75 pages 2 hours read

Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim

West Side Story

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1961

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Exam Answer Key

Multiple Choice

1. C (Act 1, Scene 1)

2. C (Act 1, Scene 5)

3. D (Act 1, Scene 1)

4. B (Act 1, Scene 4)

5. D (Act 1, Scene 1)

6. B (Act 1, Scene 6)

7. D (Act 1, Scene 7)

8. C (Act 1, Scene 4)

9. B (Act 2, Scene 2)

10. C (Act 2, Scene 5)

11. A (Act 1, Scene 4)

12. B (Various scenes)

13. A (Act 1, Scene 5)

14. B (Act 1, Scene 1)

15. C (Act 1, Scene 1)

Long Answer

1. At the beginning of the play, Maria is optimistic and eager to start her life in America. She is compliant with her brother’s wishes. By the end of the play, Maria has experienced love and loss and learned to hate. She finds her voice and speaks out against those perpetuating the cycles of hatred and violence, taking some measure of responsibility herself. Maria has become a woman, and harsh reality has dashed her dreams. (Various scenes)

2. The audience sees more of the Jets than the Sharks throughout the play.