Conflicts In The Outsiders By S. E. Hinton

Life is a force that constantly comes at you, and it won’t cease to do so. S.E Hinton, the author of The Outsiders is aware of this and demonstrates this throughout the book. Ponyboy Curtis, the narrator of this story, has indeed gone through many challenges. By the end, he has learned that assumptions about people just by their appearance isn’t a correct thing to do. That is shown time and time again, which is why it is the theme of the book.

One of the primary aspects of The Outsiders is the differences and the conflicts between the Greasers and the Socs. The Greasers are referred to as such due to the fact that they are poor, which means they are seen as scum and trash by the Socs. The Socs are the exact opposite of the Greasers; they’re rich and seen as perfect. Towards the beginning of the book, Cherry Valance, a Soc, and Ponyboy Curtis, a Greaser, have a conversation. Within the conversation, Cherry tells Ponyboy something which he doesn’t fully think through at

first. “I’ll bet you [Ponyboy] think the Socs have it made. The rich kids, the West-Side Socs. I’ll tell you something, Ponyboy, and it may come as a surprise. We [the Socs] have troubles you’ve never even heard of”(Hinton, 34).
Previously uninformed, Ponyboy assumed exactly this about the Socs, seeing them as having everything easy and perfect. However, he wasn’t aware of what’s going on in their lives, hinting towards Cherry’s choice of wording. Him being a Greaser means that the Socs have “troubles you’ve never even heard of” due to the fact that he’s on the other side of the social spectrum. You should always look for both sides of the story and once again, never assume something.
By this we get a glimpse of the Socs’ lifestyle, which must be rough considering how Cherry worded her statement.
More light is shed on this with another Soc, this time one being named Randy. Randy’s best friend, Bob, was killed in an attempt to ‘jump’ two Greasers, Ponyboy being one of them. Ever since his death, Randy has been rattled. He too, shows some of the Socs’ troubles when he is speaking to Ponyboy in his car. “If his old man [Bob’s father] had belted him-just once, he might still be alive. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I couldn’t tell anyone else. My friends-They’d think I was off my rocker or turning soft. Maybe I am,” (Hinton, 116).
Inside this paragraph, Randy describes the troubles that the Socs face.

The Greasers are limited by many factors, some for example being; the law, money, family, and in some cases, the Socs. Kids like Bob however don’t have these limits. They run free with no restraint, unafraid to stir up disaster, causing cases like Bob’s death. Without rules, he took it too far, possibly even desperate to do so. Many other Socs must face a similar problem, considering how much their parents give them, whether by riches or materialistic things. More issues described are those being of social aspects with other Socs. Randy felt like his own friends would criticize him for feeling this after his best friend died. Using the words “soft” and “crazy” just because he’s experiencing human emotion. The Soc must’ve felt really cornered to go and speak with a friend of the Greaser who killed Bob. Friends aren’t supposed to chase their friends away, they’re supposed to provide support, help, and just make you feel

better.
Within his words, you see the problems in detail, but the Greasers also have troubles.