Character Analysis: The Outsiders

Juliette Blalock
Singh 4/5

In the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton focuses on Ponyboy Curtis, a young orphan in a gang known as the Greasers that consists of Pony’s brothers and other delinquents. When Ponyboy and Johnny, a friend and fellow gang member, get into trouble, they turn to the gang for help. After they escape, they decide to turn themselves in, which causes question about whether or not Darry, Ponyboy's legal guardian and brother, is fit to take care of his brothers. Ponyboy should stay with Darry and Soda instead of going into a boys home because the Greasers and his brothers has an inseparable bond, Darry pushes Pony to do better, and he would dread entering a different home.
Ponyboy's parents are both dead, so he sees his brothers and his gang as the only family he has left. After Johnny killed a Soc, he stated “I had to. They were drowning you, Pony. hey might have killed you” (57). The gang will do everything in their power to help him, no matter the cost. This shows the loyalty the Greasers display, where a new family

could not provide this. Pony states “He’s as hard as a rock and about as human . . . he thinks I’m a pain in the neck. He likes Soda--everybody likes Soda” (42) while thinking of Darry. Some may believe that Darry does not take care or give attention to Ponyboy, and only Sonda. However, Darry and Pony are very different, so Darry shows his love for Pony in a way that he does not realize. Pony tells Randy “I had the knife. I killed Bob” (165) after Johnny passed. Ponyboy not only receives protection from his gang, he gives it. Pony says this as a way of protecting Johnny, who is seen as family to him. The Greasers act like family to Pony, and he would be unable to live without them.
Since Ponyboy’s parents are gone, it teaches him to be independent, while Darry also influences him to stay educated. After Johnny and Dally died, Pony said “I tried to write that theme when I got home. I really did, mostly because Darry told me to or else” (146) when trying to finish the homework he was giving from his English teacher. Darry pushes Pony to do his best, and not give up on getting an education. This shows one of the ways Ponyboy receives love, and how Darry cares about the things he does. When Pony got an idea, he “ . . . picked up the phone book and called my English teacher” (152). This shows that Ponyboy is responsible for making his own decisions, and making the right choices. This also shows that he cares about his education, even after two of his gang members died. Darry is a reliable guardian for Pony and keeps him well educated.
Ponyboy does not agree with the idea of putting him into a boys home, and he is guaranteed happiness with his siblings.

After Pony came back from running away and saving the children, he asks “‘You mean’ -- I swallowed hard -- ‘that they’re thinking about putting me in a boys’ home or something?” (91) to one of the Greasers. This shows that Ponyboy wanted to stay with his brothers, no matter what happened. Pony would not choose to leave, but he would rather stay with his family. When Ponyboy came home from the hospital, Darry explained to him that “You kept asking for me and Soda, sometimes Mom or Dad, too” (134) when he told Darry he did not remember what happened. Pony loves his family, and depends on them for support. This also shows that he would not have been with someone he loves if he was taken away, so he may not feel safe or secure. Pony dreads the idea of a boys home, and would choose his family to take care of

him.
In conclusion, Ponyboy’s best chance of happiness is with his brothers and his gang. If he could choose, Darry would continue taking care of him. Darry is financially stable, and drives Pony to succeed in school. If he were to leave, he would have no family and would feel left out with his new caretakers.