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… A peer group can help one find their own identity by shaping an individual’s short-term choices, such as appearances and interests. They help a young person figure out how they fit in the world. “You’re not like the rest of us and don’t try to be” is told by one of the members of the gang. Ponyboy will have a hard time trying to not grow up like the rest of the pack because being in a gang like the Greasers, …show more content…
He is told “you’re too young” to be smoking by Jerry. Ponyboy doesn’t realise that he’s too young because he’s use to seeing all of his peers smoking, provoking him to think that it’s normal. Another example would be that all his mates had a reason to fight in the rumble, this caused him to wonde why he fought in the first place if it wasn’t for self defense. Sometimes the problem with having a peer group, can be that those around the individual can start to cause peer pressure. Identification with a peer group is a critical part of growing up because even though there is a mix between valuable and invaluable points, no one wants to be left with nobody to help them figure out how they fit in the world and get pass tough times. Peer pressure can have positive impacts and not so good but the postive are too valuable to overpass, leaning us over to conclude that classifying with a circle of close friends are a key factor when going into the real
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
The Outsiders, an enthralling novel by S.E Hinton, is an excellent story about the hardships and triumphs experienced by the Greasers and the Socs two rival gangs. S.E Hinton tells a thrilling tale about the Socs and the Greasers that are two gangs and she characterize how they live. Ponyboy, his brother and his friends have to deal with the challenges relating to their environment. The three most important topics of The Outsiders are survival, social class and family support.
In S.E. Hinton’s book, The Outsiders, children born on the wrong side of town grow up to be juvenile, teenage hoods. In this book, these teenage delinquents are the Greasers, whose only "rival" is the Socials, or "Socs," as an abbreviation. The characters within The Outsiders unmistakably choose a remote. lifestyle of juvenile delinquency and crime. Ilanna Sharon Mandel wrote an article called, "What Causes Juvenile Delinquency?" This editorial presents many circumstances that can be applied to the main character, or protagonist, Ponyboy Michael Curtis and his brothers, friends, and neighbors. Their behavior may not always lead them to the right side of the law, but it is the cause of juvenile delinquency that gets them in. trouble.
I feel as though the novel The outsiders has many themes, but the most important one is belonging. The greasers are a group of poor, low class youth that don’t have much and live on the wrong side of town. They are always held accountable for their actions. On the other hand, the Socs are a bunch of high class youth that are very privileged and aren’t held accountable for their immature actions.
Children create peer groups to gain a sense of belonging and acceptance, alongside with socializing with others who have common interests, jobs, or social positions. At a young age, peer groups show children what is considered acceptable behavior around his or her peers and what is deemed unacceptable behavior. In certain social groups, there are role expectations that people have to be met. When in the peer group, often children will influence each other to engage in appropriate behaviors that can be seen as right or wrong.
Family. It is something that everyone needs, yet many do not have. However, family does not always mean blood, family can be anyone. This idea plays a big role in The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, a story about teenage gangs in the early 1960s Oklahoma. Narrator Ponyboy belongs to a gang - consisting of his two brothers, Darry and Sodapop, and his friends - Johnny, Dallas, Steve and Two-Bit. They all struggle with the hardships of growing up without a proper family, but have made their own - a gang which they call the greasers. Ponyboy is inexperienced and young at the beginning of the book, but events in the novel such as fights with other gangs and the deaths of two members of his
Ponyboy is from the Greaser gang and automatically looked as a troublemaker, and a poor kid. The Socs don't treat him very well he is sometimes jumped by the Socs. But the Socs don't really see how smart Ponyboy is and how he not like the other members in his gang. But Ponyboy shouldn't be treated they way he is being treated because he doesn't deserve that.
In the novel, “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, it illustrates a story about a fourteen year old boy named Ponyboy that lives with his brothers, Darry and Sodapop, after losing both of his parents. Darry and Sodapop have to make sure that Ponyboy doesn’t get in trouble and ends up being sent to a boy’s home. Darry, Sodapop, and Johnny are in a gang known as the Greasers meaning that they are known as juveniles. They live in a society where the Socs, the rich,fancy kids, jump the Greasers and always end up in fights. Ponyboy and his brothers cannot be separated after because they need each other. It is better for him to be with his family than with other strangers. He would be disciplined well and prepared to be independent with his good grades and character.
Imagine being alone with no friends and no one to talk to. Now, place yourself in a location where you are surrounded by closed tight-knit groups where acceptance from those groups is a challenge to obtain. Then, picture yourself back when you were in high school, but this time, apply the image you have created for yourself. Do you wish for acceptance? Or friendship? Do you feel confident in taking the challenges that high school will bring? High school has a significant impact on an individual’s development. Whether it is their personality or behavior, an individual who goes through high school can see changes in their characteristics. A common stereotype in high school that is largely portrayed in the media is the existence of cliques. Cliques can give an individual a sense of belonging or a sense of betrayal. These two behaviors are commonly seen with the acceptance or rejection from these groups. An immediate result from these two actions is a change in morale or confidence for that individual. Cliques exist in high school due to individual conformity. An individual conforms to the group in order to feel accepted or to feel secured. Groups or cliques in high school have a significant negative effect on an individual’s development of characteristic and personality and the reasons as to why individuals join these types are not justified.
Have you ever struggled with believing what is right and wrong? The Outsiders, written by S.E. Hinton, is a coming of age book for Ponyboy Curtis. The Outsiders tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society, which then he believes that he is an outsider. Darrel, Sodapop, and Ponyboy lost their parents recently. Now they are going through a different life, they are involved in many events. These events starting at the movie theater, then Ponyboy finding one of the Soc’s girlfriends, which leads to a fight and then even a death (Hinton). Everyone should read The Outsider because it has a great message, settings, and characters.
Once you find your own identity, you can choose to either help create or destroy the identities of others. The identities that come with being in a group are a frequent theme in the novel “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton. The novel is about a gang of friends and how they have to stick up for each other against the opposing gangs. Being part of a group can affect many parts of yourself. Your identity in how you act, your appearance, and your influence on others. Identity is very important to the book, because everyone in the gang might have their own identity and personalities, however they are all united under one group identity.
The emergence of peer groups in elementary school aids children's development by providing positive friendships, relationships, and social support, Killen adds. The downsides include the undue influence of a group when it imposes unfair standards, especially on outsiders, or members of "outgroups," which is what is often created when peers form an "ingroup."
Peers can give the feeling to an adolescent that he or she is secure, independent, and he or she belongs neither accepted to the community.
Even though Greasers are thought to be selfish and only care for themselves, Ponyboy proves them wrong by being the loyal person he is to his friends at any cost. “‘This is my fault...You ought to go home. You can’t get into any trouble.’...‘No!... I’m in it as much as you are.’” (74) Ponyboy clearly shows that even though he can get into jail by staying, he will never, under any circumstances, leave his friend, even if it means death. He displays that even when his friends or family members plead for him to leave, he will not run to safety by himself but stay with them to face danger together. Ponyboy is willing to lie just to help his companions and is probably the only one in his friend circle who would stay. He believes himself to be one with his friends and he doesn’t display any selfishness for his well being. “‘Where’s Johnny? And Dallas?... Are Johnny and Dallas all right?.’”(94) The first thing Pony says when he wakes up is asking about his friends. He does not even bother to first address his own condition. He gives an idea of how devout he is by not caring for himself first but his friends. Although the man in front of him tries to change the subject to Ponyboy’s condition, Ponyboy does not care and instead, decides to find out how his friends are. He demonstrates his devotion in the book multiple times and gives a true meaning of what
“The main consequence of saying no to negative peer pressure is not just withstanding "The heat of the moment," as most adults think. Rather, it is coping with a sense of exclusion as others engage in the behavior and leave the adolescent increasingly alone. It is the loss of the shared experience. Further, the sense of exclusion remains whenever the group later recounts what happened. This feeling of loneliness then becomes pervasive but carries an easy solution -- go along with the crowd.”