Socs And Greasers In Hinton's The Outsiders

The Outsides in an interesting book about the life of a troubled teenage boy named Ponyboy. Ponyboy lives with two other boys that have checkered past named Sodapop and Darry. Ponyboy lives with them because his parents died in a car crash. Ponyboy, Darry, and Sodapop are considered greasers in the book. There is another group called socs which Cherry, Bob, and Sherri are labeled as. Socs and greasers don't get along and don't like each other, they are always fighting. Socs and greasers may seem divergent but they are actually similar in some ways, even if they don't seem like it. What are greasers you may be asking. Greasers are malicious and willing to do anything just for the thrill of it. In the book it says “ Greasers are almost like hoods; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have gang fights once in awhile.” ( Hinton pg3). Some people that are greasers are Ponyboy, Johnny, Darry, Dally, Sodapop, Two-bit Mathews, and Steve. In the book it explains that greasers look normal. It says “ we wear our hair long and dress in blue jeans and T-shirts, or leave shirttails out and wear a leather jacket and tennis shoes or boots” ( Hinton pg3). Greasers are troubled kids that just want to have fun.

Socs are your upper middle class, you're rich snobby kids who have everything they want. Ponyboy describes the socs as “ they 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”( Hinton pg3). “ it’s the abbreviation for socials, the jet set, the west side rich kids”( Hinton pg2). This is why Ponyboy calls them socs. People that are socs in the story are Cherry, Bob, Randy, and Marcia. Socs like picking on the greasers and stealing things from them. Socs are just mean to anyone who isn't like