Identity In The Outsiders, By S. E. Hinton

How do you identify yourself? You might answer “as a potato” but some might that they are influenced by others or are very individual. In the novel, The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton, many characters identify themselves in specific ways and these identities are very important to the story. This novel takes place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the 1960’s. The main characters of the book are Ponyboy Curtis, a 14 year old Greaser, 16 , and year old Johnny Cade, who is also a Greaser, Ponyboy’s older brothers, Soda and Darry Curtis, and Dally Winston, a 17 year old Greaser. There are two social groups in the town of Tulsa, the preppy, rich Socs and the slick, trouble causing, Greasers, who live on the East side. The Socs are always attacking Greasers on

After returning from their hiding spot Johnny dies in the hospital. All these characters in the novel each identify themselves in different ways and might be influenced by their social groups or realize that they are not like the rest of their friends. The way someone individually identifies or acts tells a lot about them. For example, Johnny shows that although he doesn’t have a great life, he still cares about it and also his friends lives when he kills Bob, in order to defend himself. Or how when Cherry, a Soc, says that she will not be able to say hello to Pony ever again because she cares about her reputation and how other Socs see her. Also how Pony at first is a devoted Greaser, but then realizes after talking with others that maybe he has different thoughts about life than

Cherry is a popular, 16 year old Soc who Johnny and Pony meet at the movies, alongside her friend Marcia. When she first meets the Greasers, she begins to converse with them, unlike most Socs would choose to do. She also mentions that she is scared to fall in love with Dally. It is unusual for a Soc to like a Greaser which is why she is scared to fall in love with him. “The girl looked at me. I was half-scared of her. I’m half-scared of all nice girls, especially Socs… My name’s Sherri, but I’m called Cherry because of my hair. Cherry Valance.” This quote shows that Cherry is different from other Socs because she will actually talk to Greasers, who most Socs think are not worth talking to. She shows her real identity is not like that of other Socs. “She looked at me quickly. ‘I could fall in love with Dallas Winston,’ she said. ‘I hope I never see him again, or I will.’” This quote also shows Cherry’s real identity isn’t like that of other Socs because Socs don’t like Greasers, their long hair, but Cherry finds him daring and