Ponyboy Curtis from The Outsiders

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Ponyboy Curtis does not get a giant pair of scissors to cut a symbolic ribbon. He does not get the key to a city at the end of the Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton. Ponyboy does not obtain superhuman qualities but he is still the hero of the greasers. Ponyboy is self motivated and does not need anyone else’s or his own sympathy. Not only is Ponyboy self-motivated, but he is also thinking of the greasers, his friends and family, constantly and he is always finding more and more truths of everyone; Ponyboy is best informed on where problems come from and he knows best about what he should do for everyone else.
Ponyboy is a hero in an underestimated way; he is inspiring, thoughtful and “dreamy” as Cherry comments. When Ponyboy and Johnny are stranded at the old church, the two are witnessing the sunset. Ponyboy recites the poem, Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost. (77) He and Johnny discuss the importance of the “gold” of nature. They come across some conclusions and Ponyboy shows part of his growth through communication. Ponyboy is seen as “the smart one” ( ). Ponyboy sees things in a fantasy world and he is slightly naive, but believing. When he and Cherry talk about the sunset, he is being dreamy, he is being artistic. When he and Cherry talk, “‘And when I went silent, she urged me on. ‘Is he wild and reckless like Soda? Dreamy, like you?” (42) combined with the quote, “I would. I would help her and Randy both, if I could. ‘Hey,’ I said suddenly, ‘ can you see the sunset real good from the west side?’” he helps her see similarities and he reaches out to everyone this way. Ponyboy reaches out to others in his way of learning from his favorite words and ideas. Although this seems trivial or just a coincidence, Ponyboy thinks about his ...

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... drunk, he rode in rodeos, lied, cheated, stole, rolled drunks, jumped small kids--he did everything.” ( ) In the end, Dallas Winston is proven to be weaker than he looks, and is proven to have more than a heart but he still makes the mistake of thinking it is okay to hurt anyone not in the family.. Another example of a gallant but flawed hero is Johnny. Johnny is brave and decides to do the right thing but he already killed someone. Darry tries to be the best he can be but he cannot help but be rough and misunderstanding and misunderstood. Cherry Valance is helpful to the greasers and tries her best to help her own side too but she makes the mistake of caring too much for what the others might think. She only helps the greasers when she can go in the shadows or behind the Socs’ backs. Ponyboy doesn’t need to do any of this and is still the best to everyone.

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