More handpicked essays just for you.
Outsider’s perspective for the outsiders
Literary analysis on how ponyboy changes the outsiders
The outsider ponyboy character analysis
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
This novel by S.E Hinton , “The Outsiders” shows a crucial point that everybody is special is some way and be known as who they are not as a group. The important message of the story is that individuals should not take people for granted. Instead, treasure those close to you and understand them. First of all, Socs and greasers have a stereotype, Socs have Mustangs, Madras, and leather jackets; Greasers have greasy hair. These clues show that they are a group and do everything together. When Ponyboy said “Our hair labeled us greasers, too – it was our trademark. The one thing we were proud of. Maybe we couldn't have Corvairs and Madras suits, but we could have hair” (Hinton 71) This line in the book illustrates that what they have in their …show more content…
group is their pride and their uniqueness in a gang. Society looks down on gangs because they are known to do dreadful things, despite that fact, the greasers still makes an identity. They are courageous enough to not give in to society and not be affected by them. Therefore, when the Socs and Greasers meet, they criticize each other by their dignity and hope to dominate the other party. The group that does not give in to the stereotype have an extraordinary personality to not give in to threats. In the poem “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks, the pool players pursued what a gang would do. “We left school” and “We sing sin. We thin gin,” said by the pool players, is meant to show that they were capitulating to the stereotype threat for gangs, and left school, as well as drinking gin. This shows that stereotype threats can affect people even without them knowing, those who believed in this pattern will be overwhelmed by society. Furthermore, Hinton also talked about how different kinds of people do numerous other things based on their decisions.
When Ponyboy was thinking about what the people in the gang do what they do, he assumed that Greasers and Socs are divergent. Ponyboy thinks to himself, “We deserve a lot of our trouble...both of them have too much energy, too much feeling, with no way to blow it off.” (Hinton 16) This quote is memorable because it shows that the Socs choices are more narrow, displaying that when a Soc does something wrong, they could lose their fame and their luxury. On the other hand, the greasers have boundless choices because they have nothing to waste, they are already at the bottom, so most of the things they do, won’t really change what they already have. In the short story “On the Sidewalk Bleeding” by Evan Hunter, Freddy, a normal human, who had more power than Andy, the Royal who is lying on the floor bleeding, made a choice that decided that the fate of a person. Freddy had a judgement whether or not to help a Royal from the floor that is bleeding. He, afraid of the higher-ups, the Guardians, was apprehensive and decided to leave him alone, this choice notifies us that he was fearful to help a person because he might get himself arrested and possibly die as well, but this alternative costed a life of another person. This shows that although Freddy had more power and almost nothing to lose, like the Greasers, he didn’t chose to help Andy, the person who had less …show more content…
privileges and had to suffer more, especially in the story where he wants to prove that he only wants to be Andy. Near the end of the book, when Ponboy realizes that everybody had an identity and is somewhat one way or another special and unique, for example Randy and Cherry.
He realizes that he had an identity that he can communicate and be like a greaser, but doesn’t devote to the greaser way of life. In the scene, Ponyboy has an advanced way of life that includes both the Soc and greaser style, “Socs are just guys after all...Thing are rough all over.” Ponyboy at this time, understands how a Soc and a Greaser are similar and are of the same kind, human, yet are also different. He establishes an idea that the identity of a person is important because it describes who you are. As a result, Pony learns to look between the lines of people, not just at the extremes. The evidence that supports this is also “On the Sidewalk Bleeding” as I stated before. Andy says, “I’m Andy, he screamed wordlessly, I’m Andy.” When Andy’s death was coming close, the only thing we wanted in the end, was an identity. Similar to Ponyboy who is different from the gang and has a distinct personality. He is disparate because in the gang, Pony was the only one who ever thought about the sky, clouds, and books, which proves him exclusively in the group. This proves that Andy and Ponyboy are different from their gang and have a personality different from the group, and they both actually want to be different and be known not as a Royal or a Greaser, but as Andy and
Ponyboy. The message the author is telling us is that having a unique identity can help you to succeed and change the path you live in. Ponyboy wants to find an identity for himself outside of the gang communicating with both the Greasers and the Socs at the same time. Teens should develop an identity while in a clique to help them realize what path they want to take by finding their own unique identity outside of the group. Ponyboy wants an identity because it makes each of them different from society and doesn’t want to be acknowledged as a gang member, but as an individual.
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.
Ponyboy is attacked by stereotype threat several times throughout the book. One example is the beginning when he is jumped by four Socs“I about decided I didn’t like it so much ,though, when I spotted that red Corvair trailing me.” Hinton 4. Ponyboy was cornered by four Socs who proceeded to punch and beat up Ponyboy. The four kids only beat up Ponyboy because he is a Greaser and he is the enemy of their gang, the Socs. Beating up Ponyboy is what is expected of them. This shows that these Socs are trapped by stereotype because they embraced that stereotype and made it a part of their identity. Ponyboy does show signs of
Greasers were the lowest among the society. The society had negative thoughts towards Greasers, because there were not many things people expected from the Greasers other than doing bad things such as stealing, having rumble, and other bad things that happened around the society. Not every Greaser does bad things, however, the Greasers took the blame for anything bad even if it was the Socs fault. It is because everyone expected the Greasers to do bad things instead of the Socs. Even though the Greasers had a bad reputation, they didn’t care, but instead they enjoyed their lives. Sometimes the Greasers do bad things but only for fun and because it was the society’s expectations. If the Greasers did something good, no one would expect or believe the Greasers did it. No one would ever expect the Greasers to be heroes, just like the man whose kids were saved by Johnny, Ponyboy, and Dallas. “’Mrs. O’Briant and I think you were sent straight from heaven. Or are you just professional heroes or something?’ Sent from heaven? Had he gotten look at Dallas? ‘No, we’re greasers.’” (Page...
Labels don't tell the truth to who people are. We have all heard gossip about someone and immediately jumped to conclusions about them. Because of this, we can miss out on friendships, connections, beneficial conversations and positive interactions. And yes, sometimes the hallway gossip can be true, but you shouldn't judge someone based on one mistake they made, you should get to know them first. Labels are created for everyone. They can be positive, but most of the time, the ones we hear and spread are negative. In the book "The Outsiders" by S.E Hinton, there are a few characters who are constantly misunderstood and labeled by other characters. The ones who stood out to me are Dally, Randy and Darry.
The Socs were just trying to get under Ponyboy’s skin because he isn’t friends with them, and the Socs just want to get him mad. “Hey, grease. One said… We’re gonna do you a favor, greaser. We’re gonna cut all that long greasy hair off.” They threatened him for being a Greaser and this shows how they don’t like Greasers. The quote shows that Soc’s bully the greasers for being poor and having trashy hair. The Socs are basically just pestering and taunting him for no reason except for he’s not one of their kind and he’s poor and a
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
After all, they are the “out” group— the clique that society condones. Ponyboy, the protagonist, also identifies himself as part of them. While reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, he felt Pip, the main character reminded him of the greasers–”the way he felt marked lousy because he wasn’t a gentleman or anything, and the way that girl kept looking down on him” (Doc B). Greasers are lookeed down opon in society becuase they aren’t rich, and the image associated with them is negative. They are believed to be a general menace to society; people think they all steal stuff for kicks, attack innocent bystanders for no reason, and are uneducated hoodlums. They are outsiders to society as a whole. Pony, no matter how smart or talented he may be, will always be treated as an outsider by the Socs just because he’s a
Did you know that wherever you go in the world, and there are groups, there are outsiders? That’s just humans’ nature. The book, The Outsiders, written by S.E Hilton in her junior year in Tulsa, Oklahoma, written because the Hilton was enraged at the way people separated themselves into socioeconomic groups (Doc A), but her rant about Greasers & Socs turned into a best-selling novel. This book showcases that Outsiders are not just the ones who assume they don’t fit into the society, but they are the ones who view life not as social divisions like Greasers and Socs.
In the book The Outsiders, written by S.E. Hinton, Ponyboy, along with his brothers and friends, has to face the daily struggles of being a greaser among the Socs. This fiction book focused on Ponyboy’s life and the problems he ran into with the Socs. He and his gang of friends had fights with the Socs that happened often, and had to deal with a Soc being killed by one of the Greasers, though it was an act of self defense. The three topics addressed in this intriguing novel are the fight between rich and poor, the power of friendship, and what it means to be a hero.
Despite all the challenges we are faced with there is always a strong sense of positivity through those who believe in hope, friendship and have a sense of belonging.Determination and a strong connection with the natural world can uphold a person's sense of hope, Dedication and friendship can promote a person’s sense of belonging and that through trust and loyalty you can always rely on friends to be there in difficult situations.This is a inspiring message represented in The Outsiders by SE Hinton a tale told through the eyes of a determined and courageous fourteen year old boy who through , loss ,pain and difficult challenges finds a impression of positivity as a result of hope, friendship and belonging. The Outsiders is set in Tulsa
Typically, greasers are depicted as people similar to hoods, as Ponyboy states, "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" (Hinton 4). Yet, even though Ponyboy is a greaser, he avoids getting into trouble for the sake of staying together with his family. He explains that, "I don't mean I do things like that... Since Mom and Dad were killed in an auto wreck, the three of us get to stay together only as long as we behave. So Soda and I stay out of trouble as much as we can, and we're careful not to get caught when we can't" (Hinton 4). Alternatively, Pony also enjoys activities such as reading and watching movies. Even simpler things, such as sunsets and clouds, are something he found beauty and enjoyment in. This sets him apart from the greasers because according to Pony, he states that, "And nobody in our gang digs movies and books the way I do" (Hinton 3). Since nobody other than Ponyboy himself shares the enjoyment of these particular pastimes, which is drastically different from pursuits such as shoplifting and fighting in rumbles, Ponyboy is divergent from the standard attributes of the greasers. Therefore, Ponyboy is a thoughtful and dreamy individual who holds different interests and aspirations than the
After the church fire Ponyboy comes to the realization of many things. Two-Bit and Ponyboy are eating at a restaurant known as Tasty Freeze when Randy asks to speak with him. Ponyboy tells Randy, ¨Maybe you would have done the same thing, maybe a friend of yours wouldn’t have. It’s the individual¨(115). He finds out that you cannot define someone based on of they are part of the Socs or the greasers. Furthermore, he finds out that every one is a individual and that means that just because he is a part of a certain group it does not mean that they are all going to react or perceive a situation in the same exact way. In addition, he say this to Randy because when there was a fire in the church Dally was not willing to risk his life to save someone else's when Johnny and Ponyboy were more than willing to help the kids. This shows event shows how all Greasers and Socs are not the same. In the beginning of the novel Ponyboy believed Darry disliked him and thought he was a nuisance. However, later on at the hospital Ponyboy tells Darry, “I’m sorry” (98). Ponyboy’s words expose how he feels bad for thinking Darry disliked him all along when in truth he loved him more than words could describe. He realizes that Darry fears losing another family member that is why he is so overprotective of Ponyboy. Hence, proving Ponyboy is clearly a dynamic character.
For my second word I chose discrimination. The word discrimination relates to The Outsiders, because the greasers are constantly made fun of and treated differently just because they are greasers. In the article, an Israeli boy named Eliav Terk noticed that people were tearing down Islamic flags at an international festival taking place at his school. This reminds me of how the socs were following the greasers in their car and trying to start fights with them. Students from the following year’s international festival told Eliav that more discrimination was happening at the festival. This is sort of like how Ponyboy’s friends told him and Johnny what was happening when they visited both of them at the church.
The novel The Outsiders (1967) by S.E Hinton explores a variety of lessons that have influenced Ponyboy’s perspective of the characters mentioned throughout the course of the novel. These characters are from both sides of the compass and play a particular role throughout the progression of the story. Three concepts that the essay will be focusing on are Darry, Socs and the true meaning of Nothing Gold can Stay by Robert Frost. This essay will explain Ponyboy’s attitude towards the characters and a poem as he progresses from the beginning of the story.