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Of Stereotyping In S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders

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The novel The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton illustrates a theme of stereotyping and its effect on the characters. The protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis is the most affected by stereotyping. Ponyboy is stereotyped as a greaser. He accepts this stereotype, but is negatively affected by it, because society views greasers as poor, bellicose, delinquents from the East Side. While some may state that Ponyboy is a normal person, I view Ponyboy as a greaser, because of the way he acts and relates to other greasers. As stated previously, Ponyboy is stereotyped as a greaser. This is because of how he looks, where he lives, and who he associates with. For example, Ponyboy lives on the East Side of his town, where money is far more scarce, and he only lives with his two brothers. Due to this disposition, Ponyboy becomes more susceptible to stereotyping. Ponyboy lives in a neighborhood with other greasers, as well. “We steal things and drive …show more content…

However, he is negatively affected by it. An example of Ponyboy accepting his stereotype is when he fights in the rumble against the Socs, with the other greasers. He is not ashamed to be fighting with his friends, even though he states that he has no reason for fighting. Additionally, Ponyboy is upset when he is forced to cut and bleach his hair, because he wanted to look “tuff” like his friends. Ponyboy was genuinely upset about his hair, therefore he accepts his appearance as a greaser, as well. Ponyboy is negatively affected by the stereotype because he gets into multiple legal problems. He is forced to go to court because his friend, Johnny, killed a Soc named Bob. “Greasers can’t walk alone too much or they’ll get jumped, or someone come by and scream “Greaser!” at them, which doesn’t make you feel too hot, if you know what I mean” (2). This quote has significance because it epitomizes the negative affect the stereotype has on

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Ponyboy feels that both gangs are actually very similar, but no one is able to accept each other for who they are so they judge each other on clothing, hair, smell, and even just the way they talk. The greasers live on the east side of Oklahoma. Their lifestyle is different because the greasers live outside of the town and don't have as much money

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In the beginning the book ponyboy grows up hating the Socs. The Socs have have all the power and money and ponyboy hates them for this and also hates them because they are always picking on and fighting greasers. They do this because they think that they they’re better than the greasers. He hates them even more after he gets jumped. “I fought to get

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Ponyboy lives with his oldest brother, Darry, who is twenty years old and has legal custody of him and his other brother, Sodapop, who is sixteen. They call themselves, “The Greasers.” Ponyboy has a lack of common sense, and he knows it without a doubt. He has the brains in school very smart, but sometimes he just doesn’t use common sense. Him not having common sense caused him to get in serious trouble.

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People today could say that stereotypes aren't such a factor in life, but they don’t notice what's really around them. The book The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, gives a realistic example of how stereotypes rule society. The Outsiders is about two groups of kids, the Socs, and the greasers. The story takes place in the east side of Tulsa Oklahoma, in the 1960’s. The main character Ponyboy is part of the greaser group, with Johnny, Darry, Dally, Sodapop, Two-Bit, and Steve.

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The message that the story of The Outsides is trying to convey is stereotypes don't define people. The first example is Sherri “Cherry” Valance. She shatters all the stereotypes of a Soc, by being kind to Ponyboy and Johnny. The stereotype of a Soc is a rich troublemaker t hat slaughters and brutally beat up Greasers for fun. But Cherry does not conform to this, as she talked and watched a movie with Ponyboy, without threatening him.

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He was also being humble. Greasers are used to gloating about their own accomplishments and actions. Ponyboy’s feelings and attitude towards the Socs changes throughout the novel. Ponyboy’s initial attitude towards the Socs was all about looking cool and tuff all the time. The forces behind Ponyboy’s change in attitude towards the Socs are the willingness of the Socs to show their softer side to him.

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This astonishes Ponyboy because he assumes Jerry would be mad or arrest him for his past violence. But Jerry is grateful for Ponyboy, even after hearing that he is a greaser. Ponyboy realizes that he can be appreciated and learns that greasers can do kind and gracious things also. Furthermore, when Ponyboy is with another group of greasers, he “looked at Darry… He’s going somewhere.

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Throughout the book, Ponyboy comes to understand that people are more complex than their superficial appearance or economic status might suggest. He learns to attempt to understand where others are coming from and to look beyond all the stereotypes and prejudices he had grown up with. This is particularly evident in his relationship with Cherry Valance, a Soc, whom he initially views as an adversary due to their differences in social class, but with whom he would eventually come to understand and even sympathize as the story progresses. This shows how Ponyboy learns the importance of empathy and understanding.

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In this book report I will talk about the book “The outsiders” written by S.E. Hinton, I will do a review of the story, the point of view, theme, symbols and my opinion about this book I really liked to read for the English class. The story is about a boy named Ponyboy who lived in a small town in Texas with his two brothers Darry and Sodapop were a gang war was taking place between two different social class people: The Socs and the Greasers. Ponyboy will learn the consequences bad acts can bring to your life in the middle of a gang war. The greasers were a middle class and not so social kind of people who liked to get in trouble and The other gang The Socs were a most of them a high class or middle-high class group of people who where they went they will always go in groups of like three or four people.

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He could take anything. It was Johnny I was worried about.” He knows how frightened and anxious Johnny is after being jumped and how he is not as tough as the rest of the Greasers. Especially without a loving family at home, Johnny only has the gang and is not able to take as much. Throughout the whole novel, Ponyboy expresses how much he cares for others both with Johnny, and

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Thematic Essay- Society and Class Society and class is an important theme in “The Outsiders”, a novel written by S.E Hinton. “The Outsider”, is a book about two gangs, the Greasers and the socs who are rivals because of their economic and social differences. Throughout the book, S.E Hinton outlines that Socs, who have a better economic status are unaware of all of the other aspects in life and feel superior over the Greasers. In book, The Outsiders, it 's shown that a human society can be separated a society because of society and wealth.

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The only other character mentioned in The Outsiders who admires watching sunsets is Cherry Valance, therefore he really stands out. Ponyboy’s explanation of what most Greasers do is, “Greasers are almost like hoods; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in awhile.” Despite his explanation, he doesn’t act like this at all. Ponyboy is unique because he wants to do something good in the world. In fact, he did- he wrote about something that was important to him.

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You first start to see a slight change in Ponyboy’s point of view when he meets Cherry (Sherri) Valance, furthermore when he speaks to Randy in the car, as well as when he reads Johnny's letter. Ponyboy’s point of view changes when he gets jumped by the Socs and when he first meets Cherry. It is through these events

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