The Outsiders Character Analysis Essay

Tyler

English 11

Miss Ward

19 May 2023 Fictional characters can be used as tools for self-reflection. Fiction books oftentimes focus on an interesting story due to the author having the ability to add whatever they please to their book. Not only does this apply to plot, but this also applies to the characters themselves. Specifically, The Outsiders paints a great example of what fictional characters can look like by presenting different outlooks and personalities to make different characters feel dynamic in their own individual way. The characters present various traits and perspectives that allow readers to reflect on their own behaviors and determine the positive or negative aspects they may possess. The majority of the characters in The

The Outsiders follows a group of boys named the “Greasers” that don’t like another group of boys named the “Socs.” This makes up the biggest conflict throughout the whole story, which is responsible for making almost all of the characters ToG. The constant fighting leads The Outsiders’ characters to exude a ToG mindset. Ponyboy is the main character, so we get the most information on him, and all of the other characters we either hear about through Ponyboy or we get the summary of events from another character which is then interpreted by Ponyboy. Ponyboy is the first ToG character and this is shown best through the start of the story. In the beginning of the book, Ponyboy is jumped by a group of Socs. Johnny and Dally come to his rescue and kill one of the Socs in self-defense. Ponyboy is wracked with guilt and questions if they were right to kill someone. However, he ultimately decides to stay quiet about his dilemma because he knows that his loyalty to Johnny and Dally is more important to him than his own moral standards. Later in the book, Ponyboy and Johnny find themselves in a church hiding from the police after Johnny kills another Soc in self-defense. While they are in hiding, Ponyboy reads a letter from Johnny in which he expresses his regret over killing the Soc and says that

This event starts a turning point for Johnny's character. Although he acts in self-defense, he is deeply hurt by the violence and the realization that he has taken another person's life. When he and Ponyboy flee to a church to hide, he reflects on the situation and realizes that the fighting between the Greasers and Socs is pointless and only leads to more violence. Johnny's realization that fighting is useless is evident in his conversation with Ponyboy in the church. He tells Ponyboy that he doesn't want anyone to get hurt anymore, and he wishes the Greasers and Socs could find a way to get along. He expresses his belief that it doesn't matter who wins or loses in a fight because the cycle of violence will only continue. Later in the story, when Johnny dies after saving children from a burning building, his final words to Ponyboy reinforce his belief that fighting is pointless. He tells Ponyboy to "stay gold" and to cherish the good things in life, such as sunsets and other beautiful moments, which cannot be destroyed by the violence and hatred in the world. Johnny's realization that fighting is useless is a key aspect of his character development. Through his experiences, he comes to understand that the cycle of violence only leads to more pain and suffering, and the only way to break it is through compassion and empathy for others. Although