When people make choices that could drastically change their life, the decision they make is based on the influence of others. In the novel, The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton a gang called the Greasers is stereotyped as being the “mean types” that slack off at school. Then there are the Socs who are the rich kids with cool cars that happen to like “jumping” greasers. As these two gangs are rivaling, they both go through some dramatic events that change their perspectives on life. In the novel The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton the character Darrel Curtis is unquestionably influenced by his gang as it prevents him from being successful to becoming the father of the gang, and overall being someone to look up to. Darrel, or Darry has always wanted to become something amazing in life, but sadly when his parents died in a fatal car crash, he was left to raise his two younger brothers, Sodapop, and Ponyboy. More specifically, Darrel chooses his gang over his potential future to care for his friends but sadly, “. . . Darry has never really gotten over not going to college” (Hinton 109). Basically, anybody would choose to finish a career over a more strenuous life of arduous occupations. Of course, Darry would have chosen college over two jobs, but because of his compassion towards the gang, he would choose them over anything. Not only did the gang prevent him from finishing his studies, but from overall becoming a high-class man; as Ponyboy had announced to the rest of his