The Outsiders; A strikingly heroic and engaging tale, full of humor, drama, and bravery. But there is one reigning question; what is the defining theme of the book? There are many different contrasting aspects indeed, but one stands out the most; Honor & Individual Identity. In the story, the greasers are a tight-knit group, and are essentially family to each other, supporting themselves in all ways possible. Sure, loyalty is presented in almost the same way as family; they will always have everybody’s back. Honor & Individual identity is represented in the state of that each boy has a different view, or perspective, on the outlook of the many challenging events that plague their lives. In the following paragraphs, the information provided will truly explain why honor & individual identity is ultimately the defining theme in The Outsiders. …show more content…
As quoted in the book, the character of Dallas Winston, also known as Dally, was selfish. "He was dangerous. Dally didn't give a Yankee dime about anyone but himself, and he was cold and hard and mean. (89-90) But alas, that is only a single example. The description of Darry (The older sibling/father figure for Ponyboy) stated that "He would be real handsome if his eyes weren't so cold." (6-7) The author provides alot of information representing individual identity by taking the time to aid the readers to get to know the different personalities. Which in the end helps to create wide diversity between the unique characters and add to the already extreme depth of the