Characters
All of you! You all killed him! And my brother, and Riff. Not with bullets, or guns, with hate. Well now I can kill, too, because now I have hate!
— Maria • West Side Story
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker accuses everyone addressed of causing deaths, including the speaker's brother and Riff, not through weapons but through hate. Grief turns to fury as they declare that, now they have hate themself, they too can kill. The words move from mourning to dangerous, bitter resolve.
Context reviewed