Losing Innocence In The Outsiders, By S. E. Hinton

Losing Innocence

S.E Hinton’s realistic fiction novel, The Outsiders, takes place in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1950’s. It’s hard for Ponyboy, the main character, to reserve his childhood innocence because he is in a gang, called the Greasers, and the Socs and the Greasers are always fighting. One lesson The Outsiders suggests is preserving childhood innocence. While some believe the strongest theme of The Outsiders is loyalty, I argue the strongest theme is preserving childhood innocence, as supported by S.E Hinton’s use of characterization, dialogue, and allegory.From the very beginning, the characterization shows how the Greasers have lost their innocence. S.E Hinton describes how Johnny looked like a “lost little dark puppy that’s been kicked around too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers,” (Hinton 11). This line shows how Johnny lost his innocence because of the way he looks

“Dally had spent three years on the wild side of New York and had been arrested at the age of ten,” (Hinton 10). Dally lost his innocence because he grew up in the harsh conditions of New York alone. “But then, Darry’s gone through a lot in his twenty years, grown up faster than he should have,” (Hinton 2). That’s

Brakefield 2shows how Darry lost his innocence after his parents died. Darry and Dally grew up to fast, therefore they lost their innocence to young. S.E Hinton uses dialog to show that the Greasers have lost their innocence. When Johnny said, “I had to Pony. They might have killed you,” (Hinton 57). When Johnny killed Bob, it took