The Outsiders Character Development

In the novel “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, Johnny Cade is a member of the Greasers gang who undergoes significant growth and maturity throughout the story. Multiple events in the story contribute to his change in perspective and his development as a person. Johnny in the beginning of the novel is timid and fearful but by the end of it hes seen as a brave hero. In the beginning of the novel Johnny is seen as fearful and very timid compared to the others in the Greasers. On page 11/12 Ponyboy says “He had a nervous, suspicious look in his eyes, and the beating he got from the Socs didnt help matters.” and Pony also says on page 12 “His father was always - beating him up, and his mother ignored him, except she was hacked off at something and

Johnny is kind of forced to mature quickly, because being in a gang means you dont have time for “childish things” so Johnny isnt able to be a normal teenager. In a way being in the gang made him miss out on his childhood but, he didnt really have a choice since the socs were bullying him. On pg 16 Ponyboy says,”I remembered how awful Johnny had looked when he got beaten up. I had just as much right to use the streets as the Socs did, and Johnny had never hurt them.” here hes talking about one of the many times the Socs bullied Johnny, but now he has the gang to protect

When youre a kid everythings new, dawn. Its just when you get used to everything that its day. Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. Thats gold. Keep that way, its a good way to be.” Hes telling Pony to pretty much appreciate the nice things in life while he can, poor Johnny couldnt because of the life he was being forced to live so now hes trying to help Pony experience the things he couldnt. He wants to help Ponyboy not end up like Dally, Dally is too angry to appreciate anything he has which inevitably led to his death so he doesnt want Pony to not be grateful of all the good things he