Stereotypes In 'The Outsiders'

Outsiders Theme
Justine Corti

In our society, many people judge others based on race, gender, wealth, and more. With the stereotypes in which we label each other, we think that only certain people can succeed and do specific things. But when people learn to stand up to those stereotypes, everyone can reach their full potential, be heroes, and have many different experiences in life. In the young adult novel, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, two conflicting gangs, the greasers and the Socs, have many fights and conflicts. The members are judged based on their gangs and are viewed differently due to their wealth. Ponyboy, the protagonist, and Johnny are part of the greasers. The two teens get caught up in a murder and leave their town. After this,

Johnny shows this theme by not letting how the greasers are seen or how the greasers see him affect his actions. First of all, when Dally is harassing two girls at a movie theater. To everyone's surprise, Johnny demanded, “‘Leave her alone, Dally’...It had taken more than just nerve for him to say what he’d said to Dally-Johnny worshiped the ground Dallas walked on, and I had never heard Johnny talk back to anyone, much less his hero” (24-25). This action of Johnny speaking up to Dally surprises Ponyboy because Johnny always follows and agrees with Dally. Moreover, Johnny is known to be shy and scared and rarely argues with others. Johnny has few good influences in his life; this causes him to see Dally as his hero. Therefore, this is a monumental moment for Johnny because he stands up to Dally and starts to break the way the group

This is shown after Johnny, Dally, and Ponyboy saved the kids from a fire. Ponyboy is driving in an ambulance with Jerry, and to his surprise, Jerry said, “I think you were sent straight from heaven. Or are you just professional heroes of something?’... ‘No we’re greasers,’... ‘Johnny is wanted for murder, and Dallas has a record with the fuzz a mile long” (95). Jerry says that Ponyboy and his friends are heroes, which shocks Ponyboy because usually he is perceived as violent and selfish due to his gang. Initially, when Ponyboy was in the ambulance, he thought he was getting arrested. After all, greasers are often getting in trouble with the police. But instead, he is going to the hospital in an ambulance with Jerry, who is extremely grateful for him. Jerry even goes to the lengths of asking if Ponyboy was sent from heaven. 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. And I was going to be like him. I wasn’t going to live in a lousy neighborhood all my life” (138). This thinking proves Ponyboy finds motivation in his brother, believing that he