Tony Is To Blame For The Tragedy In West Side Story

772 Words2 Pages

Owen Garber
Mrs. Hughes
Advanced L.A. 8
8 May 2016
Chino’s Story
Two lovers are separated forever after a gang member decides to get revenge. New York City has been a breeding ground for this, and the world is left wondering who is to blame for this senseless tragedy. Arthur Laurents’ West Side Story focuses on two rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, in a small area of New York City. Tony, a former member of the Jets, falls in love with Maria, the sister of a Shark. The two gangs decide to settle their rivalry with a rumble between each gang’s best fighter, Riff and Maria’s brother, Bernardo. Things get ugly when Bernardo pulls a knife and stabs Riff. Tony, in the heat of the moment, gets revenge and stabs Bernardo, and both gangs flee the scene before the cops arrive. Tony goes into hiding so that Chino, a Shark, doesn’t try to get revenge on him. When falsely told Maria is dead, Tony decides he wants Chino to kill him. He calls for Chino and Chino kills him. Clearly, Chino is to blame for the tragedy of Tony’s death.
Some may say that Anita is to blame for Tony’s death; however, this is untrue. In 4.1, the Jets lie to her and will not let her see Doc. “I’d like to see Doc...He ain’t here...where is he?...He’s …show more content…

Saying it is anyone else’s fault is foolish and wrong for there is no one else that pulls the trigger. The night of the rumble, “Another figure appears:Chino...As they run to each other, there is a gun shot. Tony stumbles , as though he has tripped. Maria catches him and cradles him in her arms as he falters to the ground...Chino stands very still, bewildered by the gun dangling from his hand(2.4). Right before this, Tony thinks Maria is dead and calls for Chino to kill him. He doesn’t want to live without Maria. She is actually alive and well and about to hug him before Chino senselessly kills him. Tony does not directly incite Chino to kill him; Chino just wants revenge from Tony killing

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