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Negative consequences of violence in the novel the outsiders
Essay about the outsiders TEEL BY S.E Hinton
Negative consequences of violence in the novel the outsiders
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With his long greasy hair and baggy worn out clothes he looked likes a bad kid, but the way he talked and the way he thought it was a whole different person inside of him. The Outsiders is about two rival gangs that fight and go through so much stuff to just to call the territory their own. It is the Socs versus Greasers. They always have their back up because you can't trust anyone, but at the end of the day is all the rubbles and fighting worth it? Ponyboy one of the greasers has a big character change during the book. In the beginning of the book Ponyboy was getting jumped by the Socs and he was acting all tough and defending himself, in the middle of the book he starts to break while he is in the church, and when the kids were stuck in …show more content…
In the beginning of the book Ponyboy said, “Greasers can’t walk home alone too much or they’ll get jumped, or someone will come by and scream ‘Greaser’ at them, but I liked walking alone after movies” (Hinton, p. 2). Ponyboy was not afraid of walking home alone or of the Socs because he knew he had the gang and he was tough enough to act like he wasn’t scared of the Socs. Ponyboy is always smoking cigarettes even though he is only 14. “Jerry stared at me for a second. ‘You shouldn’t be smoking.’ I was startled. ’How come?’ Jerry stammered, ‘Uh you’re too young.’ ‘i am?’ Everyone in the neighborhood smoke, even the girls, smoked” (Hinton, p.97). This shows that he breaks rules whether he wants to or not he does what makes him tough in the …show more content…
This started to happen when he was in the church trying to hide away from the police because of the murder of one of the Soc’s. “I was trembling, and it wasn’t all from cold” (Hilton p.57). This shows that Ponyboy was scared, starting to break, and noticed that maybe this “hard bad boy” life isn't for him. Ponyboy put more and more thought about what it takes to be a greaser, which made him realize that maybe the gang life wasn’t good for him. “We were good fighters and could play cool, but we were sensitive and that isn’t a good way to be when you’re a greaser” (Hinton, p.88). Ponyboy is expressing that it is hard to be as strong as the other boys and sometimes he just couldn't or he couldn't be ok with what they were doing. “It drives my brother Darry nuts when I do stuff like that, ‘cause I’m supposed to be smart’ I make good grades and have a high IQ and everything, but I don't use my head” (Hinton, p.4). Ponyboy knows he has the potential to be something else and while being in hiding in the church it helps him realize that if he really wanted to he could be whatever he puts his mind
Ponyboy was a bad kid, he fought against Socs and he even smoked a weed, which is a cigarette. Later on he got into worse trouble and had to hide. He wanted to change and be a different person. While he hid he was scared and frightened and was beginning to think of how he was doing in life, and his thoughts were not very well. After the church incident, he began to change a little.
His parents died when he was young. He was nurtured by his older brothers. Pony has to struggle at the bottom of the social ladder. Like the people around him, he has to fight, steal and scare little kids. However, Pony remained a pure heart, a golden heart. He only fights when he has to defend himself. He kept his heart of sympathy, understanding of others and think for the others. Like in when the church was burned, he understands the situation of the teacher and children. So he risked his life to safe the kids. The most straight forward example and conclusion of Pony’s good heart is the word of Johnny, “Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold…” Moreover, Ponyboy is a thinker. He can think for the opposite side of his gang, the Socs. Although the Socs almost drowned him, he can still understand the Socs and didn’t be blinded by the hate. He in the chaos and impulsive world can see through the surface of the conflict and see the core of the world that people are the same. That is really amazing and Ponyboy does have the board mind of a hero.
He knows that Ponyboy has a chance because he is very smart. How they both reacted to not having parents shaped and effected who they are. “Johnny was high-strung anyway, a nervous wreck from getting belted every time he turned around and from hearing his parents fight all the time(2).” This explains how Johnny was effected by his parents. His parents constantly fighting and beating him made him who he was. A part of him was effected by all the chaos and pain he had to go through every day. “We're poorer than the Socs and the middle class. I reckon we're wilder, too. Not like the Socs, who jump greasers and wreck houses and throw beer blasts for kicks, and get editorials in the paper for being a public disgrace one day and an asset to society the next. Greasers are almost like hoods; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while. I don't mean I do things like that. Darry would kill me if I got into trouble with the police.” Social roles are a part of self-image that makes a person who they are. In the novel Ponyboy explains the groups that the Greasers and Sochs were split into. This
“I went on walking home, thinking about the movie, and then suddenly wishing I had some company. Greasers can’t walk alone much or they’ll get jumped.”(Hinton 2). This quote shows how Ponyboy he could probably get hurt out in the streets because he’s alone. But if he has a weapon, he will be able to protect himself. He can defend himself which he has to learn eventually so he can go out whenever he wants and nobody goes with him. That’s why he shouldn’t be sent to a foster home because then he would never learn to use self
He became aware of other people, because he risked his life to save the kids from the burning church. Ponyboy remarks "it was worth it"(Hinton 152). He had to rely on himself, when he was hiding in the abandon church from the fuzz. This symbolises loss of youth and innocence. One of the events that show Ponyboy has matured is when he told Cherry about what happened to Johnny to make him so nervous all of the time. Cherry responded to the story by telling Ponyboy that not all Socs are evil jerks. Ponyboy isn't so sure, but then Cherry says "We have troubles you've never even heard of"(Hinton 31), the sequence shows maturity in Ponyboy, because it shows that he can be empathetic to someone outside of his Greaser
The Outsiders by S.E Hinton enriches the characters by heightening their following context. Following this, Johnny Cade a flat character is the most affected by his surroundings. His traditional background is living in home, with an abusive father, and neglectful mother. Up next, our revolving character in the story, Ponyboy. Ponyboy’s Background consists of having deceased parents. He lives with two brothers Darry, and Sodapop, and is the youngest out of the Greasers. Moving on, Darry is most mature character in the novel. He grew up early to compensate his parent’s death. He adapted to surroundings, and put his brothers first. The setting is a factor that affects the characters, emotions, actions, and thought process.
Ponyboy is attacked by stereotype threat several times throughout the book. One example is the beginning when he is jumped by four Socs“I about decided I didn’t like it so much ,though, when I spotted that red Corvair trailing me.” Hinton 4. Ponyboy was cornered by four Socs who proceeded to punch and beat up Ponyboy. The four kids only beat up Ponyboy because he is a Greaser and he is the enemy of their gang, the Socs. Beating up Ponyboy is what is expected of them. This shows that these Socs are trapped by stereotype because they embraced that stereotype and made it a part of their identity. Ponyboy does show signs of
After Pony came back from running away and saving the children, he asks “‘You mean’ -- I swallowed hard -- ‘that they’re thinking about putting me in a boys’ home or something?” (91) to one of the Greasers. This shows that Ponyboy wanted to stay with his brothers, no matter what happened. Pony would not choose to leave, but he would rather stay with his family. When Ponyboy came home from the hospital, Darry explained to him that “You kept asking for me and Soda, sometimes Mom or Dad, too” (134) when he told Darry he did not remember what happened. Pony loves his family, and depends on them for support. This also shows that he would not have been with someone he loves if he was taken away, so he may not feel safe or secure. Pony dreads the idea of a boys home, and would choose his family to take care of
As Ponyboy matures, he views the members of the gang differently. Johnny has a significant impact on Ponyboy's thinking, and Ponyboy realizes that other Greasers are complicated people with good things about them, despite acting tough all the time. Ponyboy learns to look up to Dally for his courage and loyalty, as well as Johnny for his intelligence and judgement. Sodapop also helps Ponyboy reflect upon his actions and encourages him to get along with Darry. Ponyboy ends up maturing into a understanding, thoughtful person by the end of the
Ponyboy Curtis always wanted to be tuff like the other greasers and to be able to fight like they do but he just isn't like them. He enjoys sunsets and is good at school, but the others rob stores and carry switch blades. Pony is very deep which makes him so accepting towards everyone. He hated the Socs because they jumped people and he was told to hate them, but when Randy and Ponyboy talked in Randys car, Pony felt sorry for Randy and realized that not all Socs were bad just like all Greasers weren't bad either. On page 116, from Ponyboys point of view, “Randy was supposed to be too cool to feel anything, and yet there was pain in his eyes.” Then on page 118 Two-BIt asked, “‘What’d Mr. Super-Soc have to say?’” and Ponyboy replied, “‘He ain’t a Soc, he’s just a guy. He just wanted to talk.’” This was a turning point in the story for Pony because since he was young enough still to have a changeable conception of people he saw Randy as a person instead of a Soc.
While talking to Cherry after the movie, Ponyboy thought, “Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset” (Hinton 41.) In thinking this, Ponyboy realizes that Socs and Greasers sometimes had the same, if not similar, experiences. He also begins to understand the true difference between Greasers and Socs; Greasers feel things too violently, and Socs don’t or barely feel things at all. Then, when Ponyboy is talking to Randy at a Tasty Freeze store, he talks about why he saves the kids in the church. “Greaser didn’t have anything to do with it… it’s the individual” (Hinton 115.) Ponyboy says this because he discovers that, just like the Greasers, there are Socs who are genuine, kind people that don’t fit the stereotype of being mean and heartless. Ponyboy also begins to realize that Socs have hardships just as much as the Greasers, and their lives aren’t perfect. Overall, Ponyboy comes to realize that Socs are similar to him, and some are actual
Ponyboy does not want to be taken away from his family, but he might question the love his older brother has for him because, “He's as hard as a rock and about as human...he thinks I'm a pain in the neck. He likes Soda--everybody likes Soda--but he can't stand me (42).” This shows that Ponyboy thinks his eldest brother does not care about him. Ponyboy is bothered by this, but he knows that he could not stand being apart from his only family, given that he already lost both his mom and dad. This is why he should stay with his brothers, in a loving home where he feels safe and taken cared of. Ponyboy counts his gang as his family and cares
Ponyboy and Sodapop Curtis are two brothers who face hardship in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, yet remain true to their noble hearts and commit honorable acts. Ponyboy, who is usually referred to as “Pony” by family and friends, is a fourteen year old boy who lives in a town that is divided by gangs. He has a light brown head of long hair and eyes that are green, though he wishes they could be grey. Ponyboy lives with his older brothers as their parents are dead. Socs and cops unfairly stereotyped him and other greasers as “hoods.” This causes violence and while walking home from the movie theater he is jumped by Socs. Ponyboy argues with his older brother Darry who is very strict and it often rough with him:
He didn’t have a problem with it, and he wouldn’t resist violence. We are shown this when Ponyboy is with Two Bit and Steve and they are approached by some socs, “... a car drove up and three Socs got out … Big deal. I busted off the end of my bottle and held on to the neck and tossed away my cigarette ‘You get back into your car or you'll get split’” (Hinton 171). This quote shows us that Ponyboy is fine with violence. If somebody was to get hurt, or he was to hurt somebody, it wouldn’t bother him. This proves that the events in the book have changed Ponyboy to think that it is okay for people to suffer or be harmed because of
Throughout the story, Ponyboy notices that everyone sees he doesn’t act like many of the other Greasers. This idea is brought up throughout the story, but the first was when