West Side Story

Growing up I thought West Side Story was just another one of the dozens of Romeo and Juliet inspired pieces of fiction that I would encounter in my life. To me I thought I had it all figured out. Boy and girl like one another and can't be together because of something completely out of their hands so they try to run away which leads up to the tragic, and predictable, death of someone. Seeing the movie in my adult years I now understand that although it definitely is another one of those stories with the same very basic Romeo and Juliet storyline while still maintaining it's own unique political plotline.

While rewatching the film the song that stuck out to me the most was "America". Not only is this song my favorite because of the catchy one-liners given to Bernardo or the wonderful dance scene accompanying the song, but because it takes the outside view of what living in America is like and squashes it with the horrible reality of living in America as someone from a foreign country. Anita represents someone who just wants to come to America and live the American dream. She wishes for a terrace apartment and being free to do whatever she wants while Bernardo holds onto a more realistic approach to what living in America is like. I think people come to America with expectations like Anita and end up feeling like Bernardo as their hopes for a better more glamorous life is squashed because the 'typical' American won't give them the same opportunity.

The lines "I’ll get a terrace apartment / Better get rid of your accent" reminded me of an extremely uncomfortable encounter I had over the summer at work. I work as a cashier at a grocery store so daily I have to smile and nod my way through very awkward conversations while simultaneously wishing I was somewhere else. The Hispanic population is slowly increasing in the city neighboring my small town which only means that I will get to interact with a more diverse group of people but this also means that the hate and ignorance is brought out in the most seemingly innocent people. I was chatting up an older lady, talking about flowers and the weather, when two Hispanic women get in line talking quietly in Spanish. I didn't think anything of it, I just looked up at them and smiled before returning my attention to the woman. She scoffed and whispered to me "We're in America, speak English." Now this is a statement that I've heard people say in movies, but I never thought that I'd be in this situation where someone says that to me probably expecting me to agree but instead I give her an uncomfortable tight lipped smile and hand her her receipt. 

"America" is a song about wanting to get the same opportunities as everyone else but instead you get stepped on and pushed around because you aren't the norm or the 'ideal' white American. 

"In all of its parts, the most basic purpose of the 1924 Immigration Act was to preserve the ideal of U.S. homogeneity". I found this to be interesting because when I think of the United States that I grew up in homogeneity is the last thing that comes to mind. Something I find wonderful about our country is that we have the opportunity to experience and appreciate different cultures. College has definitely taught me that being able to have new and different experiences is a key element for developing one's character and self. I can't imagine how dull it would be to live in a society where everyone is from the same culture and has the same experiences and nothing is new or interesting. 

Although they are part of our history as a country, the Chinese Exclusion Act and The Immigration Act are glimpses of embarrassing moments our country has experienced. In Orientalism Said states that Americans do not have the same feelings towards the Orient because we as a country just assume that that word is referring to people that are Japanese and Chinese. I must say that I fall into that category as a naive American because I am completely disconnected from the Orient traditions and deeply rooted culture. I think in the exploration and learning of what our country once did (and continues to do) to people in a different culture will ultimately make me feel a deeper connection as I begin to understand history at a deeper level. 

In my understanding Said is saying in Orientalism that the cultures of the people who fall into the Orient are not being accurately represented and this is leading to people, mainly in the United States, having poor knowledge of the culture and history of certain people. This helps my understanding of why back in the early 1900s why people were limiting others from entering our country. Generally we fear what we don't know and if we don't take the time to understand people that are different from us we aren't going to be able to accept them or their differences.