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Similarities and differences between characters in the outsiders
Essays on how characters changed in the outsiders
Essays on how characters changed in the outsiders
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How can two people whose lives are so different have so much in common? How can a young man growing up with everything he could possibly want have anything in common with someone who has known only poverty and hardship his entire life? It seems impossible. However, in S. E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, there are two such characters. Dally Winston and Bob Sheldon are similar because both enjoy fighting and have parents who do not give them the attention they require. Yet, despite these similarities, Dally and Bob have dissimilar personalities and opposite financial situations. Therefore, Dally Winston and Bob Sheldon have enormous differences in their lives, but also significant similarities. Dally Winston and Bob Sheldon have one very …show more content…
For example, Dally is one of the poor greasers from the east side of the city, and Bob is a very rich Soc from the west side of the city. Dally, being a greaser from the east side of the city, has very little material wealth. Ponyboy states about all the greasers, “We’re poorer than the Socs and the middle class” (3). What little money Dally has he earns riding in local rodeos. He does not even own a car, but borrows Buck Merill’s when he needs one. In fact, Dally does not even have a permanent home. Ponyboy states that Dally “lived anywhere he could” (105). Therefore, Dally is an underprivileged greaser with little money and few possessions. On the contrary, Bob Sheldon is one of the extremely rich Socs from the west side of the city. Bob has no reason to work because everything he wants is handed to him by his affluent parents. Ponyboy describes the Socs, Bob’s click, as “the jet set, the West-side rich kids” (2). The Socs all seem to drive around in expensive sports cars and wear costly madras clothing, and Bob is no exception. Randy states that Bob’s parents “‘spoiled him rotten’” (116). Unlike Dally, Bob has everything he wants. Money and material things are not a concern. Clearly, financial circumstances set these two …show more content…
For instance, Dally is mean, rude and tough, and Bob, although he is mean to greasers, has a nice personality towards those he likes. Even to his friends, Dally comes across as cold and mean. Ponyboy describes his eyes as “blue, blazing ice, cold with a hatred of the whole world” (10). Dally enjoys being a menace to society and the bane of the city’s police force. In fact, Dally slashes the tires on the car of his friend Tim Shepard. Ponyboy states: “Dally didn’t give a Yankee dime about anyone but himself, and he was cold and hard and mean” (90). With a friend like Dally, who would need an enemy? Conversely, Bob Sheldon is a nice guy when he is not under the influence of alcohol. Cherry Valance, Bob’s girlfriend, says, “He could be sweet sometimes, and friendly” (128). If Cherry fell in love with Bob, then he must have a good side. Furthermore, Bob’s best friend Randy tells Ponyboy, “Bob was a good guy. He was the best buddy a guy ever had” (116). People clearly like Bob. Would anyone describe Dally as the best buddy a guy ever had? Tim Shepard clearly would not see him that way. Even Ponyboy, at the beginning of the novel, states that he does not like Dally. Therefore, Dally and Bob’s personalities set them apart. The variances in their personalities show that they are, in some ways, very different
People look up to others because they are so alike each other that they feel connected, or they are so different, they aspire to be like them. Sometimes you can have someone who looks up to the other that is both, different and the same as them. This is the case for Johnny and Dally in The Outsiders, written by S. E. Hinton. They both have parents who do not care about them and they both do not value life. Johnny is more law-abiding than Dally and Johnny became a hero, unlike Dally. Johnny and Dally share differences and similarities that make them such unique characters.
How can two people who are very different share similarities? Dally and Johnny, two greasers from S. E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, have distinct differences as well as similarities. They are similar because they both know what it is like to have abusive and neglectful parents. Also, they both care about each other in similar ways. Dally and Johnny are completely different when it comes to the law. Dally is the least law abiding in the gang, where as Johnny is the most. Dally and Johnny are dissimilar when they die. Dally dies a hoodlum, which is vast difference from how Johnny dies a hero. Therefor, Dally and Johnny have a lot in common, but also have great differences.
Imagine a life where danger lurks in every corner, and there is no hope for a shooting star to appear. This is how Dally and Johnny,two characters from S.E Hinton’s, The Outsiders, live everyday. One welcomes this trouble while the other cowers away. Dally Winston and Johnny Cade are two characters who although very different, have very similar characteristics.
Can some people so different be so a like? Can some people so alike be so different? Dally and Johnny are those two who are so different, but yet they are similar. In the book S.E. Hinton writes The Outsiders, Johnny Cade and Dally Winston come from two completely different backgrounds, and have completely different scruples. Yet, at the same time they are alike. Dally and Johnny’s parents both repudiate them, making Johnny and Dally mentally tough, and the boys do not value their lives. At the same time though they are different, Dally is stronger than Johnny. Though, Johnny has a soft heart and Dally would not even pay any attention if someone is dying right next to him.
In Tobias Wolff’s 1985 short story “The Rich Brother,” we are introduced to two brothers. According to Wolf, you cannot even tell that they are brothers because of their physical differences, but as the story goes into more detail we can tell that they are different in every aspect. One of the major differences is that one is wealthy and the other is always in need of financial assistance. The older brother, Pete, is a successful real estate agent while his younger brother, Donald, works as a painter whenever he can. The two brothers are very different in their belief about what is valuable. Pete is a man that has worked hard and values what he has acquired. His brother Donald, on the other hand, values sharing whatever he has. Even if giving everything he has leaves him with nothing.
Certainly, being born into a privileged family have their advantages. Unfortunately, for those who are born into poverty may struggle for their success, but it is not impossible. The podcast “Three Miles” is a great example of that. Comparatively, on the surface Melanie and Raquel are two individuals coming from the same unfortunate circumstances. Although, both girls were introduced to the same pen pal program their outcomes would travel different courses. Initially, the purpose of this program is to give students from poor neighborhoods a glimpse inside their wealthier counterpart’s lives, from another school. Raquel and Melanie’s backgrounds were similar, because they were afforded the same opportunities, but they turned out differently. Raquel was driven while Melanie is unambitious.
”Because most people identify as separate from other people, they have what we call some "concept" of themselves. Self-concept refers to how people “think about, evaluate, or perceive” themselves.” Self-concept can be split into categories that make people who they are. Throughout “The Outsiders”, Ponyboy the protagonist, describes his brother and his friends in relation to him, giving insight on what makes each of them who they are. After reading an article on this topic “Self-Concept “by Saul McLeod (1), and reading chapters 1-3 of the novel “The Outsiders” (2). One can see the major reasons that make people who they are: self-image and self-esteem/self-worth.
Pope Paul VI once said “All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly strive to avoid is the major building block to the person we are today”. This quote means that people who are given good lives and good money take it for granted. They don’t care about what kind of money they get and don’t care in life, yet people who don’t have much money, but work hard to get there, enjoy and admire life much more. The convincing evidence is in the article it states, “ It seems like were always searching for something to satisfy us, and never finding it. Maybe if we could lose our cool we could.” Although one could argue that the Socs have it hard because of lack of support, Greasers have more
Divisions within the social stratum is a characteristic of societies in various cultures and has been present throughout history. During the middle ages, the medieval feudal system prevailed, characterized by kings and queens reigning over the peasantry. Similarly, in today’s society, corporate feudalism, otherwise known as Capitalism, consists of wealthy elites dominating over the working poor. Class divisions became most evident during America’s Gilded Age and Progressive era, a period in time in which the rich became richer via exploitation of the fruits of labor that the poor persistently toiled to earn. As a result, many Americans grew compelled to ask the question on everyone’s mind: what do the rich owe the poor? According to wealthy
While researching this matter, I hope to find out how knowledge of a person’s financial standing influences other motives. There are many common phrases and ideas associated with this concept. For example, “marrying up/down” is often used; this idea refers to the pairing of classes between two individuals. There are different levels of classes in society; they are as follows: the upper class (consisting of two subgroups), the middle class (consisting of two subgroups), the working class (consisting of two subgroups), and the lower class. The upper class includes the lower-upper class, which is considered new money as well as the upper-upper class, which is known as old money. Those organized into the middle class are often known as white collar workers. The sublevels of this demographic are recognized as upper and lower middle class with jobs ranging from secretaries to CEOs. The working class is divided into blue collar workers, who usually are involved with fields that require skill, and the working poor, those who gain income by waitressing, dishwashing, operating cash registers, etc. Lastly, there is the lower class; this class is likely the ...
The economic health in the play is stable for the most part. Austin is a member of the middle class. This is demonstrated through the fact that he has a family, house, car, and producer. Lee is in the lower class, which is suggested by his need to steal from other people. The job Saul has and the fact he plays golf indicates that he is a member of the upper class. Finally, Mom is a part of the lower upper class or upper middle class. This is shown through the nice place that she is living in and the nice gated community that surrounds
Johnny and Dally are both very contrasting characters in the book; however they do have their similarities. Also, they both look up to each other. In the novel, Johnny is the character that reflects sensitivity and weakness. Johnny is constantly beaten by his father and is ignored by his mother. He has lost many things in life that others may take for granted. A quote from the novel describes Johnny as a “dark puppy that has been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers” on page fourteen. Johnny’s soft and delicate personality is evident in that statement, especially when he is referred to a “puppy”. The image of a puppy implies vulnerability, a reflection on Johnny’s personality. Whereas Johnny is the vulnerable spot in the Greasers, Dally is on the other hand, the exact opposite. Dally is cold-hearted and hard, and plays the character of the devil in the novel. A quote from the book describes Dally’s eyes as “blue, blazing ice, cold with the hatred of the whole world” on page fourteen. This quote describes Dally as a cold character, and refers to the fact that Dally has seen many more hardships in his life than happiness. You can see that Johnny and Dally are both very different. However...
Rector and Sheffield must have been wealthy all their lives, because they have no idea what they are talking about. From my perspective, I disagree, with the fact that items where designated for the middle-class to purchase and not the poor. Who in the world allowed them to even put this crap in a book? What makes them think that the middle-class is so much better the poor? Poor people are allowed to have nice things too! Just because you are poor don’t mean you are homeless and hungry all the time. A person’s income is what classifies an individual as poor in the United States. If your income is below poverty level, you are indeed poor, depending on how many dependents you may have. Furthermore, people do not have an option to be poor. Many of us were born into poverty and that’s all we know. In fact, being lazy has nothing to do with it. The rich white people are the reason why people are poor. I assumed the authors forgot about slavery and unskilled labor that made them rich; as of today, they are living a prosperous life because of Native Americans, Blacks, and Latinos hard work for at least 400
Your financial habits as a youth will usually follow you into your adulthood. As you grow older hopefully the amount of money you make will not be the cause of you acting like you are too good but it will humble you. Hooks described how she didn’t share the sensibility and values of her peers. Class disparity was important, it wasn’t just about money but about values which showed and determined a person’s behavior. A child develops certain desires and situations as he/she passes through childhood. While attending Stanford University, Hooks white, middle-class, Californian, roommate explained to her that hatred was “healthy and normal” (Hooks 419). Later on while attending graduate school she found that her classmates believed “lower class” people had no beliefs and values (Hooks
Low income class families prejudice the way that families in higher income manage their money, and everything they have to say about money sounds completely outrageous to a low income family. For example; low income families are less likely to donate money for a charity or even tithe, to a family like this the chances of them saving a single dollar for the future seems absurd.