Outline for West Side Story Essay

Introduction- The Film “West Side Story” illustrates how the Puerto Rican’s faced discrimination and were used as scapegoats by the American people during the cold war time period to escape their anxieties.

  • mention of the anxieties of the time period
  • mention sources that describe activities that would display scapegoating of puerto ricans

First Body Paragraph

  • discussion of the film overall mentioning scenes that further convey the argument
  • describe how the jets viewed the sharks
  • explain stereotypes that are perpetuated throughout the film
  • utilization of the review of the film

Second body paragraph

  • mention the contrast between the music man and west side story
  • escapism vs scapegoating
  • speak about how the mass immigration of Puerto ricans effected the way they were treated

Third paragraph

  • use of new york times articles that convey the way puerto ricans were being treated
  • find a way to tie in the anxieties of the time period with the scapegoating of Puerto ricans
  • speak about how new wave immigrants throughout america’s history have always been discriminated against and blamed for the countries problems

Conclusion

  • bring together the idea that puerto ricans were used as scapegoats with why they were used as scapegoats
  • mention how west side story illustrates this throughout the play

Published by

s.ornato

5081190220411144