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Comparison Between 'The Outsiders And Nothing Gold Can Stay'

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Throughout The Outsiders, there are many references to Ponyboy’s love of reading. This includes major works, such as Gone With the Wind, Great Expectations, and Robert Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay” poem. His love of reading is just one of the things that sets him apart from the other boys in the novel, and it helps many readers connect with him on a deeper level. The allusion to these various pieces of writing helps to set this book apart from other young adult novels that came out around this time. One of the most influential themes from this story is the idea of “staying gold,” which comes from Frost’s poem. The importance of the meaning behind this is a major theme in this novel and influences much of Ponyboy’s development as he matures. …show more content…

The “gold” in nature represents when plants and flowers are at their brightest and fullest during spring and summer, but this gold cannot stay and will eventually fade come autumn and winter. On the other hand, this poem figuratively suggests that nothing good can last forever—there is a cycle of life and death, as well as the loss of innocence. Despite Frost’s argument that “nothing gold can stay,” when Johnny tells Ponyboy to “stay gold” in this book, he means for him to stay innocent and pure for as long as he can (Hinton 126). Ponyboy is a great example of a character who is able to “stay gold” throughout the book, as he retains some of his childhood innocence and appreciates many of the simple joys in life. However, certain characters do not have this innocence and purity, such as many of the members of the Socs. The main goal of the Socs throughout the novel is to seek out any way to gain power and territory over the Greasers (Hinton 10). This idea of “staying gold” is a great allusion to Robert Frost’s poem, and helps the reader better understand the complex characters and their development throughout the

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594 Words | 3 Pages

“Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…” That quote is from The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton set in mid 1960s Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is about Ponyboy’s struggle to grow up among the fighting of the Greasers and the Socs. One character that stands out in the story is Johnny because he is a supportive character to Ponyboy.

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565 Words | 3 Pages

Johnny and Ponyboy have gone through everything together, and it’s all about to come crashing down. Johnny knows that Ponyboy has potential, he just has trouble getting past his thoughts. That is why just before he seals his eyes for eternity, he looks at Ponyboy and says, “Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…” This is where “staying gold” is introduced in The Outsiders, and it will go on to stay a very long time.

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428 Words | 2 Pages

I had to, they were drowning you Pony”, he states the night Pony and him run away. Johnny thinks of others before himself. That is his loving and caring personality. ”Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold were the last words of his life. Johnny is loyal and cares about his friends deeply.

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558 Words | 3 Pages

I believe this quote is referring to the poem Nothing Gold Can Stay, which says that everything good comes to an end, and that Ponyboy should hold onto his personality that sets him apart from the rest of the

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505 Words | 3 Pages

‘Stay gold Ponyboy. Stay gold…”’(148) Johnny died after he said that, and the message stuck with his best friend for a long time. Johnny believes that other people’s lives are more important than his own life.

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1012 Words | 5 Pages

In the book it explained the poem “Nothing gold can stay”. What they meant by gold is a color that represents something rare, beautiful, special, and that’s why it had such a beautiful setting. “The sky was lighten in the east, and the horizon was a thin golden line. The clouds changed from gray to pink, and the mist was touched with gold.” (77).

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714 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, the theme of understanding, innocence and purity is intensely captured by the touching phrase “nothing gold can stay”. This statement explores the depth of its meaning as it holds truth and deeply resonates with the characters Johnny Cade and Ponyboy Curtis. Through their experiences and epiphanies, Hinton is able to help the reader understand the beauty of youthfulness and purity, which evolve into a new comprehension and knowledge of life. Through the illustration of Johnny Cade’s hardships and troubles, there is the upsetting truth that nothing gold can stay. Although Johnny had a fearful and timid personality, he had resilience in the face of adversity, and therefore he still had pure happiness.

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751 Words | 4 Pages

Not only does The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton resemble the importance of “Staying gold”, “Nothing Gold Can Stay” By Robert Frost and “Stay Gold” By Stevie Wonder also support what “Stay gold” symbolizes. Through the novel The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton incorporates many motifs of staying gold. This can include, “...You’re gold when you’re a kid, like green. When you're a kid everythings new, dawn. It’s just when you get used to everything that it’s day.

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646 Words | 3 Pages

The way the characters were written adds a layer of authenticity, allowing the reader to acquire an in-depth understanding of the novel itself. S.E. Hinton wrote this novel as a teenager herself, which makes the characters feel raw and sincere. The author reinforces the themes of social division and injustice using her characters Johnny Cade and Dally Winston. In this novel, Johnny acts as the embodiment of the poem, ‘Nothing Gold Can Stay,’ by Robert Frost. When this poem is introduced to Johnny, he has an epiphany and realises that there is life beyond the Greasers and Socs’ social division.

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1371 Words | 6 Pages

Almost none of the characters take the time to think long and hard about the line “Nature’s first green is gold”, its meaning much deeper than what you might view as the first impression. East Side Greasers, tough and have to uphold the reputation of leather jackets, slicked back hair, and not really be cared about much until it came down to a life or death fight between them and the enemies-they don’t seem like the type of people to give a care in the world about a “pointless” poem. Well in some cases you’d be right, and others you’d be nothing but wrong. Meet Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade, the only two boys capable of seeing the deep meaning in what others might just sweep under the rug. They’re a small part of the gang, but resemble the most of what the poem’s words are trying to express.

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491 Words | 2 Pages

There are two models that have been prominently used to represent how the solar system is aligned. The geocentric model, created by Aristotle demonstrated that the earth was the center of the solar system, and that everything else revolved around it. However, the heliocentric model, first introduced by Copernicus and later adapted by Galileo, claimed that the sun is the actual center of the solar system and that earth as well as the other planets revolve around it (Aardsma). Religious doctrines sometimes oppose scientific findings and that is the case regarding the Bible and the heliocentric model however, I do not believe that the bible is at odds with the heliocentric model.

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685 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the book, the readers will learn more about the deeper meaning of this quote and the reason why Johnny only told this to Ponyboy- he is an innocent youth and is very unique. The first time, the term staying gold was mentioned in The Outsiders, was during Ponyboy’s explanation of a poem called Nothing Gold Can Stay written by Robert Frost. His poem goes like this, “Nature’s first green is gold / Her hardest hue to hold / Her early leaf’s a flower / But only so

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867 Words | 4 Pages

Ch 9 Pg 148 “Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…” The quote is significant by connecting to an Essential question because in Johnny’s last words he refrences the same Robert Frost poem that Ponyboy repeated outloud when they were sitting on the back porch of the church.

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431 Words | 2 Pages

Stay gold…’” (113). Ponyboy is reciting a poem by Robert Frost. The poem talks about that nothing gold, or good, can stay. Before he dies, Johnny tells Ponyboy to stay gold.

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672 Words | 3 Pages

The Outsiders, by S.E Hinton, is a novel that explores the challenges faced by Ponyboy Curtis and his fellow gang members, growing up in the town of Tulsa, Oklahoma whilst living in the crossfire of two rival gangs: the Greaser and the Socs. During Ponyboy's journey he learns many important lessons, but after several tragic events, three key lessons stand out from all others. These are: to “stay gold,” not to judge others too quickly others and the pointless of violence. One of the most important lessons Ponyboy learns in The Outsiders is to, “Stay gold.”

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