Comparison:Romeo & Juliet and the West Side Story

The West Side Story takes place in a time where racism was a growing problem. It took place in the depths of New York. In a run down part of town, where there is no rich, only poor. Where kids are tortured on the streets, by gangs. The gang which supposedly owns the town is known as the Jets. They are feared by many, but not the Sharks. The Sharks is another gang, a new one the members consist of no girls like the jets. But when the jets are American, these juveniles are Puerto Rican. None the less, in this time and age, there are guns and general engineering. The law is enforced by police. A former member of the Jets meets a girl, she is beautiful beyond reasoning, and while looking at her he can focus on none else. His name was Tony, her name Maria. All though they don't know this yet each other, they feel as if they were destined to meet. Maria's boyfriend Chino slips her mind, as she is focused on Tony. She doesn't know his name, but doesn't care she is too deeply in love and knows he is as well. Tony walks toward her, not knowing not caring. This is what he had been waiting for, something big just around the corner. They fell in love like quicksilver, but soon found that they were each others enemies but it was too late. Later that night Tony made his way to Maria's apartment he found her their, and proposed his love. Although they never married, they acted as if they were. Soon Maria finds out about a gang war, and tells Tony to go stop it. He cant Tony's best friend is killed so in rage he killed Bernardo, Maria's brother. Maria hears news of this from Chino, and she begs him to tell her if Tony is all right. Chino finds Maria and Tony are in love and begins to track Tony down. Maria is extremely angered with Tony, but soon finds that he did it because her brother killed his best friend. She forgives him, but Tony had to hide cops were looking for Jets, Sharks, and Tony. Chino was also looking for Tony, so he his in the bottom of a drugstore. Maria is delayed and can't get to Tony so they can leave. So she sends Anita to give him a message. Anita is willing to do this for her, but on arriving at the drugstore she is harassed by Jets, and can't give him the message because she's angered. Tony hears that Maria is dead, and runs outside and tells Chino to get him; he finds tat Maria isn't dead, and runs to her, but is shot in the process. Maria wants to kills herself but doesn't. It ends in tragedy.

Many differences and similarities evolved from these stories. They are in the many, both stories end in tragedy, one a little less then the other. Although they are both Tragic well written. The differences are noticeable, but as you can see there are many noticeable similarities. Like Tony and Maria meeting not knowing each others heritage as Romeo and Juliet. And Romeo hearing of Juliet's death, and taking a step toward his death, as Tony did yelling for Chino to get him to.