STRUCTURALISM: WEST SIDE STORY (1961) by Arthur Laurents

Plot Summary:

On the west side of New York City, the Jets and the Sharks are white immigrant (primarily Eastern European) and Puerto Rican gangs respectively who hate each other and who battle each other for territory in their neighborhood. Their feud makes a small connection when at a gymnasium dance, Tony, one of the founders of the Jets but who is now inactive in the gang, and Maria, the recently arrived sister of the Sharks' leader Bernardo, spot each other across the crowded room and fall in love at first sight. For many of the male gang members, that connection is the last straw in their feud that leads to the decision to have a rumble to determine territory once and for all. Conversely, Anita, Bernardo's girlfriend, supports Maria's decision to romance whomever she wants, even a Jet. However, even Anita may be able to endure so much in her stance to support true love. As Maria and Tony try to meet each other clandestinely at any opportunity, Maria makes a request of him to foster peace between the Jets and Sharks, which inadvertently leads to a series of tragic events not only for the collective but personally for Maria and Tony.

(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055614/plotsummary)

My Criticism:

The book is about lovers who are a member of two different gangs in west side of New York City. The genre of this book is romance. The style in writing the book is not using humor, the setting is essential and has connection to its title. The story is very usual as the television drama uses to show us most of the time. As stated earlier, there is love between a boy and a girl and differences of gangs they belong. The motif or pattern goes on by using the theme to narrate events about the result of their affair.