MovieChat Forums > West Side Story (1961) Discussion > Anita's encounter with the Jets

Anita's encounter with the Jets

posted 7 years ago by BB (13)
7 replies | jump to latest

The scene where the Jets harass Anita and almost rape her really shows how bad they are, possibly their lowest point in the film. However, I have read many people claim that Bernardo was a good and decent guy and would never do something like this. So I have a few questions

1. Do you think the Jets would normally harass Anita this badly, or did they just react this way because of the situation they were in at the moment?

2. Do you think the Sharks would do the same thing to one of the Jet girls in the certain situation they were in?

3. If Ice stayed there, do you think it would make a difference or no? If yes, how do you think Ice would've handled it?

[–] mplo (2372) 7 years ago

Here's my take on it:

A) The Jets, at least in part, were influenced a great deal by Action, who was always the instigator-troublemaker among the Jets.

B) Part of the Jets' behavior towards Anita was due to prejudice against her because she was Puerto Rican, and part of it was also due to the reaction to their situation, and an all-too-common need for a scapegoat, and Anita happened to be right within reach at the moment.

C) Nobody knows if the Sharks would do the same thing to one of the Jet girls in that same certain situation.

D) Had Ice stayed there instead of walking out, it's possible that he might've kept Action in check, like he'd done on numerous occasions before, but one never knows.

[–] BB (13) 7 years ago

Pretty good points there. I do have one question though, if Ice was able to keep Action in check, how do you think he would've handled Anita?

[–] mplo (2372) 7 years ago

Thank you for your compliments and your input, BB (2). You raised an interesting question on how Ice would've handled Anita. That's kind of hard to know, but Ice seems like the type of guy who knows better than to rough up a girl or a woman.

[–] sarahb2 (69) 6 years ago

I think Ice would have gotten between Anita and Action and told her she needed to leave, and quick. He wouldn't have been her friend but his first thought always seemed to be how to keep the gang from getting into trouble - eg, he's the one who hauls everybody into the parking garage so they don't start a fight with the loudmouth right before "Cool."

If you watch Ice through the movie he's usually in the background, not cutting up with the other guys (he doesn't participate in "Gee Officer Krupke", for example) and he seems the most mature of the group. I really doubt he would have participated in Anita's harassment because he doesn't seem as emotionally unhinged by Riff's death the way the others are; he's more in control (that's what 'Cool' is all about, after all.)

[–] mplo (2372) 6 years ago

The fact that Ice did seem to be the coolest, calmest, most collected, and the most emotionally mature and stable of the Jets is why he ultimately took over the Jets gang leadershiip after Riff was stabbed to death by Bernardo during the Rumble.

The rest of the Jets wanted to continue to wreak revenge on the Sharks, but Ice made them cool it, especially because Tony's life was on the line, due to the fact that Chino, a Shark gang member who'd been Bernardo's right-hand man and closest friend, was gunning for him.

[–] Otter (24464) 7 years ago

Pretty much any group of young men can switch into stupid-and-aggressive mode, where suddenly everyone in the group is doing things they wouldn't normally do and nobody has the nerve to defy the group mentality and say "Stop!". Okay, maybe it doesn't happen a lot among seminarians, but among street gangs? Absolutely it happens! Maybe not often, I'm sure there are times when they'd be individually or collectively reasonable with the Anitas, but think of the film's opening. All those young hoods stalking the streets eager for a fight and ramping up the feelings of us-vs-them... what would have happened if a group of those guys in that mood had run across a Jets' girl out by herself?

Human behavior can vary tremendously by situation; whether one person is alone or in a group, whether that person feels secure or under threat, or whether the group around that person consists of elderly relatives or juvenile delinquents.

[–] mplo (2372) 7 years ago

One reason that West Side Story is as relevant today as it ever was is due to the fact that what you mentioned about the group mentality, insecurity, or whether one is alone or by him/herself happens an awful lot in real life, as well, even today.

Some people, however, are either more prone or less prone to being influenced in that way than others when it comes to either doing or not doing things that somebody else goads them into doing. Peer pressure is what's going on here. That being said, there's really no telling what might've taken place if a Jet girl, or even a Shark girl had been out and around by herself. It more than likely depends upon not only group influence/peer pressure, but on the kind of mood that the instigator and his/her followers is in at the time, as well, if one gets the drift.