The Outsiders Literary Analysis

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Nothing in life stays forever. Eventually, everything dies or goes away. Spring turns into winter. Happiness turns into sadness. Children will grow up and soon lose their innocence. Though it may sound depressing, it is part of life. People need to learn that everything will soon be gone. If one is grateful for the things they have, a greater life can be achieved. It turns denial into acceptance and chaos into order. It turns a meal into a feast and a house into a home. One’s lifespan is limited on Earth, so one should take care and value what they have. The book, The Outsiders, written by S.E Hinton, demonstrates this idea through the use of author’s craft. Hinton uses symbolism, foreshadowing, and flashbacks to show that one should value what they have before it is gone. She uses symbols of sunsets, Gone With the Wind, and the idea of “staying gold.” If one does …show more content…

Johnny says, "I never noticed colors and clouds and stuff until you kept reminding me about them. It seems like they were never there before" (62). According to Johnny, he was never able to discover the colors and importance of sunsets until Ponyboy pointed it out. For a long time he was missing out on their beauty. Sunsets could represent the small things in life most people tend to miss out on. Johnny could have been enjoying them had he discovered their beauty earlier. Sometimes, the little things in life are the most important. Sunsets show a day ending with a beautiful sky with orange-like hues. They look as if the sky has been painted by a skilled artist. When one takes a closer look at something, they see the beauty within it. A sunset only last a few minutes everyday before it is gone. In addition to the “small things in life”, sunsets could also symbolize unity because they are enjoyed by both Greasers and Socs. One should take time to appreciate these little things in life because any day, they could never be able to experience them