Symbolism In Hinton's The Outsiders

Symbolism can be shown in objects, actions, and places. Chapter 4 of The Outsiders shows the outrageous act that Johnny and Ponyboy committed. Symbolism is shown by Bob’s rings, the park, and the church. To begin with, Bob’s rings is a part of the many symbols in this text. In the climax, Ponyboy realized that the man standing in front of Johnny and himself was the man who attacked Johnny in the lot. “I knew Johnny recognized them: he was watching the moonlight glint off Bob’s rings with huge eyes” (Hinton 50). This cite represents the wealth of the Socs and Bob’ commitment to the Socs. Hinton uses this symbol because the rings shows the traumatic horror that the Socs put Johnny through and the emotional trauma that haunts Johnny till this

Now since Johnny killed someone the park displays the irony that the park can be a horrific place or the most wonderful place for some. In the rising action, Pony describes the park and the people who go to the park. “Tall elm trees made the park shadowy and dark, and it would have been a good hangout, but we preferred our vacant lot, and the shepard outfit liked the alleys down by the tracks, so the park was left to lovers and little kids”(Hinton 49). This cite demonstrates that most people feel that the park is only for good and not for the bad. This symbol also could be portrayed as the park is the Greasers last hope being taking from them. S.E. Hinton wove this symbol into the text because it could be taken into many directions like it was the last happy place for the Greasers but it was ripped away from them when Johnny killed Bob, the Soc.
As a final point, the church is a piece of symbolism since a church is where you worship God but Johnny and Ponyboy went to the church to escape their sins. In the falling action, Pony lets the readers in on their action of breaking into the church.”We climbed in a back window. It was a small church, real old and spooky and spiderwebby”(Hinton 59). This symbol displays the sin of breaking into a church and hiding out in the church, until Dally comes for them. I can infer Pony and Johnny will not go back home to their families because of the crime they committed.