The Outsiders, by S.E Hinton, is a book about two social groups. The Socs and the Greasers. The Greasers are more than just a social group, they are a family. Without each other, they would not be the same. Fighting and wrestling, is just a small part of their relationship. They belong together, they need one another. Individually against the Socs is risky, but together, they are a force to be reckoned with.
Belonging to a family, is a pleasurable feeling. A feeling that Johnny does not have. His parents do not even car about him, they do not even miss him. When Johnny is home, all they do is lecture him. No love, no attention, no safety. Unlike his parents, the Greasers welcome Johnny with open arms. Even though Johnny does not feel
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In order to have a social group, you need to have a group of people who can relate to one another. The Greasers do not relate to each other just by their greasy hair, but also by their background history. In the novel, the only parents who were mentioned were Ponyboy’s and Johnny’s. Dally’s, Two-Bit’s, and Steve’s parents were not even recognized. Maybe, just maybe, they were not treated very well during their childhood. The Greasers can relate to one another because they have all experienced a time when they felt like they did not belong. Background history is one reason why they all fit together.
The Socs have always been an enemy to the Greasers. They belong on the west side of town, away from any conflicts. This all changed because of one little conversation. When Ponyboy spoke to to Randy, they both realized that fighting is not the solution to this rivalry. The Greasers and the Socs are both regular people. Perhaps, all of these altercations wouldn’t even exist if they all got along.
In conclusion, a sense of belonging is a very common theme in The Outsiders. Everyone has emotions, even the Socs. Without love and friendship can be difficult. If it was not for the Greasers, Johnny may have done something that no one could imagine. As you can see, if people do not have a sense of belonging, they can change