The Life of Nicky Cruz L/O You will have studied a newspaper report of a real life m murder You will give your own definitions for 8 key words
Connection • You will need a copy of the newspaper report which refers to the Capeman Murders
Connection • Capeman Murders- "West Side Story" • Contrary to popular belief, the 1957 Broadway play and subsequent movie, "The West Side Story" was not based on a teenage gang related double homicide on a playground in Manhattan's West Side. Rather the "Capeman" murders were nothing more than teen violence that played out in the "Hells Kitchen" area of Manhattan's West Side 2 years after the play opened, or life imitating art. • Hollywood capitalized on it producing movies such as "Rebel Without A Cause" while Broadway produced the play. The New York media just fuelled that hysteria by turning what should have been a local double homicide into a nation wide story. This tragic story of 1950's street gang violence is well described in this story by George Spiegler for the Clinton Chronicle a local newspaper.
Key Words • Ensure you find these words in the newspaper report. Write a meaning for each in your book: • Paean • Protagonists • Aspired • Rumble • Descended • Manslaughter • Dispossessed • Affluence • What similarities do you see with Argon and Nicky Cruz.
Activation • Read as a class – Page 9-11 • Demonstration • Complete What Do You Think – Page 11 • Plenary
• YouTube - The Cross And The Switchblade - [4/11]