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An Outsider In S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders

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In the novel by S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders, Ponyboy struggles to understand right from wrong in society as he believes he is an outsider. Hinton uses the Notice and Note Signpost, Aha Moment, to develop the story and help the reader better understand the situation at play. Ponyboy ponders, “Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset." (Hinton, 40-41) This realization could change Ponyboy's perspective and help him to see the Socs as people and not enemies. It may also encourage him to be more understanding and kind to the Socs, leading to a more peaceful relationship between the two groups. Also, Pony is sitting with Cherry talking like they knew each other forever but they had just met. Cherry is a Soc and Pony is a greaser, …show more content…

It implies that people from different backgrounds like the greasers and socs may share similar experiences and by not making assumptions about each other, they can begin to have a mutual understanding with each other. This might lead Ponyboy to struggle with the idea that he could be wrong about the socs. Subsequently, Ponyboy later states that “I thought suddenly… I shouldn’t be here.” (Hinton, 141)Ponyboy had just entered the big rumble between the greasers and socs. He had realized that maybe this life was not for him and that he shouldn’t be in this rumble. This could lead to him not participating in any more rumbles but doing so would also make him feel more like an outsider. Throughout the novel, Pony believes he is destined to be a greaser because all his friends and remaining family are. To not be a greaser would be betraying them and how could he betray his loved ones? He struggles to figure out if being a greaser is the right decision for his life or if he should find his path in life, leaving the greaser life

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In the beginning the book ponyboy grows up hating the Socs. The Socs have have all the power and money and ponyboy hates them for this and also hates them because they are always picking on and fighting greasers. They do this because they think that they they’re better than the greasers. He hates them even more after he gets jumped. “I fought to get

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This passage is important because it shows that Ponyboy is able to get along with Cherry, a Soc, just fine. This is significant to the story because this chapter is the first time we get a glimpse of a Soc, and the two Socs actually enjoy talking to them. It shows that maybe they’re not all bad. Analysis: This impacts the story because it builds more curiosity and hope for the reader.

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I have learned that success is to be measured not much by the position that one has reached in the live as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed. Everyone has faced obstacles and most of the time some people overcome them. Thee obstacles that people face have to overcome, live with them, or even just go around them. Three characters that face and overcome obstacles in imaginary literature or real life are Jon Krakauer, Odysseus, and me. Jon Krakauer had obstacles to face when he climbed down Mt.Everest in the excerpt of “Into Thin Air”.

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One of the ways Pony changed was how he thought about the Socs. In the beginning of the book, he hated the Socs and thought they were all the same: rich jerks who had a perfect life and liked to pick on them. He didn’t think about their problems, their own feelings and actions, or any similarities to greasers. He essentially saw them as another species. As the story progressed, he saw Socs each as their own person and judged them as such.

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Ponyboy’s feelings and attitude towards the Socs changes in many different ways throughout the novel. His initial attitude towards the Socs was all about looking cool and tuff all the time. It was how things were. The forces behind his change in attitude are the softer sides of the Socs. His final attitude towards the Socs were softened, even though his gang still hate them.

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Ponyboy believed that the only good reason to fight was self-defence, as he realized that violence did not solve issues and only created more problems. This realization demonstrates Ponyboy's increased maturity and empathy toward others as he begins to see the world from a better perspective. The Greasers are portrayed as poor hoodlums who live on the east side of the city and have to earn a living, while the Socs are seen as wealthy, privileged, rich kids who drive Mustangs, throw beer blasts, and live on the west side of the city. In Chapter

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In the novel The Outsiders Ponyboy learns many things such as staying gold things are not how they seem and one's decisions can have a drastic affect on one's life. Ponyboy learns that they are alike in many ways and that the greasers and the socs are not that different. For instance when Randy comes up to Ponyboy in his Corvette and he starts talking about running

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Ponyboy and Randy at first dislike one another very much, because there on opposite sides of one another. One evening, the greasers went to the movies, Ponyboy and his buddy Two-bit tried to pick up Cherry and Marcia, but the boys didn’t know that Marcia was Randy’s girl. Throughout the novel when both groups lose a member of each gang, Ponyboy and Randy feel for each other and they realize that the conflict between the gangs should stop and the groups should become closer. Continuing through the story, Ponyboy takes into consideration and stands up for what is

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Ponyboy, a greaser, was one of the young boys that was matured throughout the book because of his hardships. Ponyboy 's relationship with his older brothers, Darry and Sodapop, is a key factor in how Ponyboy matured throughout the book. An example of Ponyboy almost maturing from the influence of Darry and Sodapop, is when their parents were killed in a car crash. When their Parents died it caused them to get closer and look out for eachother more (#3).

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He initially sees all Socs as being toxic and reckless as well as uncivilized until the night when he, Johnny, and Dally who are other greasers that go to the drive-in movie theater where they encounter the Socs. Ponyboy also interacts with Cherry for the first time there. Him and her leave to chit chat as they leave to grab snacks. Throughout the conversation with Cherry, Pony realizes that there is more in life than just the Socs and greasers After getting to know her better, he learns that the Socs are also real people and they’re not just stuck-up snobs driving in Mustangs wearing slick jackets and Madras shirts. Cherry tells Pony that even people like the Socs have problems.

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Because of some discussions he had with a few of the Socs, he changes his opinion Recognizing that the Socs are just people after all, Pony’s final opinion is that they have problems too. Pony’s opening opinion of the Socs does not show them in good light. Initially, at the opening of the novel, Ponyboy does not like the Socs. To start, the Socs have everything.

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First, when Pony meets Cherry he realizes that even Socs have problems- that gets reinforced when he has a conversation with Randy. He finally breaks through his bias about the Socs and starts to see that the groups are ridiculous, when he reads Johnny’s letter. No one ever really understands a person until you consider things from where they

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Throughout the novel we see the Greasers and the Soc in constant conflict, fighting and rumbling for gang dominance. Ponyboy is greatly affected by this and is already questioning the point of violence. Close to the end of the text the Greasers and the Socs plan a rumble to occur one night. Before the fight, Ponyboy meets Randy Anderson (a Soc) at the Tasty Freeze Diner where they have a conversation. Ponyboy realises that Randy is, “not going to show at the rumble” and that he is, “sick of rumbles because they don't do any good.”

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However, he is negatively affected by it. An example of Ponyboy accepting his stereotype is when he fights in the rumble against the Socs, with the other greasers. He is not ashamed to be fighting with his friends, even though he states that he has no reason for fighting. Additionally, Ponyboy is upset when he is forced to cut and bleach his hair, because he wanted to look “tuff” like his friends.

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833 Words | 4 Pages

Cherry’s recognition of Ponyboy being “more than just a greaser” leaves Ponyboy thinking about how the two gangs aren 't so different, “We aren 't in the same class. Just don’t forget that some of us watch the sunset too” (pg 46 S.E. Hinton). Ponyboy’s conversation with Cherry fulfills him briefly until he realizes they are in different gangs and cannot stay

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