How Does Johnny Change In The Outsiders

They heard the screams coming from the burning church and even though they didn’t know them, they still went in to save them. In the fictional novel, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, the characters will give it all for each other. This story is about a young teenage boy, Ponyboy, who lives with his strict brother, Darry, and his other brother, Sodapop. They as a family, are all part of the “Greaser” gang. One night, when they get into a fight with the “Socs” gang, one of the “Greaser” gang members, Johnny kills a man. The “Greaser” responsible for changing Ponyboy’s emotional and mental maturity is Johnny Cade. This is because Johnny stood up for Ponyboy when he was going to get killed, he risks his life for strangers, and even though Johnny wasn’t cared for, he cared deeply for others.

Before this, the “socs” and the “greasers” got in a fight ending in Bob, a soc, trying to drown Pony. “‘I killed him,” he said slowly. “I killed that boy,”’ (Hinton 56). This quote states that Johnny protected Ponyboy from the “socs”. Previously, Ponyboy and Johnny went into a burning church with children trapped inside causing Johnny to get extremely injured. “‘Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…” The pillow seemed to sink a little, and Johnny died,” (Hinton 148). This event effects Ponyboy deeply. Ponyboy is affected by this because his best friend and the person he looked up to, just said his last words towards