breaks up the fight finally?
8. Who is the leader of the Sharks?
9. Who is the leader of the Jets?
10. Who is the shy, weak member of the Jets group?
11. The first song that is sung is the Jet’s song called “When You’re a Jet”. Describe the music, dance, lyrics and circumstances
of this song.
12. Who is Tony?
13. The next song is called “Something’s Coming”. What is Tony talking about in this song?
14. What are Maria and Anita discussing in the next scene in the Bridal Shop?
15. Describe the scene change from the Bridal Shop to the dance scene. How did they move from one scene to the next?
16. How did the choreography (dance) fit the music in the big dance scene?
17. When Tony meets Maria, the dance quickly and drastically changes from jazz to ballet, yet the two are combined. What do
you think of this combination? How did it tie in with the mood of the scene?
18. Where and when is the War Council to meet? What is a War Council?
19. The next song is “Maria”. Who sings the song?
20. How does this song fit into this scene and move the plot along?
21. The next scene is on the roof of the apartment building with the Sharks and their girlfriends. This scene is important in that it
gives viewers the chance to see how the Puerto Rican men feel about America compared to the Puerto Rican women.
What do the ladies feel about America?
What do the men feel about America?
22. During the Puerto Rican song “America”, how does the music and dance portray the culture of the Puerto Rico?
23. The alley scene between Tony and Maria is similar to what scene from Romeo and Juliet?
24. What is the meaning of the song “Tonight” which is sung by Tony and Maria?
25. What is a juvenile delinquent?
26. The next song is “Hey Officer Krupke”. This song deals with the idea of juvenile delinquents. What are the Jets saying
about juvenile delinquents throughout this song?
27. The next scene is Doc’s Drugstore. What takes place here in this scene?
28. What is a rumble?
29. Where and when will the rumble take place?
30. What are the conditions for the rumble?
31. What tune do the Sharks whistle as they leave Doc’s Drugstore?
32. Why do they whistle that particular tune at that particular time?
33. The next scene is in the Bridal Shop. Maria sings “I Feel Pretty”. Explain Maria’s feelings in this song.
34. Why does Maria want Tony to stop the rumble?
35. During this scene Tony and Maria have their own marriage ceremony. How does the song “One Hand, One Heart” fit this
particular moment in this scene?
36. In contrast, we move to the next scene – moving to the rumble. Contrasted here is the peace between Maria and Tony with
the song recap “Tonight” and then the Jets and Sharks and their version of a more fierce, fighting song of “Tonight”. How does
this help us see the problem in the story yet to come?
37. Describe the exact details of what happens at the rumble.
38. Why did Tony do what he did in this scene?
39. Why does Tony’s action further complicate the problem between Tony and Maria?
40. Who tells Maria about what happened at the rumble?
41. The next scene is in Maria’s bedroom. Tony tells Maria what happened at the rumble and they sing the song “Somewhere”.
What is this song about?
42. The next scene shows the Jets getting back together after the rumble. They start to sing a song called “Cool Boy”. What is
this song about? Why is it important for the Jets?
43. Who is after Tony with a gun?
44. How does Anita react when she finds Tony and Maria together?
45. How does Anita change? What does she do for Maria?
46. What happens to Anita at Doc’s Drugstore?
47. What story does she tell Doc to tell Tony? Why did she make up this story?
48. Tony thinks Maria is dead. What does he do?
49. Describe what happens to Tony.
50. What is Maria’s message to the Jets and Sharks?
52. Who places the scarf on Maria’s head in the end? Why this person?
53. In conclusion, what is the message of this story?
1. Red: graceful, flowing; Green: quick, staccato; Blue: romantic, slow, languid
Orange to purple to blue: music slows, sweeter; Blue/Title: cityscape, tip of
Manhattan
2. Riff
3. Diverse movement that shows grace, emphasizes the bullying and taunting with
the varied dance steps.
4. Adds suspense, tension – will there be a FIGHT???
5. Jets (whites) and Sharks (Puerto Ricans/Latinos)
6. The skipping, spinning and jumping shows their youth, energy, toughness, and
vitality
7. Off. Krupke, Lt. Schrank
8. Bernardo (Tybalt)
9. Riff (Mercutio)
10. Baby John (Balthasar)
11. Jets are cool, tough, once a Jet always a Jet – shows the aggression and power of
this gang; youth, energy
12. Friend of Riff’s, founding member of the Jets; now he is on the “straight and
narrow” Tony: Romeo
13. Something will happen; he is full of anticipation; a foreshadowing moment; what
does the future hold?
14. What it feels like to meet that one, special person; Maria wants to know what it is
like; Maria wants to rebel a bit with her dress – lower the neckline – why?
15. Color and movement caused Maria to fade and the scene moved to the dance
16. Dancing fits the music b/c the circles emphasize / show they didn’t want to follow
the rules they wanted to dance with their own…shows gangs’ animosity
17. Maria and Tony become the focal pts. mood is romantic, lovy dovy
18.Doc’s Store – decide how they will fight: weapons, where
19. Tony
19. Tony
20. From intense to romantic
21. Women: USA is better, more freedoms; men: want to go back to the Island, miss
PR, the racism, segregation
22. The tempo, clapping, helps to show the exotic nature of it, the splashy, Latin beat,
spicy, unique,
23 balcony scene
24. They are in love, nothing else matters but being together
25. law-breaking youth
26. That JDs are troubled not crazy, bad home lives can lead to delinquency
27. Discuss the rumble via a War Council; decide on weapons
28. a gang fight
29. tomorrow after dark under the highway
30. no weapons, a fair fight best man slug it out
31. My Country tis of Thee or America ( the de facto National Anthem)
32. They are treated unfairly by Off. K and Lt. S.; they feel the prejudice from the police,
the Jets
33. she is lovestruck, excited, elated, and in love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
34. too much violence “any fight is no good for us”
35. they are becoming one, a spiritual connection
36. the tension builds with this multi-version of Tonight; the conflict is coming to a head
37. 1. Bernardo kills Riff 2. Tony kills Bernardo 3. Police are coming
38. Riff is like Tony’s brother – revenge!!!!!!
39. Tony killed Maria’s brother; maybe he can’t be with her
40. Chino
41. a symbolic place, far away, where they could be accepted
42. about calming down, with Riff dead, they need to regroup
43. Chino
44. Furious, disappointed “He’s one of them” Be with your own kind, M “Boys like that
only want one thing”
45. She starts out angry and emotional to understanding Maria and Tony’s connection
“Love so strong there is no right or wrong”; Anita tells Maria that Chino is after Tony
46. possibly rape Anita
47. That Maria is dead, killed by Chino; Anita is furious, wants revenge
48. Yells for Chino
49. While searching for Chino, Anybody’s tries to stop him; he sees Maria, runs to her,
and is shot by Chino
50.It wasn’t weapons buy HATE that killed Tony – they all killed him. She makes quite
an impact on all of them.
52. Baby John b/c he seems caring, sorry – maybe guilty about what happened and not
afraid to show it
53. Hatred leads to the destruction of young, innocence, love, compassion
20. Romantic; increases the intensity between the couple
21. “free to have fun” US is better
Men: Whites have a better life in US, control everything
22. Salsa, mumba kind of dance helps show excitement, energy of the culture
23. Balcony scene
24. Special bond they have, the instant love and attraction – they will be together…!
25. Law breaking youth
26. not bad people – just raised wrong; therefore, they are mentally unbalanced
27. War Council
28. a gang fight
29. Tomorrow under the highway
30. Fair fight; best man fights the best man
31. “My Country tis of Thee” or “America” de facto National Anthem
32. They are supposed to have rights and freedoms but b/c of their ethnicity, prejudice
abounds.
33. happiness, likes her life, excited
34. So no one gets hurt; too much violence
35. Symbolizes their union, love, 2 countries uniting
36. Helps the audience see the racial conflict
37. 1. Tony tries to stop Bernardo & Ice from fighting 2. Tony and Riff get involved 3.
Riff and Bernardo fight, Riff is stabbed 4. Tony kills Bernardo
38. Riff is his best friend; wanted to get revenge
39. Tony has killed Maria’s brother; the hatred will greatly increase
40. Chino
41. Get away from the racial and ethnic problems, issues of inner city life
42. They need to cool down, regroup, figure out how they will respond to the cops
43. Chino
44. She is angry, says he is no good, a killer
45. Anita now knows what Maria and Tony’s love means to Maria; she agrees to get a
message to Tony
46. They drag her down and attempt to rape her
47. That Maria was killed by Chino
48. Goes looking for Chino – wants him to kill him
50. Hatred killed Tony
Baby John out of respect
Hatred and negative judgments leads to the destruction of the innocent
32. Mocking the Jets; sarcastic
33. excited, joyful, nervous
34. Fighting is wrong, violent; people will get hurt
35. Becoming one person
36. It helps get the conflict going; shows the tone/attitude of individuals: romantic, tough
37. 1. Bernardo and Ice fight 2. Tony shows up, tries to stop it 3. Bernardo and Riff fight,
Riff is stabbed 4. Tony kills Bernardo
38. Revenge
39. Her brother killed ironically by her lover
40. Chino
41. They can go away, get away from the feud, the prejudice
42. Regrouping, cool down, get story straight for the cops
43. Chino
44. Angry “He is one of them” no good!
45. Calms Anita; she agrees to talk to Tony
46. She was almost raped
47. Chino killed Maria – the lie
48. Calls for Chino
49. Runs to Maria and is shot by Chino…tragic, poignant, emotionally charged moment,
yes???
50. She can kill now – she also has HATE; hate killed Tony, Bernardo
52. Baby John; he is sensitive, out of respect; a softening between the 2 gangs; maybe the
rivalry will end
53. Hatred between races leads to death/destruction, loss of innocence.
42. Calm them all down, regroup, think of what to tell the cops
43. Chino
44. “He is one of them” disgusted, furious, says he is no good
45. Maria puts it back on Anita – makes her see/understand the connection she has with
Tony. Tells Maria that Chino is after Tony
46. She is bullied, pushed around and almost rape her
47. That Chino killed Maria; b/c of the way they treated her
48. Yells for Chino
49. Chino shoots Tony as he is running to Maria
50. Bernardo and Tony were killed with HATE; now she has HATE
52. Baby John; felt what Maria felt when Riff was killed; sensitive, respectful gesture
53. Hatred and racism leads to violence, death, loss of trust, faith, innocence, their future.