Continuing on, Ponyboy’s adolescent personal fable makes another appearance when he tries to put his home life on the same level as Johnny’s and a different level than his school friends. Johnny, Ponyboy’s best friend, receives beatings from his father frequently throughout the story, and everyone in their greaser clique knows about the abuse. Ponyboy’s caregivers, his brothers, never abuse him in the novel, but after one rare instance when his oldest brother, Darry, slapped him for being late, he automatically believes that his life is just as terrible as or worse than Johnny’s. After Johnny tells Ponyboy about the severity of his living situation by saying “I stay away all night, and nobody notices. At least you got Soda. I ain’t got nobody”, …show more content…
Ponyboy tries to elevate his situation back on top by telling Johnny that “you have the whole gang” (51). Instead of acknowledging that Johnny’s home life is indeed worse than his own, he tries to make it seem like Jonny has more people looking out for him than he does. Ponyboy’s personal fable hinders his ability to put anyone else’s life, including the life of his best friend, on the same spectrum of terribleness as his own. The other way that Ponyboy uses personal fable in regards to home lives is when he puts his on a different level than his school friends. At this part in the novel, Ponyboy believes the majority of his friends at school come from middle class homes, so he infers that they would not understand the state of his lower class home. Ponyboys personal fable about the uniqueness in the quality of his house leads him to develop a self-conscious mindset about letting people come over from school. In the novel, he admits, “It was a funny thing- it bugged me about friends seeing our house” (162). This example of personal fable, in the last quote, brings light to the situation that Ponyboy does not believe that any of his school friends would possibly be able to understand or relate to the way his house looks or functions. Similarly, Ponyboy exhibits personal fable when Johnny kills Bob, a Soc, with a knife in the park. The Socs had jumped Johnny and Ponyboy in the park, and even tried to drown Ponyboy in the fountain. While they were drowning Ponyboy, Johnny stabbed Bob to save his friend from drowning. The key phrase in the last sentence is “Johnny stabbed Bob” because after the scuffle comes to an end, Ponyboy believes that he was just as guilty for ending Bob’s life. In all reality, Ponyboy committed zero crimes because he did not jump anyone first, and he was held under water during the whole process, but Ponyboy’s personal fable automatically steers him believe that he had stabbed Bob too. The quote from the book that displays Ponyboy’s personal fable after the stabbing is, “What are we going to do? They put people in the electric chair for killing people! I was shaking” (57). This quote gives the reader insight to detect that Ponyboy believes that if he gets caught then he will also be executed for killing Bob; although, Johnny was the only one that actually killed somebody. This situation is just another prime example of Ponyboy mistakenly believing that his situation is more unique than it is to another person. Later after Ponyboy and Johnny run away to hide, Johnny even tries to tell Ponyboy to go back home because he would not get into any trouble for the murder. Of course, Ponyboy implements his personal fable again by exclaiming, “I’m fourteen! I’ve been fourteen for a month! And I’m in it as much as you are” (74). Ponyboy had no business believing that he was involved in the murder as much as Johnny was because there was no plan on murdering Bob and he never even touched the knife. The adolescent personal fable of Ponyboy made him believe he was responsible, and that no one else understood why except himself. Finally, Ponyboy presents his final adolescent personal fable when he believes that the arguing between him and his brothers only affects him. Fighting amongst the three Curtis brothers occurs frequently throughout the entire text, and it takes a toll on them all equally. Even though all of the Curtis boys feel the effects from the constant fighting, Ponyboy’s personal fable steers him to believe that he is the only one that feels any pain from the arguing. Ponyboy is under the impression that his brother, Darry, does not like him through the majority of the book and that he is too “hard” and “firm” to care about any fights. However, his assumptions about his brothers’ feelings during their fights are incorrect because Darry displays that he worries about Ponyboy even when they stuck fighting. While arguing about Ponyboy coming home late, Darry exclaims, “I reckon it never occurred to you that your brothers might be worrying their heads off…” (50). The previous quote from Darry proves that Ponyboy is not the only brother that goes through some sort of emotional anguish when they are fighting. In regards to his other brother, Soda, Ponyboy still believes that he is the only one affected from the fighting because Soda is usually not directly involved in the fighting. Ponyboy’s personal fable towards Soda feeling any emotions regarding the brothers fighting presents itself when he says, “Neither of us realized what it was doing to Soda to hear us fight. I was sick and cold with shame” (175). After all the countless fights that all of the Curtis boys had with eachother, Ponyboy’s adolescent trait of personal fable aided him to formulate the belief that his emotions were so much different than his brothers. In reality, all three of the brothers experienced some degree of pain from fighting with each other, but it took till the end of the novel for Ponyboy to get over his personal fable to realize that fact. In conclusion, Ponyboy displays his adolescent personal fable through all of his various thoughts and opinions geared towards how unique his life is compared to everyone else in the novel.
His frequent egocentric use of personal fable interferes tremendously with his relationships and connections with his brothers, friends, rivals, and strangers. Ponyboy’s personal fables not only guided him to feel overly unique, but also caused him to develop self-conscious thoughts about how everyone else viewed him and his life. The presence of personal fable in the majority of Ponyboy’s cognitive thoughts throughout the novel, represent him as a typical adolescent that utilizes formal-operational methods of thinking because he gathers outside information about others and compares it to himself. Even though his thought processes may represent a more sophisticated way of thinking because of his stage of adolescence, they were not sophisticated and logical enough for him to fight through his personal fables to understand that his thoughts, feelings, home life, and his status in the world were not much different than that of everyone else in the book. Strangely enough, towards the end of the novel Ponyboy begins to see that he is not the only one that has a rough life, and he realizes many people do understand what he is going through on a daily basis. At this point in his cognitive development, marks the point where his relationship with his brothers becomes stronger than it was throughout the novel because he realizes that they encounter the same obstacles every day that he does. Throughout the entire duration of the novel, The Outsiders, Ponyboy Curtis exemplifies the egocentric thinking of adolescents through the use of personal
fable.
He is smart, and gets good grades in school. This is purposefully mentioned several times within the story, and people tend to be surprised to learn that he is a Greaser. In addition, some Greasers are nicer than people tend to think. When the church burned down, Ponyboy and Johnny run in to save the children without a second thought. They acted with selflessness, putting the safety of the children above their own. In the ambulance on the way to the hospital, Ponyboy is asked if he and Johnny are "professional heroes". He responds by telling the entire story of how they're Greasers and Johnny is wanted for murder, shocking the man in the ambulance. It is difficult for him to believe that a group of Greasers would do something so heroic. Johnny dies as a direct result of their actions, but neither Ponyboy nor Johnny regretted what they
Showing that Ponyboy was very inexperienced and thought Mickey Mouse Sodas horse was just like Soda and they were brothers.Thirdly, we see how some actions Ponyboy’s gang does help show the need for childhood innocence like when pony says,” Darrel, who we call Darry, works too long and hard to be interested in a story or drawing a picture,” (Hinton 3). Darry is only 20 and he has a job working on roofs he works so hard so he can care for his brothers Soda and Ponyboy he has no time to be a kid himself he is working like a man when he is only a child.While some believe the main theme is brotherly love I argue its preserving childhood innocence. While this is a good point, because Ponyboy’s group definitely sticks up for one another in a brotherly fashion, it lays a strong foundation for preserving childhood innocence. Jonny had never been a coward he was a good man in a rumble, (Hinton 34) this shows how has Johnny loses his innocence, he becomes fearful of the Soc’s and begins to carry a switchblade to keep his gang safe, you might think this shows brotherly love, but it also shows preserving childhood innocence because when Johnny got used to being targeted by the Soc’s he lost his innocence, that’s why he would carry stuff like switch blades to keep him and others safe from the Soc’s. While the Greasers grew up they lost more and more of their innocence to rumbles and hatred of the Soc’s.
The book The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, follows a horrific part of the life of a boy named Ponyboy Curtis. He is what you might call a Greaser, and has had a rough go at it in his life compared to others. It is difficult, but Ponyboy somehow manages to be himself and has the tenacity to stick through it all. He is in a gang with his friends and family and they are loyal to one another no matter what. A rival gang from the Socs crowd, a richer, more refined group, send him and his pals into a whirlwind of trouble and hurt. This book shows on multiple occasions that perseverance is necessary to get through life .
He knows that Ponyboy has a chance because he is very smart. How they both reacted to not having parents shaped and effected who they are. “Johnny was high-strung anyway, a nervous wreck from getting belted every time he turned around and from hearing his parents fight all the time(2).” This explains how Johnny was effected by his parents. His parents constantly fighting and beating him made him who he was. A part of him was effected by all the chaos and pain he had to go through every day. “We're poorer than the Socs and the middle class. I reckon we're wilder, too. Not like the Socs, who jump greasers and wreck houses and throw beer blasts for kicks, and get editorials in the paper for being a public disgrace one day and an asset to society the next. Greasers are almost like hoods; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while. I don't mean I do things like that. Darry would kill me if I got into trouble with the police.” Social roles are a part of self-image that makes a person who they are. In the novel Ponyboy explains the groups that the Greasers and Sochs were split into. This
The Characteristics of Ponyboy and How They Developed inThe Outsiders by S. E. Hinton The novel "The Outsiders", by S.E. Hinton was based on a character called Ponyboy. He has long light-brown, almost red hair and greenish-grey eyes. It was normal for him to have long hair because he was classified as a "greaser", a boy on the East Side. The only people he has for a family are his two older brothers and his neighbours, the other greasers. Throughout the book it shows you the development of him becoming more mature and how he handles life's challenges without his parents.
The Outsiders is a novel by S.E Hinton, that follows a young boy named Ponyboy who grows up in a gang. Johnny, Sodapop and Darry help him find how he fits into the world and without them he would have a hard time finding his own identity. Without having a close group of friends he would have a tough way of life, especially with the Socs. Being in a group that you associate with, that have different values to yourself can lead you to disregard your own ethics and do things you wouldn’t normally do, but at the same time this can assist and reinforce your own values…
He describes him as “ He's hard as a rock and about as human. He's got eyes exactly like frozen ice. “ However after he is slapped for being out too late he realizes what Darry really means to him. He learns that all Darry cared about him. When he slapped him it was because he was worried something had happened to him. In addition Ponyboy’s opinion on Johnny changes too. He first believes him to be a shy, innocent, part of the group. But after seeing him kill Bob, he is able to see a new side to him. Following the murder Ponyboy is able to connect with Johnny in their time in Windrixville. For instance the author states “ It amazed me how Johnny could get more meaning out of some of the stuff in there than I could--- I was supposed to be the deep one.” Spending time with Johnny shows Ponyboy what Johnny is really like. Instead of being the dumb kid everyone believed him to be Ponyboy learns that he is really a smart person who able to find meaning in almost everything. Ponyboy is able to change his thoughts about his brothers, which help him grow as a person and better understands his
The Outsiders is about the life of a 14 - year- old boy named Ponyboy, who struggles with what is right and wrong in a society. Ponyboy and his two brothers Darry and Sodapop have recently lost their parents in a car accident. Due to this Pony and Sodapop are allowed to stay under Darry’s guardianship as long as they behave. Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Darry are greasers, a term that refers to the young men on the east side of town, meanwhile the Socs are the rivals of the greasers. The Socs refer themselves the West- side rich kids.
Ponyboy falls asleep in a lot and it upsets Darry. Ponyboy, who is sick of his cruelness since his parents died, starts fighting back. They began fighting and Darry hits Ponyboy. Ponyboy leaves the house, goes to find Johnny and says he wants to run away and they head to the park to calm down. The Soc’s attack the grease boys and grab Ponyboy and start drowning him in a fountain, while Johnny is kicked to the ground. Johnny gets mad and goes after the boys with his pocketknife. Ponyboy wakes
Being an outsider is being different than everyone. Being a rebel. Being a menace to society. Being yourself and not caring about what the outside world thinks of you. You being yourself, an original person. For example, when my group of friends did not like any of the things that I did. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a novel based on a group of teenagers who are in a gang that call themselves “Greasers”. This group is fighting another group of people who call themselves the “Socials” Socs for short, but things take a drastic turn when murder gets involved in the equation. Ponyboy is a character in the book that is very outspoken. He is the youngest in his family and he goes through a lot during this short period of time.
With his long greasy hair and baggy worn out clothes he looked likes a bad kid, but the way he talked and the way he thought it was a whole different person inside of him. The Outsiders is about two rival gangs that fight and go through so much stuff to just to call the territory their own. It is the Socs versus Greasers. They always have their back up because you can't trust anyone, but at the end of the day is all the rubbles and fighting worth it? Ponyboy one of the greasers has a big character change during the book. In the beginning of the book Ponyboy was getting jumped by the Socs and he was acting all tough and defending himself, in the middle of the book he starts to break while he is in the church, and when the kids were stuck in
Dorothy Johnson in “A Man Called Horse” writes about a young man who was born and raised in Boston. He lives in a gracious home under his grandmothers and grandfather’s loving care. For some reason, he is discontent. He leaves home to try to find out the reason for his discontent. Upon leaving he undergoes a change in status and opinion of himself and others. He begins a wealthy young man arrogant and spoiled, becomes a captive of Crow Indians- docile and humble, and emerges a man equal to all.
The Outsiders is a book we read last year , and it really impacted me. I really loved this book. The book is about a kid, name Ponyboy, who is a “Greaser” and they are constantly battling with the “Socs”. They often dissent because they are very opinionated and this leads to deadlocks between the two. My two favori...
The setting of the Outsiders is the poor part of a city. With greasers, hoods, and gangs, you wouldn’t think that this kind of setting would have heroes. But, somehow, Ponyboy Curtis fits that description. First of all, on page 77, he seems intelligent when he recites a poem by Robert Frost, shattering
As the book, The Outsiders, begins, Ponyboy initially believes that the Socs have it better than the Greasers and that they do not have any problems. Cherry Valance and Randy Adderson both taught Ponyboy that Socs are not completely different from the Greasers. They both have problems that are not-so-happy to deal with for example. Cherry Valance implied that things are “rough all over” in page 35 and Ponyboy finally realized what she meant towards the middle-end of the book in page 117. We can see Ponyboy’s opinions changing when he and Two-Bit are at the Tasty Freeze in chapter 7. Two-Bit had asked what “Mr. Super-Soc” (referring to Randy) had to say on page 118 and Ponyboy replies back saying, “He ain’t a Soc… he’s just a guy.” Ponyboy will judge Socs differently because he realized then that Greasers and Socs are both the same and that the only thing separating each group was money. Ponyboy learns that familiarity alters perceptions. Both Socs and Greasers have problems let alone everyone. In fact, things are “rough all over” just as Cherry had